Re Long Fermentation HELP

[frederick]

Hi all....earlier this month I posed a question regards my Nelsons revenge that was STILL fermenting after 14 plus days. On advice I transfered to the keg with the recomended amount of sugar (half a teaspoon per pint.. 36pints=18 teaspoons). This was last Monday and on Wednesday there was a puddle of beer around the base. On unscrewing the cap a little a massive amount of air rushed out and the leak at the tap ceased so I screwed the cap on again. This morn another pool of beer on counter and when I let the gas out (a very large amount) I could see that the beer is still fermenting cos the surface is covered with foam.
Now what shall I do...let the gas escape by cracking the cap a little... top up with say a pint of water or just face east and hope for the best.
PLEASE help...... Frederick

[maxashton]

Sounds like either the tap or o ring on your barrel is loose. If you're using a budget barrel, you should be able to screw it in tighter without putting your arm in there. Opening the keg will certainly stop the leak, but it will stop your beer from carbonating..

What sort of keg is it?

[frederick]

Hi Maxashton....what a twit I am... yes the tap was not tight and I am kicking myself. I have tightened it now so what should I do. The top is tight and so is the tap but what should I do regards the lost liquid... just leave well alone ?? I must have lost at least two pints so now the ratio of liquid to sugar as unbalanced. What is the advice. The keg is a King Keg and by the way I do not know how the tap came loose !!!!
Please help .... Frederick

[Ska_J]

I asume the sugar will have disolved in the beer, so you don't have to worry about it, exactly the right amount of sugar will have been lost too. I don't imagine you want to add water, all that'd do is make it more watery! The job of the sugar is to carbonate it, so if anything having let out the pressure would have reduced that. I'm sure it'll still be fine though, I'd let it carry on as it is.

J

[bumperprop3]

Was the problem with the tap housing being loose in the barrel, or was it the actual tap itself needing an extra little twist when you think it is really shut?

If it was the former then you must have opened up the barrel, screw back and repressure with a spurt of Co2, If it was the latter, just make sure the tap is tight (even when you think it already is) I have had similar issues with this variety of Drum tap, the finish is not always what it should be inside, there is a wonderful little 'tutorial' on this site on how to strip these down for deburring, believe me it works so get your whittling knife out! Also helps for when you want to clean these too.

Any one able to find the link for this?

[frederick]

Hi all.... many thanks for the help....When I checked the tap I had to tighten about two complete turns so I reckon it was not tightened up correctly in the first place... most likely tightened up on the thread instead of the inside nut. Anyway all is well now and I will just let it continue fermenting.When I released the pressure earlier (before I tightened the tap) I noticed that the brew was fermenting like the clappers..this is a right funny brew and I shudder to think what the finished product will be like... rocket fuel ????
Thanks again all.... Frederick