new brewer

jfenton · Dec 22, 2012

Hi everyone,
I thought I had best get on here in order to stop my almost complete failure in my quest to start making my own beer!
I obviously enjoy my beer, but was looking forward to starting to make my own after my wife bought me a kit for my birthday.
After brewing this first kit successfully - (nice flavour and pressure/head) I was enjoying my self too much and didnt realise that without CO2 injection I was letting air into by barrel. After this I had very little pressure fizz and pop.
I then went on to my next brew - Coopers Larger with a brand new CO2 valve on my barrel. The problem is I think it is not holding the pressure. After injection of CO2 it then escapes out the valve again?! hence forth after a day no more fizz or pop?!

Can I rescue this? Was looking forward to a crisp fizzy pint this christmas.

Will post on the forum this problem to see if I can get a response.

Thanks one and all - merry christmas!

Wendy1971 · Dec 22, 2012

hi and welcome to a great and helpful forum :thumb:

mmaguy41 · Dec 22, 2012

check all your seals, when your keg is next empty and cleaned tighten everything down fill it up with water and seal. Inject some co2 and splash some soapy water on all the seals, any leaks will show as bubbles. You will struggle to keep a lager fizzy, barrels are better for ales as they can only hold so much pressure. So i would bottle your lagers and barrel your ales if possible. Good luck

dennisking · Dec 22, 2012

Hi and welcome.

fermentall · Dec 23, 2012

hi, nice to meet you : cheers:

Dieseljockey · Dec 23, 2012

mmaguy41 said:
check all your seals, when your keg is next empty and cleaned tighten everything down fill it up with water and seal. Inject some co2 and splash some soapy water on all the seals, any leaks will show as bubbles. You will struggle to keep a lager fizzy, barrels are better for ales as they can only hold so much pressure. So i would bottle your lagers and barrel your ales if possible. Good luck

mmaguy41 has hit the nail on the head..I started with plastic, but soon started to bottle because of this reason.

jfenton said:
I was enjoying my self too much and didnt realise that without CO2 injection I was letting air into by barrel. After this I had very little pressure fizz and pop

That's the last thing you need....air getting into your brew....oxygen + brew = :sick: