Corny keg - lost pressure

[Mangold]

One of my corny kegs gas lost pressure. I primed it two weeks ago with 60g of sugar and left it at 18. Today I have gone to pour some off and I could push in the lid. Could it be that I didn't prime with enough? I have set my gas up on it at 10 psi to keep pressure. No visible leaks from either post. Is it possible I under primed? And it lost pressure when crash cooled yesterday?

The beer tastes fine, just flat.

Thanks

 

[Mangold]

Also, I did purge the head space when I initially put it in the corny but is it possible I didn't seal the keg fully hence the lost pressure?

When you carb with sugar in a corny do you ramp up the press ure to say 30psi to make sure the lid is sealed?

Thanks

 

[Drunkula]

Yeah, it's possible it didn't get a good seal.

And unless that priming sugar was actively fermenting that 30psi will get absorbed into the beer leaving not much pressure behind. Did you leave it on the 10 psi straight away?

60g would get you 1.7 vols of carbonation, not that much, really. 10psi at 18c would only give you 1.5 vols of carbonation which is less than the guideline for a British ale.

Anyway, tip for the future: don't sugar prime with kegs, I showed in another thread that it's really not worth it. You save about 6p in co2 and then you've also got a crap first pint to deal with. Is any extra pint worth 6p. Hell yes.

The force carbing of a keg uses less than 40% of the total for carbing and pumping out the beer. I'm super tight and did it but now I know it's really not worth it.

 

[Mangold]

Thanks for that. What psi should I force carb at 17 / 18 for a pale?

I reckon your right and the co2 was absorbed as the keg was fine previously.

 

[Drunkula]

PSI chart here:
https://jollygoodbeer.co.uk/2015/08/23/under-pressure-keg-beer-pressure-in-the-uk/

Volumes for styles under the calculator here:
https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/

So about 23 psi. You'd be better off putting somewhere cold if you can.

 

[Mangold]

Thanks. How cold is cold, I can get it down to a stable 2c.

Thank you for your help.

 

[parpot]

The colder the better, the beer absorbs the Co2 quicker & better, 1-2c

 

[Mangold]

Thanks Parpot. I have had the gas on overnight. Would you recommend I disconnect and see if it loses pressure again? I don't really want to waste a bottle of co2.

Thanks

 

[parpot]

Thanks Parpot. I have had the gas on overnight. Would you recommend I disconnect and see if it loses pressure again? I don't really want to waste a bottle of co2.

Thanks

I would test the seals on the lid and the posts, use a strong washing up liquid solution, if you have a leak you will see bubbles. I always found that if you pump up the Co2 at the start that normally seals the lid correctly but it depends on the condition of your seals/Corny keg

 

[Mangold]

Thanks Parpot. I put new seals on everything as I hadnt used it in a while.

The only other thing I can think of is that one of the poppets for the gas in mechanism is not flush, as I took it apart to clean. Could this be an issue, it hasn't happened before when I have taken apart.

Thanks

 

[The Baron]

You really need a quick burst of Co2 to seat the seals on a keg, gradual pressure from adding sugar will generally leak away as the seals do not not tend to seal unless they are put under enough pressure initailly

 

[parpot]

As I said before check the Lid seal and the posts with the solution you will know for sure then but as Baron says a good hit of pressure normally seals things

 

[Mangold]

Hi all. So after last week's drama, I set my reg to 23 psi and left it attached. I have had a pint almost every other night from a flow control tap that sits directly on the keg. This evening I can only get foam. I have turned down the psi to 10 each time I tried to pour, and released pressure via the valve before purging.

I have a spunding valve, should I pop this on?

If so, what psi should I set it?

Thanks all

 

[Drunkula]

Look up "line balancing." You always want the pressure so it provides the level of carbonation you want at the temperature you're keeping the beer at. You'll need some form of restriction so you can serve the beer at that temperature and pressure. You're going to have to get some 3/16" line in there somewhere.

 

[BeerCat]

If its over carbed turn off the gas and vent the keg a little, try again after 24 hours. Repeat until necessary.