flat lager

[darrenwest1]

as above really i can not get my lager to have any fizz once it leaves the tap it goes flat straight away
it is stored in a cornie as 30psi and served at about 5-10
any help please

 

[corby_brewer]

Did you force carbonate the cornie before you tried to serve it? or did you prime the keg?
Also how long as it been in the cornie before you pulled a pint?

 

[Aleman]

And at what temperature?

Storing at one pressure and serving at another is not the best way to try and serve a beer that you want a rising bead in . . you'll get a lot of CO2 breakout as it's served leaving little in the beer for carbonation. . . I am carbonating and serving my pilsner at 15 psi at 9C and have a good rising bead developing (I only kegged it on Sunday)

 

[darrenwest1]

the lager has been in the keg for about 4 months
if i serve at 15psi all i get is foam

 

[Aleman]

And at what temperature?

I am carbonating and serving my pilsner at 15 psi at 9C and have a good rising bead developing

What length of line do you have and what is the diameter of the beer line. . . for more highly carbonated beers you will need 3/16" line, and depending on temperature 5-6 feet of it. (At 9C you need 3 feet - well I do)

 

[darrenwest1]

well it goes through a beer chiller but my beer line is 5/16 th

 

[darrenwest1]

ok i have changed the beer line from the chiller to 4mm pipe which is 6 foot long the regulator is set at 15 psi
i pressurised the keg to 15 then rolled it back and forward for a few mins then let it settle for a while but once the head dies down its still flat
help please

 

[Friday]

Was your keg cold when you force carbed it? Have you had this problem with any other beers? Is this your first time force carbing? what's the current temp of your keg, could or warm?


What I suspect is that the co2 is not dissolving into your beer. Are your trying to carb it at room temp? If so that's your problem.

 

[darrenwest1]

well it is a bit below room temp but not much the kegs are kept just below ground on the car area

what temp should it be done at
a how to would be great
many thanks

 

[Friday]

35f is where I force carb at. What I like to do is get the temp down to 35f hook up the gas at 12 psi and just let it sit for 2 or 3 weeks. That will give you perfectly charged beer every time. If you can't get your kegs cold the only other option you have is to naturally carb it.

I guess it's time to invest in a beer fridge.

 

[darrenwest1]

but if i got a fridge it would have to be big enough to put a cornie in and i would only use it to carb lager in
seems a bit of a waste of money just for 1 thing
i personally drink bitter

 

[photogenius-uk]

This is not so much a reply as a plea for help with a similar problem. I am a complete beginner and a brand new member (today!): got a bit less than 40 pints of a bitter kit (can't even remember the name!) in a pressure barrel which was primed with sugar as per instructions. It comes out of the tap like a b........... rocket with lots of foam/head but then is flat to drink - tastes OK. My bruv uses a kit but uses bottles (2 litre) for storage: I drank some of his over last weekend and it remained sparkling in the glass until all was gone!

Is it the fact of going into a bottle a clue or the few weeks storage I've given as opposed to his few months?

Any help gratefully received.

 

[darrenwest1]

it needs to go somwhere cold so that the co2 can go in to the liguid easier for a couple of weeks

 

[Friday]

but if i got a fridge it would have to be big enough to put a cornie in and i would only use it to carb lager in
seems a bit of a waste of money just for 1 thing
i personally drink bitter

How are you brewing lagers at room temp? I've always been under the impression that a lager is brewed at around 55f and then lagered at 40f or below for a few weeks.

So you see a beer ridge can be used for more then one thing.

 

[darrenwest1]

not according to the instructions from my kit (coopers european)
i have a stainless steel submersable heater that i use