Keg blocked, probably

[welly2]

Been carbonating a beer lately. Gas is definitely going into it as the purge valve hisses when I burp it. Problem I'm having is no beer is coming out of the *******. What's the best way to sort this out without losing/infecting my beer?

 

[Yob]

Pull the dip tube out and inspect

 

[welly2]

Won't harm the beer? I suspect, possibly, that the dip tube end isn't pointing into the indent in the bottom of the keg.

 

[manticle]

Purge, undo beer out post, pull out dip tube and make sure it is clear.
Use a sanitised shot glass or something to cover the post aperture while you do it.
Clear, sanitise, reattach.

 

[manticle]

Beer is already hurting by not being tasted.

 

[mxd]

as yob said pull the dip tube out, clean it and shove back in, as it's in the fridge she'll be right mate.

 

[bungers81]

A high pressure blast of gas down the dip tube might save pulling anything apart

 

[Camo6]

Are you using a tap or pluto gun? If I let a bit of hops into the keg the first pour or two usually blocks the flow restrictor at the tap and not the diptube for some reason. Probably because the hops don't get time to settle into a pile before I'm pouring my first beer...

 

[mofox1]

Eh - but a blast down the dip tube will stir up the crud in the bottom.

Also could be just crap stuck in the beer post. I had to clean out a post about 4 times because I let too much debris get into the keg. For the whole week after that until it blew it was great... :unsure:

 

[welly2]

Alright, will try all these suggestions, cheers all!

 

[Batz]

First thing I'd look for is..is it frozen? Now that can be in the keg (they freeze at the bottom) or the out line. Mine lines sometimes touch the side of my freezer and then the beer freezes in the line. My guess is nothing but ice is blocking your beer.

Good luck with it.

Batz

 

[Tropico]

First thing I'd look for is..is it frozen? Now that can be in the keg (they freeze at the bottom) or the out line. Mine lines sometimes touch the side of my freezer and then the beer freezes in the line. My guess is nothing but ice is blocking your beer.

Good luck with it.

Batz

Does happen. My first guess too.

 

[manticle]

Not something I would have thought of as I rarely drink my beer that cold but makes sense.

 

[Tropico]

When a beer line rests on the cooling panel in my fridge, the beer will freeze in the line.

I was away for about 3 months a couple of years ago. The beer fridge didn't get opened at all during that time. Even after I had finished the keg there was still a large block of ice in the bottom back corner of the keg, that was the initial problem with no beer pouring.

In neither case was the fridge really that cold, normally about 2 -3 C depending on season.

On really hot days, the fridge works overtime trying to keep the thermostat (at the top) at the set set temp. Because of the temperature profile between the top of the fridge and the bottom, the bottom can freeze.

 

[pcmfisher]

Supposing it is not frozen, before taking the dip tube out, pressurise the keg and take it outside or to somewhere where it doesn't matter about a bit of mess and push down on the beer out post poppet and see what comes out.
Maybe put a cloth over and stand to one side so as not to get a facefull.
If it shoots out, look further up at the tap.

 

[n87]

first thing.
take to safe place
press softly on the beer poppet

if beer comes out, there is likely a problem in the lines/tap

 

[Yob]

Even after I had finished the keg there was still a large block of ice in the bottom back corner of the keg, that was the initial problem with no beer pouring.

you have square kegs?

A little fan could help you immensely with those issues.

When Ive had this issue, its always been a bit of hop debris has made it into the keg and blocks in the poppet, Ive never had infections from removing the poppet and spear to clean.. sometimes repeatedly until the hops have cleared..

There are only so many places for the issue to hide, shouldn't be hard to track down really.. keep some starsan handy and go nuts.. DO remember to relieve pressure before taking off the beer post though...

 

[The Judge]

Can you just jack up the CO2 pressure temporarily to get a bit more driving force and then open your serving tap? Might just need a bit more dP before it blows the crap through.

 

[welly2]

Can you just jack up the CO2 pressure temporarily to get a bit more driving force and then open your serving tap? Might just need a bit more dP before it blows the crap through.

Yeah, that in combination with clearing the hop debris from the beer out post and blowing through the dip tube fixed it. I think I had this same problem about 6 months ago and I asked the same question. Anyway, it's done now and my black IPA is a belter!

 

[Tropico]

you have square kegs?

A little fan could help you immensely with those issues.

No, cylindrical lol.

I have been thinking of putting a fan in for sometime. But for now, the coils of beer line sit in the bottom of the fridge instead of on top of the kegs. The kegs only freeze if left for some time, and on hot days I turn the fridge to a warmer setting. The beer from the bottom is still cold.

Welly: Glad you got it sorted