All Head No Beer

[lokpikn]

Iv finally got my FIRST EVER home brew ready to go . Its a malt shovel two row larger with wlp sanfansisco yeast. Ive carbonated it at approx 300 kpa for 2 days in the fridge at abbout 4degs. Ive dropeed out all the co2 to a serving pressure of about 50 kpa but all i get is head.
(we all need a good head now and than but not on our beer) B)

Im using a pluto gun and have made sure that it is opening all the way.
Have i overcarbonated?
If so how can i remove it?
Should i leave the keg full of co2 at 50 kpa when im not using it?
Are all beers differant at there carbonating time?
All the paper work i read says 300 for 2 days so i dont think ive over carbonated But i did do the sahke the **** out my keg trick to get it carbonated early is this mabey a problem?
Ive had to drink a few glass of heady beer cause im not tosing it out and its seem like im the way to joing the brew boys.
D.W.H.A.H.B :beer:

 

[MVZOOM]

300kpa for 48 hours, plus a vigorous shaking is going to make you some milkshakes!

Take the gas line off, take the keg out of the fridge and continually bleed it for a few hours. This will release the Co2 and 'flatten' the beer.

Taste often, to make sure you don't flatten too far - if you do, then carbonate again.

Cheers - Mike

 

[James Squire]

Hey there lokpikn,

If you shook the buggery out of it at 300kPa and then left it at that pressure for a couple of days then there is a fair chance you have overcarbonated it.

No probs though, just release the CO2 out of the tank completely and shake the buggery out of the keg yet again. Leave it degassed for an hour then go back, release built up pressure and shake again. After another hour release pressure then gas back up to pouring pressure and test.

This should fix you up, it may require a few goes to get it to the carbonation level you are looking for. Good luck.

Also note that when you gas the keg, bring the pressure up to pouring pressure and then shut off the valve on the bottle completely. You will be able to pour plenty of beers before needing to top up the pressure. This way if you have a small leak in your lines you wont empty the gas bottle. Otherwise yes you can leave the keg charged with 50 kPa all the time.

Cheers,

JS

 

[Ross]

Try leaving overnight with the relief valve open as well - just make sure the gas isn't connected

cheers Ross

 

[lokpikn]

Thanks heaps guys i was not to sure what the problem was but ill go do it now to try and get rid of some excess gas (from the keg i mean). im sure im not the fisrt to do it and know i wont be the last.

 

[razz]

Now that you have that problem sorted, here is a quick way to work out how much gas is in the keg.
Bleed all pressure from keg, turn regulator back to nothing, connect gas in, slowly turn reg until u here gas running into keg and read gauge. This will give you an approx idea of head pressure in keg.
PS. make sure the regulator is postioned higher than keg.

 

[MVZOOM]

Now that you have that problem sorted, here is a quick way to work out how much gas is in the keg.
Bleed all pressure from keg, turn regulator back to nothing, connect gas in, slowly turn reg until u here gas running into keg and read gauge. This will give you an approx idea of head pressure in keg.
PS. make sure the regulator is postioned higher than keg.

[post="124385"][/post]​

That's some good advice! :beer:

 

[NRB]

make sure the regulator is postioned higher than keg.

Why?

 

[razz]

make sure the regulator is postioned higher than keg.

Why?

[post="124398"][/post]​

If there is no pressure in the line some beer/foam may feed back to the reg.

 

[barls]

hence why most of us use a check valve

 

[NRB]

If there is no pressure in the line some beer/foam may feed back to the reg.

Shouldn't be any foam after releasing pressure alone and beer is not going to end up in the outlet tube of a vertically stored keg.

hence why most of us use a check valve

Exactly!

 

[dicko]

If there is no pressure in the line some beer/foam may feed back to the reg.

Shouldn't be any foam after releasing pressure alone and beer is not going to end up in the outlet tube of a vertically stored keg.

[post="124429"][/post]​

Unless of course the keg is full to the top or the foam (head ) in the keg is up to the gas" in" tube.

Cheers

 

[razz]

Very easy thing to do !

 

[NRB]

Of course I meant "inlet" not "outlet" dicko :huh:

I make sure I leave room between the liquid surface and post end, and haven't had a problem with beer/foam in my lines. I also have a one-way valve to prevent any accidental backflow in my gas line.

I don't see backflow as a serious risk when simply depressurising a keg.

If I want to determine headspace pressure, I connect the gas and the gauge gives me that pressure. Must be different on different regulators?

Cheers!

 

[Darren]

Releasing overcarbonated kegs can make a LOT of foam. I reckon a half full keg will foam out the release valve.

cheers
Darren

 

[NRB]

I guess I've been lucky then Daz as I've never seen it. I've depressurized kegs but never had a foaming issue at all.