Overcarbonation in the barrell

[MikeK117]

Hi All,

I have a kit in the barrel which has been there for 4 weeks. It was a 32 pint kit and I bottled some so with wastage (I'm new so I'm not very slick yet!) I reckon I had about 25 pints in it. It's now down to around 3/5 full and the beer still comes out like lightening. I still haven't opened the tap fully yet as it comes out so quick, this is despite me cracking open the lid to let some CO2 out the other week because pouring was too difficult (eg 1/3 beer and 2/3 head when I poured a pint!) and the pressure seemed to be forcing the beer out of the closed tap (not the seal, the tap itself). Even now I can only open the tap a smidge or the barrel may take off.

This is my first brew in a barrel so I'm not sure if this is normal! I bought little CO2 containers to top up the gas but there's no way I'll need it, but I understood that I would need a few to stop bubbles going back into the tap.

The beer was in the FV for 12 days and dormant for 2-3.

Cheers :
Mike

 

[Fore]

Hi. You don't mention FG. It's possible it wasn't finished before you kegged.

 

[Algernon]

Did you measure the final gravity before barrelling it?
Did you prime the barrel with sugar before barrelling it?
Is it clear or yeasty when it comes out?

 

[MikeK117]

Did you measure the final gravity before barrelling it?
Did you prime the barrel with sugar before barrelling it?
Is it clear or yeasty when it comes out?

Hi Algernon.

FG was 1016 when instructions said to aim for 1014, but it wasn't shifting. Kept at a constant 20c whilst fermenting.

Batch primed with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar per pint.

It's not clear like a shop bought beer, but it's by no means hazy, the head has a yeasty smell to it. The head comes out like a monster but settles to a 'normal' head in around 2 minutes. It almost comes out like a John Smiths, all foamy for a while then seems to settle nicely.

Another note, I've just cracked open a bottle at the same time as a glass from the barrel, the bottled beer has better carbonation in terms of bubbles rising up the glass whereas the barrelled beer has none, but the bottled beer has no head at all.

:

 

[pittsy]

I would suggest putting the barrel somewhere as cold as possible so the beer will absorb the gas better and you'll get less gas over all .

 

[MikeK117]

I would suggest putting the barrel somewhere as cold as possible so the beer will absorb the gas better and you'll get less gas over all .

My one bedroom second floor flat is not a good start then!

 

[Algernon]

Sounds a bit awkward for crash cooling, certainly.
If it tastes ok then maybe for this one just drink it as it is and then for future brews bottle them - that way you can keep a stash in the fridge for whenever you need them.
Do you have space for a 2nd fridge anywhere? They can be cheap or even free if you get lucky on freecycle etc.
Sorry not to be much more help.

 

[MikeK117]

Sounds a bit awkward for crash cooling, certainly.
If it tastes ok then maybe for this one just drink it as it is and then for future brews bottle them - that way you can keep a stash in the fridge for whenever you need them.
Do you have space for a 2nd fridge anywhere? They can be cheap or even free if you get lucky on freecycle etc.
Sorry not to be much more help.

No space atall really. I think I'm going to crash cool my next brew in my parents garage, all in bottles, makes sense really.

I've just poured some more of this brew and it still comes out at lightspeed. The guy in my homebrew shop suggested it may be because the fermentation wasn't complete (despite being in the FV for 12 days). Contrary to that, he said I should have bottled after 4 days even though the air lock was still going crazy at that stage.... So I don't know what to think!

 

[Algernon]

I definitely wouldn't bottle after 4 days regardless - it's asking for exploding glass bottles and that is pretty dangerous.
Proper brewers test the gravity daily and after 3 consecutive readings being the same they regard it as finished. Some like to leave a further week as the yeast slowly metabolises some of the products of earlier fermentation, some like to bottle it ASAP and let it condition in the bottle. I tend to leave it a good 4 to 7 days once it has finished, but I am lazy and actually I tend to just give it 3 weeks in FV to be sure then prime and bottle. Once bottled, it needs a good week in the warm, although this is variable. It also ought to be chilled for a few days to help the CO2 dissolve.
As for it coming out at silly speeds from barrels, I find barrels don;t hold pressure well, so I get about a pint of amazing foam, then sod all. I think the CO2 caps are good for this, as they allow you to just top up pressure after each dispensing.
Hope that helps a bit
Al