Hey guys/gals, I'm not on here very often anymore but I am stumped and need some troubleshooting advice. I have a RIS that has been in my keg for a couple of months in secondary. I force carbonated it with co2 a while ago and decided to start to pull some off to try. I know there is probably a bit of sediment and loose hop leaves in the bottom but this keg does not want to pour AT ALL. I can get about 2-3 oz out of it before it starts to trickle to a stop. Then it will start to piddle out some foam before it is totally done. I have bled off the pressure and taken out the downtube. It initially had some gunk in it, but I was easily able to rinse it out. Same with the fitting that accepts the tap line: some gunk, easily cleaned out and rinsed. I put it all back together and the exact same thing happens that I first explained. My second thought was that the o-ring that seals the downtube to the top of the corny keg must be leaking by allowing a recirculation of co2 to constantly negate the head pressure. I replaced it, no change. I got frustrated to the point where I tipped my keg completely upside down for a few minutes and pulled the tap trigger. It doesn't spray gas. I know it is pressurizing because I have a gauge and I can hear it fill. I am at a total loss around why this thing isn't pouring for me. This is my 4-5 kegged batch and this is the first problem I've had. Any ideas? Could there be enough sludge in the bottom that it instantly clogged every time I try to pull from it? My tap trigger and line doesn't seem to have any plugs as I can press the valve in it and run water through it with the facet without a problem. Help me drink my beer!
Edit: I have also taken the pressure up to about 20 psi to see if I could just overpower what might be restricting it and it has not helped
have you tried a different keg on the line? I ask because you shouldnt be getting foam out of a keg thats full, and I'm wondering if there is something else amiss with your setup
All I have is this one keg so I cannot try another. No, beer line isn't frozen it is flexible and I can run water through it without an issue
Do you have your posts mixed up? Maybe your gas post is on your liquid side and the disconnect isn't all the way on the post. This would stop the poppet from getting pressed down and opening up all the way by the nub inside the disconnect.
Is there anything that distinguishes the posts aside from which one the downtube sits inside? The fittings themselves seem to be identical to me. I'll try swapping them.
how are you running water through it if you only have one keg? and when you removed the dip tube, did you physically push something (brush) all the way through it?
Hop leaves in the keg will do this, ask me how I know. Remove the beer out post. Remove the dip tube. Clear the debris. Try it again. If it stops again, repeat the removal of hop debris. Hope this helps.
I had what sounds like a similar problem with a batch of 'new' used kegs a few years ago. Turns out whoever rebuilt the kegs stuffed a dip tube o-ring inside the post with the poppet. I took that out and fixed the problem. Other than that, sounds like a clogged dip tube. Do you have a dip tube brush? If you do, then use it. If you don't, then why not?
yes. your dip tube is clogged with debris. each time you move the keg the sediment plugs the tube. either gently rack into another keg, or carefully pull the dip tube and post, clean it all out and reinsert without moving the keg at all. do this 2 or 3 times and you'll have cleared an open area at the bottom of the keg. be sure to clean the tube and post completely. this is your problem and solution. virtually guaranteed. Cheers.
You maywant to take your tap faucet apart. My brew started coming out slow so I took the faucet apart. It was pretty gummed up. I cleaned it up and the brew ran great.
Ahh, an issue I am very familiar with! I have a few kegs where this is an issue, although it may not be your issue. In my case when I tighten the out post it turns the dip tube (bent style dip tube) into the side of the indentation in the bottom of the keg thereby restricting/stopping flow. Try loosening the out post a bit so it moves more towards the middle of the depression of the bottom of the keg. Been the bane of my existence with a few of my kegs....
