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kegging issues

Robin Foster

Brewer
Joined
Jun 30, 2013
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I watched a video where they don't attach the pour spout until they are ready to try the beer, but when I tried leave it off, as soon as I turned on the CO2 tank, beer came spewting out of the liquid side.  Then, when I went to test the beer a couple of days later, I barely got a trickle, and it looked disgusting.  Ideas.  My first 2 kegging experiences went fine, but I had my pour spout attached the whole time.
 
Sounds like the poppet in the beer post is not seating or the seal is bad/missing/worn. Have you ever taken them apart for a deep clean and seal replacement? You should. If you want to see disgusting just clean out a dip tube that has been neglected.

Clean the keg and put in new seals. Put a light coating of keg lube on those seals then seal it all up and do a pressure test. Put some CO2 in the keg and spray around the lid and posts with a StarSan solution. No bubbles anywhere and you're good to go. Just to be safe I do another pressure test after filling the keg.

Keg cleaning can be a pain. I just made a DIY keg cleaner last weekend.... https://youtu.be/hkcfu2KdSL0
 
I concur with Kevin.  Strip the keg down to look at your poppet and spring, and while you have it out check all the gaskets and seals.  You should not need to keep the dispensing connection on in order to stop it from leaking beer, otherwise you will not hold pressure and you will eventually end up with beer all over the bottom of your keezer or kegerator.


P.S. Nicely done video, Kevin!
 
Thank you.  I will take it apart and take a look.  The keg has only been used twice before, so wouldn't think the parts would be worn, but we will see.  And, yes, nice video.
 
I'm assuming you bought your keg used. You may have only used it twice before but what about the previous owner? Unless you rebuilt them when you bought them... as I always do... then you have no idea when the last time the gaskets and seals were attended to.

Even if seals and O-rings have been replaced recently, letting your dip tube go  through two uses (even one) without a thorough cleaning is not a good idea. I used to only deep clean my kegs after two or three uses until one time I did a deep cleaning and found the dip tube filled with gummy, smelly gunk. It was disgusting. After that I started cleaning at least the dip tubes after every use. Who wants to pour their friends a pint of your wonderful, fresh beer by sending it through a tube filled with old, moldy gunk?!

The keg cleaner I just built has done a great job of blasting everything clean but you can also get the job done with an inexpensive dip tube brush. Take the beer-out poppet off and just run this through the tube with hot water mixed with your favorite brewery wash detergent.

https://shop.greatfermentations.com/product/dip-tube-brush/homebrew-kegging
 
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