Stuck keg

bwarbiany · Post by **bwarbiany** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:15 am

For the SCHF, one of the kegs I'm using (this isn't Rezzin's keg, it's one I bought from Lars' batch) for the Rye Pale Ale is not flowing. I'm not quite sure why, either.

I've tried replacing the out post and all the hardware, cleaning the dip tube, pumping CO2 in the out post @ 50 PSI to clear it, and dispensing at 30+ psi, and it simply does not flow. I've tried different ball lock disconnects, and really tried basically everything I can think of. Still no flow...

Does anyone know of a reason why a keg would get completely stuck? Given all that I've tried, I don't think it's a flow issue where something is getting stuck inside the dip tube (and I've used a dip tube brush -- no obstructions), but I can't put my finger on the issue.

Anyone experience this before?

BrewMasterBrad · Post by **BrewMasterBrad** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:21 am

Strange. What about the IN post and poppet? Is gas actually getting into the keg?

bwarbiany · Post by **bwarbiany** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:47 am

BrewMasterBrad wrote:Strange. What about the IN post and poppet? Is gas actually getting into the keg?

Yes, gas is definitely getting in, and the keg is pressurizing without any problems.

maltbarley · Post by **maltbarley** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:20 pm

What about the ball lock connector? If you have more than one cobra tap, try the other. If you break the pin inside the connector, nothing will flow.

BrewMasterBrad · Post by **BrewMasterBrad** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:30 pm

Does beer spray out if you try to push the line out poppet down with your finger?

spkrtoy · Post by **spkrtoy** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:36 pm

I had the same thing happen to me 2 years ago with an IPA that I dry hopped in secondary and it would not flow at all. What worked was I let it sit out warm with very little co2 on it then I purged the lid, took off the out port and hooked up co2 at 1 or 2 psi and slowly pushed all the gunk out of my out port onto a sanitized paper towel. Talk about a lot of hop/yeast sludge!

I'd previously tried to force it with 40+ PSI down the out port like Brad, but all that did was put it all back in suspension. Wait a couple of days and try that. Otherwise pull out the dip tube and cut off 1/2" or so to keep it out of the bottom of your keg. Make sure to mark the keg as having a cut dip tube so you'll remember. I'm in the process of cutting all of my dip tubes off as I'm cleaning them so I won't have the problem ever again.

bwarbiany · Post by **bwarbiany** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:42 pm

maltbarley wrote:What about the ball lock connector? If you have more than one cobra tap, try the other. If you break the pin inside the connector, nothing will flow.

Tried multiple ball luck connectors, tried with and without a cobra tap...

[quote="BrewMasterBrad"}Does beer spray out if you try to push the line out poppet down with your finger?[/quote]

No, but if I start to unscrew the post I'll get some liquid flowing. I thought it might be the post itself, but I replaced the whole post assembly (including poppet) from another keg, and no luck.

bwarbiany · Post by **bwarbiany** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:57 pm

spkrtoy wrote:I had the same thing happen to me 2 years ago with an IPA that I dry hopped in secondary and it would not flow at all.

This was a dry-hopped beer, and we had to move the fermenter down some stairs before transferring to the keg, so it did probably pick up a bunch of crap and throw it into suspension. The other two kegs seemed to work fine, though, and that's why I was worried.

Otherwise pull out the dip tube and cut off 1/2" or so to keep it out of the bottom of your keg.

Is it that the tube itself gets clogged, or that the tube gets so close to the bottom of the keg that it can't pull the sludge through? I.e. if I cut off merely 1/2", what happens if the end of the tube is still sitting in sludge?

spkrtoy · Post by **spkrtoy** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:06 pm

Most dip tubes go all the way into the lowest part of the keg, usually in the center in a small "divot". I'd cut the 1/2" off and you should be just fine. I think the "sludge" just packs around the bottom of the dip tube so no matter how much pressure you put in, it just compacts it more. The option is to drill some small holes near the bottom of the dip tube to alleviate this but cutting seems the better and easier option.