CO2 Absorption

[el gringo]

Hi All,

Quick question, my Coopers IPA has been in the keg for 6 weeks now and tastes lovely but I had a few issues with lost pressure initial.

After fixing a weeping tap problem, I gassed it up with a co2 bulb but It wouldn't hold pressure, this I have traced (I think) to the inlet seal under the cap not seating properly after the co2 injection - I rectified this I think and gassed it up again and stuck it out in the shed in the cold.

Went to pull a pint this evening and there was some initial pressure but it dropped off very quickly, a bit of a how longs a piece of string question, but if it was really cold last night would the co2 have been absorbed into the beer? The half I pulled had a much better "bite" and mouth feel to it than I've had in the last week or so.

Or have I just lost pressure again?

Cheers

Chris

 

[Windy]

It's probably in the beer and you will need a fair amount of CO2 to get decent pressure in the cold as it will keep going into the beer. I suggest you re-prime it with some more sugar and keep it at room temp. for a couple of days - same amount as you used originaly. Far more CO2 goes into the beer in the cold than at room temperature.

 

[el gringo]

Thanks Windy, i'll keep an eye on it.

If i bring it back into the house will the warm bring the pressure back up again?

Cheers

 

[Windy]

If i bring it back into the house will the warm bring the pressure back up again?

Cheers

Yes, although it may take a few days to get most of it back and quite a few more to get all of it. At first you wont have much pressure to pour but there will still be CO2 in the beer so it will be quite fizzy.

If you are going to bring it back in the warm then don't add CO2 until it has warmed up since you may well end up wasting it out the safety valve when you have the CO2 from the beer as well.