Ruined beer?!?!?!

[Dann77]

Hi guys

I have previously only bottled the few brews I have done but I have used a keg for the first time (23L King keg) and it has been in there for four weeks. Went to give it a taste today expecting a lovely beer and it is flat and does not taste good.

I had a chat to the guy I bought it from (when purchasing) and read through instructions and thought all would be well. However, I have now seen a tutorial on these and it pointed out how they can have slight imperfections in the mould and what to do to check and correct and ensure a good seal. So seems I have fallen foul of this, but will be checking thoroughly and making sure this doesn't happen next time (hopefully!).

My question is, do you think the beer is now ruined, or is there anything I can do to save it at this late stage? I'm guessing not, but thought I better check before pouring 23L of beer down the sink!

Thanks

 

[DoctorMick]

If it's just leaking gas you could reprime (add more sugar) and if you don't want to risk the keg bottle it.

 

[chewie]

I would try bottling it now, some flat beers can be foul but passable when carbed, either batch prime it or bottle prime it and give it a couple of more weeks. I have no love for plastic kegs like these, poorly made, troublesome to seal, not newbie friendly yet sold for a hefty price tag.

 

[wfr42]

I had 3 attempts to prime my coopers stout in pb2 and ended up bottling it.

It has been fine, but having moved to ag I'm not willing to risk a batch trying to fix pb2...maybe time for another kit to boost stocks...

 

[IainM]

Beer can be surprisingly resilient. My experience with kegs has been universally bad, but your beer probably isn't ruined.

 

[Godsdog]

Hi guys

I have previously only bottled the few brews I have done but I have used a keg for the first time (23L King keg) and it has been in there for four weeks. Went to give it a taste today expecting a lovely beer and it is flat and does not taste good.

I had a chat to the guy I bought it from (when purchasing) and read through instructions and thought all would be well. However, I have now seen a tutorial on these and it pointed out how they can have slight imperfections in the mould and what to do to check and correct and ensure a good seal. So seems I have fallen foul of this, but will be checking thoroughly and making sure this doesn't happen next time (hopefully!).

My question is, do you think the beer is now ruined, or is there anything I can do to save it at this late stage? I'm guessing not, but thought I better check before pouring 23L of beer down the sink!

Thanks

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=605630#post605630

heres the fix for the barrel if it is neck imperfections,i was asked by chippy to publish it but forgot

 

[Sandimas]

heres the fix for the barrel if it is neck imperfections,i was asked by chippy to publish it but forgot

That's brilliant!

Sadly it's not always the imperfections in the neck that cause leakage, I've had it leak from various other seals too. Sometimes it's a fast leak, sometimes a very slow leak over days. The only way to be sure you have pressure is to do what I did and add a pressure gauge to the lid, best thing I ever did with these kegs.

 

[Godsdog]

That's brilliant!

Sadly it's not always the imperfections in the neck that cause leakage, I've had it leak from various other seals too. Sometimes it's a fast leak, sometimes a very slow leak over days. The only way to be sure you have pressure is to do what I did and add a pressure gauge to the lid, best thing I ever did with these kegs.

yep I agree but when all seals and rubbers are found to be sound in the cap,ie valve seating washer and the valve neck rubber then it can only be the cap/neck seal and because of the size of the damn thing its awkward to turn upside down and immerse it in a bath of water when gassed up to see and detect if the culprit is an imperfection on the neck surface,i do also have Schrader valves in the cap(cheaper option rather than guages) so I can always know what the pressure is inside the barrel,i would recommend either a guage or a Schrader valve for a KK cap every day of the week

 

[GermLish]

The only way to be sure you have pressure is to do what I did and add a pressure gauge to the lid, best thing I ever did with these kegs.

Do you have a part list for the pressure gauge and where to buy the stuff?

 

[Sandimas]

Do you have a part list for the pressure gauge and where to buy the stuff?

eBay, here's one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/king-keg-...726559?hash=item3d2223095f:g:qEsAAMXQPatTJWrC

Might seem a bit expensive but better than chucking 40 pints of beer away multiple times, which has happened to me in the past.

 

[Godsdog]

eBay, here's one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/king-keg-...726559?hash=item3d2223095f:g:qEsAAMXQPatTJWrC

Might seem a bit expensive but better than chucking 40 pints of beer away multiple times, which has happened to me in the past.

sure I seen those on Ebay for around £6 but a Schrader valve at a quid and a small digital pressure tester at under £4 is the cheaper option,call me cheapskate but that's my nature

 

[beerhunter]

I must be really lucky with PB`s, I have 4 and the only problem I`ve ever had is a tap that wouldn`t fully close that I had to replace.

crikey, mr Murphy/sod will probably pay me a visit now!

 

[Sandimas]

crikey, mr Murphy/sod will probably pay me a visit now!

He will, I had a good 18 months before mine started playing up - the seals don't last forever.