Temperature change help, Beer not dispensing (currently)???

Discussion in 'Home Bar' started by Purpcaper, Oct 19, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Purpcaper

    Purpcaper Initiate (0) Sep 30, 2014 Florida

    This is not a thread about if beer will go bad with temp change, I understand there are many threads available for this. Thanks.

    Cause:
    Last night my kegerator door was left cracked open. It is usually at 34-36 degrees (not the beer) just the kegerator readout. Upon realizing the door was open all night, the temperature is at 66 degrees.

    Effect:
    The beer wont come out of the tap. (co2 tank reading same pressure all indications read normal)
    Is this because of how c02 condenses based on temp?
    What should I do.
    1.) leave it alone until it gets to normal temp and see if it comes out.
    2. Untap and retap?

    If an answer is available if so, please can I get a version of both and why to, or why not to do one of those options and or any other info.

    Thank You.
     
    #1 Purpcaper, Oct 19, 2014
  2. DougC123

    DougC123 Savant (1,186) Aug 21, 2012 Connecticut

    The temp change should not have effected the ability to pour, you will have all foam, but it should still be pouring. Did you recently change the keg and maybe not turn the CO2 back on?
     
    #2 DougC123, Oct 19, 2014
  3. Purpcaper

    Purpcaper Initiate (0) Sep 30, 2014 Florida

    I totally agree and I apologize but no, This is a 1/4 Barrel of Yuengling thats been tapped and pouring great all week. Last night I cleaned all the glasses from the night. Put the glasses in the fridge part of the kegerator. And mis-clossed the door lol. That is the only change that has occurred.
     
    #3 Purpcaper, Oct 19, 2014
  4. mikehartigan

    mikehartigan Maven (1,421) Apr 9, 2007 Illinois

    Gotta agree with Doug. This is unrelated to the temp change.

    Is this a commercial keg or a dry hopped homebrew? The reason I ask is that I've had issues with hops in the keg clogging the dip tube, resulting in nothing coming out of the faucet. The solution, in these cases, was to blow CO2 through the liquid post to clear it.

    Edit: Never mind, you said it was a commercial keg before I posted my question.
    [scratching my head]
     
    #4 mikehartigan, Oct 19, 2014
  5. Purpcaper

    Purpcaper Initiate (0) Sep 30, 2014 Florida

    This just in. At 56 degrees, the beer started pouring. WTF????
    I had the tap full open, closed. open close open close. Nothing. Waited it out a few and all of a sudden it started coming out. I wonder if the c02 expands to such a degree in difference when it gets warm, that it just locks up? EIther way a full open tap should release pressure. However I imagine it could lock somewhere else. Thats the only explanation I can see for it just working at a lower temp(more constraint on the gas) to pass through. Idk
    Any comments before close?
     
    #5 Purpcaper, Oct 19, 2014
  6. Purpcaper

    Purpcaper Initiate (0) Sep 30, 2014 Florida

    Its a commercial yuengling, Thanks mike, I think maybe a diaphram or something expanded so much when the temp changed with the c02 expansion it just seized. That is the only thing I can come to.
     
    #6 Purpcaper, Oct 19, 2014
  7. TimoP

    TimoP Initiate (0) Oct 19, 2011 Pennsylvania

    Sounds to me like your lines might have froze. Although the ambient temperature in the kegerator may have been warmer than usual, since the door was open, the kegerator was probably running non stop to get the temperature down. If your lines are close to the coils, they probably got pretty cold. Did you check your lines at the time?
     
    #7 TimoP, Oct 20, 2014
    VikeMan and billandsuz like this.
  8. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Not a chance. I think TimoP might be onto something.
     
    #8 VikeMan, Oct 22, 2014
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.