Just Cleaned Lines - Beer doesn't seem carbonated

[Sky7]

I've run 3 or 4 kegs through my set up without any issues, but after cleaning yesterday (using the micromatic kit) the Yuengling doesn't seem carbonated. There's proper head, but almost no bubbles (basically beer juice). Is there something I'm missing here? It's fresh keg.

Thanks in advance.

[lsb188]

I have to ask the dumb question: Did you re-open the CO2 valve you closed while cleaning the lines? (Sometimes it's just the little things)

[Sky7]

Thanks for responding - regrettably, yes, I did make sure I reopened the valve, so it's not that simple. It's seems, however, that I now have bigger problems.

There's a new development - a new bottle of CO2 (3 days old) got up and died on me yesterday. There's also about a 1/4 inch of beer on the bottom of my keezer. No obvious line leaks, and I don't have a clue where the beer is leaking from. All I know is that I now have no CO2, and there's beer in my keezer.

The keg is the same keg that seemed flat, and shortly after putting that keg in, my previous bottle of CO2 died. 3 days later, the new bottle died too, but now with beer in the keezer.

I distinctly remember noting that there was no sign of CO2 leakage when I hooked everything up.

WTF?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I'm stumped.

[squeakr]

I remember reading on here about someone else having the same problem and turned out the o-ring on the keg was nicked, so there was no seal in between the coupler and the keg and that is where it leaked. Ever since reading that I check the o-ring seal before leaving the distributor to make sure I don't end up in the same state. Check the o-ring seal and see if that isn't the cause.

[Sky7]

I DID find some beer resting in the coupler/beer connection - but how would it get from there to the keezer floor when the keg is vertical, and there are lips on the top of the keg?

I am starting to think it's the keg though.

[squeakr]

Remember that this is under pressure, so if it leaks, it will more than likely spray rather than drip and the pressure would be sufficient to spray over the ledge of the keg and rest on the floor in a puddle. I have seen stranger things when working with pressurized systems. Could be the keg, but I would doubt against it as the keg was under pressure when you got it and it would have been in a puddle of beer at the distributor if the keg was leaking. I believe it is in your coupler/coupling of the keg. You only noticed it when it was tapped, so I would think that it leans toward the o-ring sealing surface connections.

[Sky7]

I suppose I'd see dry beer on the roof of my keezer then... which I don'. Either way, that does seem like the most likely problem.

Is there anything I can do to fix it? It's a pretty new keg of Yuengling that I'd like to drink

[squeakr]

When you cleaned the lines did you remove them from the coupler? If so when, you put it back together, did you make sure that all o-rings were intact, as if you are missing an o-ring the system will bleed out over time, both beer and CO2, also if the check valve was sticking, it could be bleeding out through the gas line barb where it attaches to the coupler. Just a few ideas. Also, clean the sealing surface and o-ring seals of the coupler and the Keg seal o-ring, If there are any nicks, feel the o-ring and the surface as the touch is much more sensitive than the eye (I used to work on high vacuum systems and many times I could find a nick through feel that was not obvious to the sight, and I have good eyesight). Even the slightest nick will cause a sealing leak. If you find a nick, they can be reduced through the use of scotchbrite cleaning, just be gentle.