Leaking barrel

[kentmark]

Have out my crimbo ale in the pressure barrel, primed with 85g sugar in 1/2 pint boiled then cooked water. In a warm room for a week then into the garage on my workbench.

It seems to have pressured well and i have some CO2 capsules ready to go when needed.

Have noticed that there is some beer seeping from the seal between the tap and barrel. I looks like its worse under pressure.

I did replace the seal o ring before using the barrel so guessing it needs re-seating.

I was thinking of carefully racking into a clean fv, sort the seal put the beer back in the barrel. Finish with some CO2.

Any thoughts?

 

[Sailingcol]

Hello,
I have got 5 barrels on the go ready for Christmas and one has had a serious leak (air)
Which i hope have cured now, two have weeps on the tap seal like you and two are ok. In preparation for the Christmas party I "tested" them all last night !!! The leaky taps stopped when I drew off a pint and the pressure dropped a bit . so for me Im just going to put up with having a bit of kitchen roll there just in case.

Someone told me to cover the taps to keep flies out ?? Not sure if this fact? I do have them covered. My 6 year olds old socks fit great!!

Cheers. Col.

 

[kentmark]

Well I pulled off a couple of pints (purely to test you understand), let a little pressure out the safety valve and the leak has lessened. Beer is still flowing with good pressure it would appear that at maximum pressure it was a bit seepy. At the current levels of seepage (ie: just a little when i operate the tap) i think I will just leave a towel underneath the barrel and monitor it. Festive ale "old grumpy git" tastes great. Really light and sweet citrousy flavour.

 

[Geoffers]

Hi,

I have the same thing happening (top tap / King Keg) with Milestone's Olde Home Wrecker (my first ale brew). A little weepage under pressure from the tap seal to the keg. Although it has only been in the garage 3 days it's clearing (and tastes good already!) I hope that once it's below the tap line that this stops so I can let it mature longer (but I fear it'll be gone sooner!)... I have taped a cut off from a plastic 5L bottle at the bottom of the keg to direct the spill into there which seems to be working.

I did put a little vaseline on the washer as I was putting it all together which in hindsight I could have left out, wonder if that contributed?

 

[beerhunter]

if it`s a plaggy barrel you can tighten the tap then re-align, just don't tighten too much.

 

[kentmark]

This particular barrel (a hamilton baird) has got a drum tap with a nut that tightens from inside the barrel.

Not amused at this barrel now it looks like its not holding pressure well. Have got the one-shot CO2 canisters, give it a shot, lots of pressure when pouring a pint. 24 hours later pressure seems greatly decreased.