I’ve got an IPA that’s not carbonating. I’ve got one tank, one regulator going into a 2 way distributor into two separate kegs, psi set around 15. One keg was hooked up before the second and its fine. The second, IPA, is not carbonating and it’s been 3 weeks now. It’s getting gas because it has plenty of push behind it when I pour but I’m getting no head and it’s still flat. I turned off the line going into the first keg earlier today to see if that will help in a few days but other than that what could be the problem?
I would guess a leak. The CO2 shouldn’t have anywhere to go other than into the solution (beer). 2 parts water, one part soap (or mixed starsan), spray it on all the joints of your system (including keg lid/connects/locks) and see if large bubbles form.
wow I’m stumped. Could there be a blockage in the line or dip tub maybe going into the non-carbed keg, forcing the CO2 into the other keg (I’m assuming that one IS carbed?) Have you tried switching your quick-disconnects? CO2 is not getting into the IPA keg. If its not leaking into the space around it, it is going somewhere.
CO2 is getting to it because I can pour a beer and it comes out well, it’s just flat. I shut off the line going to the keg thats working and cranked the CO2 thinking maybe keg 1 is getting more of it for some reason, sounds crazy but I can’t think of anything else, I’ll check it tonight. This is crazy.
CO2 is getting to it because I can pour a beer and it comes out well, it’s just flat. I shut off the line going to the keg thats working and cranked the CO2 thinking maybe keg 1 is getting more of it for some reason, sounds crazy but I can’t think of anything else, I’ll check it tonight. This is crazy.[/quote]
That did it. I guess it wasn’t getting as much CO2 as keg 1. It’s good to go.
If it had a leak, the tank would be empty in 3 weeks.
My guess is one of 2 things.
1, some oils on top of the beer limiting the CO2 going into solution.
2, the keg is a little over filled. Some people have noticed that overfilled kegs don’t carbonate well. After you poured 4-5 pints it may have corrected the issue.
[quote=“Nighthawk”]If it had a leak, the tank would be empty in 3 weeks.
My guess is one of 2 things.
1, some oils on top of the beer limiting the CO2 going into solution.
2, the keg is a little over filled. Some people have noticed that overfilled kegs don’t carbonate well. After you poured 4-5 pints it may have corrected the issue.[/quote]
+2.
If you carbonate using the set it and forget it method, you could run into these problems. The CO2 has to push past the surface of the beer for the liquid to absorb it. Some ingredients cause the surface tension to be higher, resulting in NH’s #1.
The volume of CO2 in the headspace also plays a roll in how fast the beer will absorb it. If you have little headspace, less CO2 is acting with less force into the beer resulting in #2.
I usually quick carb my kegs so that’s one solution. Another would be to hook the gas up to the beer “OUT” side so that the CO2 is passing through the liquid. I haven’t tried that before, but I’m sure if done incorrectly, it could create quite a mess.
