Leaky tap?

[blackdouglas]

I just started the fermentation bucket in my second brew and I have a question. First time I did this this, after I decanted it into the barrel for 2nd fermentation as the pressure built up beer began to leak out of the tap, and I ended up losing 3-4 pints. This was some time ago and as far as I can remember the reason for this was because the cap wasn't vaselined properly (fault of the business which sold me the kit supposedly 'ready to go') I managed to salvage the rest and it turned out OK but I lost some pressure in the barrel. I had to knock the tap round using a hammer to tighten it up. My question is- could it have been a faulty tap and should I get this checked out before I empty the contents of my new brew into it?

Another question- I have some cocoa butter vaseline. IS that OK to use to seal the cap?

 

[brizleciderarmy]

Wont do any harm to inspect the tap and threads. If in doubt, before you empty your brew into the barrel fill it to within 3 inches from the top with water and use one of those gas bulbs to pressure test the tap. If it don't leak you know the tap thread is OK. Also check the rubber o-ring on the tap to see if its has perished. From personal experience over tightening can be as bad as it being too loose. Personally for me i have never Greased up the tap threads and have got away with it so far. Even though pressure barrels come fully assembled they are never 'ready to use', even if the seller states this. I had the joy of drinking 2 flat brews until i realized.

The coco-butter butter Vaseline will possibly give off flavors into the brew.

 

[jonewer]

Is it a budget barrel? I have one BB tap which leaks. Its nothing to do with the gasket, the beer actually leaks through the tap.

 

[blackdouglas]

Is it a budget barrel? I have one BB tap which leaks. Its nothing to do with the gasket, the beer actually leaks through the tap.

it's not supposed to leak out several pints in first few days? :wha:

i bought it from a local business so should be up to standard.

thanks to brizlearmy whatev you called for advice also, going to invest in a co2 cannister before decanting so can test it that way and know beforehand. bit of chocolate flavour seeping wont do any harm, just worried about contamination.

:drink:

 

[brizleciderarmy]

Is it a budget barrel? I have one BB tap which leaks. Its nothing to do with the gasket, the beer actually leaks through the tap.

it's not supposed to leak out several pints in first few days? :wha:

i bought it from a local business so should be up to standard.

thanks to brizlearmy whatev you called for advice also, going to invest in a co2 cannister before decanting so can test it that way and know beforehand. bit of chocolate flavour seeping wont do any harm, just worried about contamination.

:drink:

There wont be no contamination issues. Just flavor which your fine with.

 

[blackdouglas]

Is it a budget barrel? I have one BB tap which leaks. Its nothing to do with the gasket, the beer actually leaks through the tap.

it's not supposed to leak out several pints in first few days? :wha:

i bought it from a local business so should be up to standard.

thanks to brizlearmy whatev you called for advice also, going to invest in a co2 cannister before decanting so can test it that way and know beforehand. bit of chocolate flavour seeping wont do any harm, just worried about contamination.

:drink:

There wont be no contamination issues. Just flavor which your fine with.

yes.

what if I used extra virgin olive oil, or hemp oil to lube it. Would that be sufficient instead?

 

[Pearlfisher]

Is it a budget barrel? I have one BB tap which leaks. Its nothing to do with the gasket, the beer actually leaks through the tap.

I had one of these , I lost about a gallon in total in a month. I reported it to the Homebrew Company whom I purchased the barrel from and they sent me a better replacement tap the next day.

 

[brizleciderarmy]

what if I used extra virgin olive oil, or hemp oil to lube it. Would that be sufficient instead?

Not sure about those. Stick to the vaseline its tried and tested. Although, i once read somewhere, might even of been this forum that you can use KY Jelly on threads :lol:

 

[blackdouglas]

5 days in, was worried I might not have got the temperature right as I have been advised that it is better to add 3 litres of boiling water than the two I added, but I just checked it and 1. it smells bloodly marvelous and 2. the SP has gone down to about 1010 so all is thus far still going to plan I think :thumb:

Is it a budget barrel? I have one BB tap which leaks. Its nothing to do with the gasket, the beer actually leaks through the tap.

I had one of these , I lost about a gallon in total in a month. I reported it to the Homebrew Company whom I purchased the barrel from and they sent me a better replacement tap the next day.

I think I just needed to screw the tap in tighter. Shop that sold it to me failed to tell me this, as did the DVD they gave me with the kit. I think it will be ok. About to find out either way. If it's still leaking then I'm taking it back to the shop and demanding a new one + a free kit.

what if I used extra virgin olive oil, or hemp oil to lube it. Would that be sufficient instead?

Not sure about those. Stick to the vaseline its tried and tested. Although, i once read somewhere, might even of been this forum that you can use KY Jelly on threads :lol:

Don't want to sound crude and it's not a practise I partake in FYI, however a friend of nine who is a homosexual told me that it's better to use KY (for that :whistle: ) than vaseline because KY is less of a breeding ground for bacteria.

 

[blackdouglas]

D'oh! Got drunk last night and decided to sample my beer. Tasted good so ended up sinking about three pints. Had to raid the fridge to stop me from barfing lol

Anyway, now lost some beer so there is going to be more air in the barrel. Will this affect it? Should I buy a CO2 cylinder and put it on when I barrel it?

 

[blackdouglas]

I am so not happy right now. Just emptied the beer into this barrel, nearly finished it all just another few days to wait... stuck the C02 cannister on top and then stood there watching helplessly and the beer sprayed out of the tap from various angles. Am I supposed to keep the CO2 on, maybe the pressure was too high? I don't know are you supposed to give it a quick burst and leave it at that?

I had to release the pressure inside to stop it from leaking out, I shall await some advice.

 

[hairybiker]

OK what co2 did you pressurise it with? An S30 or soadstream type or one of the 8g ones (used for making soda water etc)?
If the larger one then a ONE SECOND burst is enough repeated if necessary. But you are NOT carbonating the beer just replacing the vacuum left by the beer being drunk. The smaller ones just stay on until they are empty.

 

[blackdouglas]

The big cannister that screws on, not the little ones. I left it on yes, the guy in the shop (alba) told me to give it a couple of quick bursts (seeing as I sampled a little too much of it the other night...) I was waiting for it top stop hissing....

Maybe I left it on too long then eh? Oh well you learn by your mistakes.

Which way are you supposed to turn the tap to tighten it up, clockwise?

EDIT

Number 2 on cannister- it is essential not to give more than a 1 second burst of gas... :whistle:

 

[blackdouglas]

Just went to check it on and it's still leaking. Plus when I turn the tap clockwise it starts spraying out. So I've reduced the pressure to normal air pressure and I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[blackdouglas]

Would I be right in saying if the valve is hissing, ie. blowing out air then this is a bad thing?

how much pressure can these things hold just out of interest and why do they cost £35?

Been drinking some of of it tonight owing to drunkenness and lack of self control. topping it up with co2 with the cannister which I thought when i bought it was a lot less ******* tampery!

I thought you just screwed the bloody thing on and left it. I also though that when you filled the barrel with 1st fermentation beer and added sugar it woldn't matter if you added too much sugar or whatever and the pressure built up too high. I thought that when I was forking out a large amont of cash for what is basically just a lump of plastic that it would at least perform it's primary function, that is to hold in the pressure of 20L+fermenting beer!!!!!!!

advice if any please can get from alba now or edina who I am now very sure I will be speaking to at some point within the next three weeks....

:hmm:

 

[hairybiker]

Well cost is another thing :wha: They charge what they can get away with.

Pressure barrels are rated at <10psi. If the valve is hissing - does it have a pressure release bit on it? A (brown elastic bit on the injector or a yellow one seperate)

Normally you will prime with ~4oz of sugar/M.E. and that will do for most of the barrel, when it NO LONGER pours then add SOME co2 it doesn't need a lot.

 

[blackdouglas]

Pressure barrels are rated at <10psi. If the valve is hissing - does it have a pressure release bit on it? A (brown elastic bit on the injector or a yellow one seperate)
.

Nothing I can see on the outside, can't tell what's inside until I take it off. So have I pretty much bust the valve then? I would have though that it would have been able to withstand the same pressure inside the cannister seeing as it is made of metal. (obviously not the tap)

What a disaster this has turned out to be again. Can only cross my fingers and hope for third time lucky...

 

[Jeltz]

Is it a budget barrel? I have one BB tap which leaks. Its nothing to do with the gasket, the beer actually leaks through the tap.

I had one of these , I lost about a gallon in total in a month. I reported it to the Homebrew Company whom I purchased the barrel from and they sent me a better replacement tap the next day.

I've the same problem, I don't suppose you have a link to the tap from their website do you?

 

[blackdouglas]

Yep I think the valve is bust just poured out a glass of no ready yet beer and it was sucking in air. No pressure inside, whole thing is ruined. Just going to sup this up and next brew is going to take the form of five 5L water bottles.

 

[joe1002]

If you mean conditioning in water bottles, it will not work as the bottles will not be able to hold the pressure.

Secondly, if you condition in 5l bottles you would have to drink 5l each time you open a bottle.