Low Carbonation

[skinfull]

I use king kegs got a 25 litre batch which has been in the keg for 8 days used 60 gms of demerara sugar for secondry.Kept indoors with a room temp of approx 20c tried the beer this morning but just a dribble out of the tap.Reluctant to open the keg without knowing what the problem might be anybody got any thought on this. Cheers

[Seveneer]

If the beer tastes sweet then secondary ferment hasn't happened. I couldn't say why that might be. More likely is that the beer doesn't taste sweet and your barrel cap isn't sealed so you've lost all the CO2.

/Phil.

[Whorst]

That's my guess. I carbonate naturally in the corny. Williams Brewing sells guages you stick on the gas side of the keg. It monitors PSI, which tells you your beer is conditioning.

[skinfull]

Been reading graham wheelers book about priming sugars he says you should add 5gms to every 1kilo to get good carbonation seems a bit high that but will give it a try.

[stevezx7r]

It could also be a lack of or dead yeast being unable to carbonate. If you had in the primary for 2 to 3 weeks and got a really bright beer that could be it. If that's the case i'd be tempted to get an s30 cap and WW gas cylinder so you don't need to prime at all.

[skinfull]

The above should have read 5gms to every 1litre.

[skinfull]

I have increased the secondry sugar by another 30gms but it has not increased the C02 in the keg just dribbles out would it benefit from a change of seals.Tried the bottled C02 gas but because its a 25litre batch its very close to the top and the C02 just splurts out of the release valve.

[jonnyv]

What bottled CO2 gas are you using?

From my limited experience with kegs, it would appear as though the seals are not doing their job and are possibly leaking gas.

I would be tempted to unscrew the lid slightly and listen for any gas escaping - if none then your seals are the most likely cause (lid o-ring or tap washer).

However as stevezx7r stated, if your beer was bright when you kegged it, it could be that the yeast hasn't fermented your priming sugars.

Jonny

[skinfull]

C02 gas i use is hambleton bard super 30 gas.Dont quite understand what you and steve mean about kegging the beer when it is bright and clear i thought that was a good sign of a good fermentation.
When i give the barrel a squirt of C02 it comes out of the release valve on top so in fact i cant get no C02 gas in. I am a bit reluctant to give it any more sugar as it might make it over sweet. Cheers

[steve_flack]

It sounds like your seals are knackered and your CO2 is leaking out. It doesn't matter how much sugar you add it won't help. You need to fix the seals.

[skinfull]

Steve, If i change the seals will it hurt to add more sugar if not how much would you add bearing in mind its already had about 60gms . Cheers

[steve_flack]

As you don't actually know if that sugar is fermented out or just sitting there, I'd be inclined to used a CO2 cylinder rather than primings.