Tap Dripping

[Robm1955]

I posted on another thread, what a success I had last year with my beer, and a problem free barrel. This year, not so good. I put my beer in the barrel last week, and left it. I went to look at it this week, and the rug on the floor was wet. It looks as though the tap is dripping, even though it is turned off. I've put a plastic cup hanging from string, to act as a sort of drip tray, but I think if I left it a week, the cup would be full. Can you buy stoppers for the taps, or any other suggestions. At this rate I'll have no beer left by Christmas.

 

[wilsoa1111]

sounds like mine last month- mine only does it when its at too high a pressure- try having a sneaky pint (if its been there for a wee bit) or pos moving it somewhere cooler. another thing to watch is that if a swingtap (ie horizontal movement) check that u can see the hole the beer comes through inside the tap mechanism and is inline with where the tap enters the keg (hope that makes sense)-so its providing max resistance to the flow.
having a wee pint also pushes some beer through which drys and gums it up a bit creating a seal

bottom line one way or another it will stop leaking-if its due to pressure u may as well get the benefit of the beer thats gonna come out

 

[Muddydisco]

Moved to the correct forum

 

[SloeBrewer]

I've had the same issue with a Youngs barrel which came with a starter kit. Filled it up yesterday and it was fine, but as the pressure has started to build, it's started to weep.

So, I put the barrel on its back, undid the tap and had a look - the washer was slightly deformed and not making a good seal, so I whipped it off, sprayed the threads, washer, tap, tap hole, etc. with Star San, put a little Vaseline on the threads (and another squirt of Star San for good measure), put the washer on again making sure it wasn't twisted this time, and screwed the tap back in. It already looks like it's sitting better, but time will tell.

I lost pressure by removing the tap, so I re-primed with 20g of sugar (it had 56g 24 hours ago, so I figured this would be enough). I just dumped the sugar in the top, which caused the beer to forth up and form a good 2-inch head :? I hope that's not a bad thing and it all settles down and re-primes itself.

 

[joe1002]

Where is it leaking from and what type of tap do you have? Some of the taps leak when they are 'turned off' too far.

 

[SloeBrewer]

It's a Youngs pressure barrel, with the standard tap that came with it. It was weeping from around the washer. Funnily enough, tightening it made it worse, which considering the washer was slightly deformed, makes sense.

Now I've turned the washer round and refitted the tap, it looks to be seating a lot better. Time will tell if it leaks again, once the pressure builds.

I might just get a new washer anyway, once I've drunk the contents :

*edit*
Erm, just realised the OP's tap was dripping, whereas mine was leaking from the washer. So, not the same problem at all, sorry

 

[Robm1955]

Mines not 'leaking' from the washer, it's coming from where it should do, but even when it's turned off. You can feel it 'click' into place when it's turned off correctly, but it's still dripping. I didn't have this problem last year, so maybe it is the pressure. All I can think off is release the cap at the top, to let the air out, but I don't want to end up with flat beer. Is re-priming with sugar, as SloeBrewer suggests, a good thing? I just don't want to lose any more of my good brew.

 

[wilsoa1111]

like i mentioned, beers going to come out-may as well drink it-have a cheeky wee pint-releases pressure and u get to drink it- also a gd test to see if its ready-sometimes their better sooner than u expect