Seeking Advice - Another Clogged Keg Thread

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by KCUnited, Oct 27, 2016.

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  1. KCUnited

    KCUnited Savant (1,038) Nov 11, 2014 Arizona
    Trader

    5 gallon ball lock corny keg. Clogs immediately when I open the picnic tap. I've pulled the out post off 3x now and it's always full of hop material so I'm confident I've got enough trub/hop matter settled at the bottom that its not going to remedy itself. It's an IPA so I definitely don't want to rack it out of there. Plus I only have one keg. I did read about a guy who removed the poppet from his out post, put some tubing over it and pushed some CO2 into the keg to blast out the sediment, but I'd like some other opinions.

    Any thoughts from BA on what options I can pursue?
     
    #1 KCUnited, Oct 27, 2016
  2. TimoP

    TimoP Initiate (0) Oct 19, 2011 Pennsylvania

    What you don't want to do seems like your best option.
    I would just remove the liquid out fitting, leave the liquid dip tube in it, apply co2 to the gas in, and let the crap flow out til it's clear enough. Make sure your co2 is at a low pressure.
    If you don't wanna do that, good luck. Don't think of it as wasting beer. Not being able to drink it is a waste. Sediment is causing a problem, remove the sediment, or enjoy the clog.
     
    #2 TimoP, Oct 28, 2016
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  3. PortLargo

    PortLargo Pooh-Bah (1,831) Oct 19, 2012 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    A masochist would pull the post, pull the dip tube and clean with a wire brush ... then repeat again when it clogged again. After multiple cleanings you'll ultimately have removed all the sediment.

    A lazy kegger would get a spare dip tube and cut about 2" off. Then you would never see the sediment until the keg kicked. Retail price on a new dip tube is about half the price of a new keg (which is ridiculous) ... with a little bit of aggressive shopping you can beat this.
     
    #3 PortLargo, Oct 28, 2016
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  4. Brewday

    Brewday Zealot (721) Dec 25, 2015 New York

    Can you put something under the keg so it tilts away from the tube end. I usually use paint strainer bags weighed down and loose so the hop oils can escape. Also try not to move it.
     
    #4 Brewday, Oct 28, 2016
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2016
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  5. KeyWestGator

    KeyWestGator Savant (1,159) Jan 21, 2013 Florida
    Trader

    I tried keg hopping for the first time a couple weeks ago. It didn't go well. Don't think my bag was tied off well enough. First I tried pushing CO2 through the dip tube. Didn't seem to help. Took off the post and cleaned the poppet. Worked for a second or two. I did this another 12-15 times before it cleared for good. After another week or so of cold storage beer has poured fine and clear since.
     
    #5 KeyWestGator, Oct 28, 2016
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  6. KCUnited

    KCUnited Savant (1,038) Nov 11, 2014 Arizona
    Trader

    I appreciate the replies. I think I'm going to try and push the crap out with some tubing over the liquid out.

    This batch tho. Stuck sparge on brew day, explosive fermentation, and now its clogging the keg. I feel like Wile E. Coyote battling this thing. The moment I finally get it cleared, I'm totally expecting an anvil to fall from the sky and crush me.
     
    #6 KCUnited, Oct 28, 2016
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  7. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    I would just pull the diptube and cut an inch off of it with a pipe cutter. Put it back together and enjoy. I used to leave my diptubes at full length thinking I didn't want to lose that last pint of beer, then I realized that last pint of beer isn't really anything I wanted to drink.
     
    #7 jbakajust1, Oct 28, 2016
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  8. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    OP: If you're going to buy some other stuff, shipping won't kill you on a dip tube replacement: http://www.homebrewing.org/22-Strai...rMGLVYzM-S3oEHBAAw3PT35GgtjzOZ5RxPRoCGubw_wcB

    It makes sense that the posts run about $30 ea. the lid is $20 and o-rings cost a buck a crack. By the time we nickle and dime a keg together it costs $130 bucks. :slight_smile:
     
    #8 inchrisin, Oct 28, 2016
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  9. KCUnited

    KCUnited Savant (1,038) Nov 11, 2014 Arizona
    Trader

    I may take a Dremel to the dip tube to keep it from happening. It happened on my last IPA as well, but unclogging it once took care of it.
     
    #9 KCUnited, Oct 28, 2016
  10. telejunkie

    telejunkie Savant (1,107) Sep 14, 2007 Vermont

    I keg hopped a DIPA for a buddies wedding and i clearly didn't tie it off well enough for the road trip. Luckily a friend had a set of tools. It took me maybe 5-6 times cleaning out the post, but eventually the beer cleared and the beer was fine.
     
    #10 telejunkie, Oct 28, 2016
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  11. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    I dunno if anyone's mentioned these yet:
    http://www.homebrewing.org/Corny-Ke...FXlS3ScriwGJvVU390wjKoHp4oTczV6A4kaAoJl8P8HAQ

    If you had multiple kegs already I'd suggest cutting the dip tube, or a filter. I'd recommend, to anyone who kegs, that you should have more kegs than tap lines. The money goes towards a second keg. :slight_smile:
     
    #11 inchrisin, Oct 29, 2016
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  12. KCUnited

    KCUnited Savant (1,038) Nov 11, 2014 Arizona
    Trader

    I'd love to have more than one keg, and plan to after I relocate in a couple years. Currently, I'm brewing, fermenting, kegging, and storing in a 900 sq foot apartment with no direct access to outside. I dream of basements, garages, an outdoor water supply, floor drains, storage shelves, chest freezers, my own bathroom.
     
    #12 KCUnited, Oct 29, 2016
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