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Crap, I Think I frooze My Keg......

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  • Crap, I Think I frooze My Keg......

    I've been playing with the temperature of my Vissani/Edgestar fridge trying to get it colder. I like it real cold and I thought the colder temps might help with the first pour foam.

    I went to test it out this morning and it started to SLOWLY drip out. My first thought was that I was out of gas. I played with the regulator and that doesn't seem to be it.

    I then went to see if there were any kinks or a frozen beer line. Nope.

    With the tap open you could see a very tiny bit of foam coming out. I then opened the door while the tap was open. You could see some beer/foam VERY SLOWLY moving up the beer tube into the tower.

    I can only assume the bottom of the keg froze a little bit, thus preventing the beer from going up the stem. I turned the fridge off before going to work and just got in now, about 7 hours later. Still a tiny drip when the tap is open.

    At this point I've kept the door open with the fridge off. I think there's only about 1/4 left in my 1/2 bbl.



    Just a little more back story. My beer was pouring fine after a first pour foam glass. After that it was fine. I then went to make the temp lower in my fridge. I turned it down a little bit and it sat for a day or two before another pour. The next pour was a little warm. Only then did I realise I actually raised the temp of the fridge.

    So I then went back and put the fridge in it's original position and then went a notch down to make it colder. IT sat for another 2 days or so and it did get colder but the pours were pretty much ALL foam. Once the foam left you basically had flat beer in the glass.
    RIP - 1/2 Sam Adams, 1/2 O'Doul's, 1/6 Sam Adams Octoberfest, 1/6 Blue Point Octoberfest, Corny keg stout homebrew

    On Tap- 1/2 Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

  • #2
    I feel more confident that the keg froze, at least partially. About 10 minutes ago (the fridge is off and the door is open) I heard a crackling sound, basically like ice breaking. I went to test the tap and still basically nothing coming out.

    5 minutes ago I heard another crackling sound, though not as loud as the first. I then went to the tap and it poured out a little better, but still not what it should be.
    RIP - 1/2 Sam Adams, 1/2 O'Doul's, 1/6 Sam Adams Octoberfest, 1/6 Blue Point Octoberfest, Corny keg stout homebrew

    On Tap- 1/2 Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

    Comment


    • #3
      Yep, now it's pouring again. It's still foamy, but at least it's back to pouring again.

      Just glad this keg is almost empty!
      RIP - 1/2 Sam Adams, 1/2 O'Doul's, 1/6 Sam Adams Octoberfest, 1/6 Blue Point Octoberfest, Corny keg stout homebrew

      On Tap- 1/2 Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

      Comment


      • #4
        And what did you learn from this?
        SEAN
        I cool my tower with Beer.
        http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-...-cid-2297.html

        Comment


        • #5
          1) I need to build a tower cooler

          2) To get really cold beer use a frosty mug

          3) Pay attention to the thermostat when moving it and make gradual changes.

          My digital thermometer should be here any minute so I'll be able to get first pour, second pour temps.


          Just ordered a 1/6 of Sam Adams Octoberfest that should be here Friday!
          RIP - 1/2 Sam Adams, 1/2 O'Doul's, 1/6 Sam Adams Octoberfest, 1/6 Blue Point Octoberfest, Corny keg stout homebrew

          On Tap- 1/2 Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

          Comment


          • #6
            Tower cooler good idea.

            Frosty mugs, not so much.

            Paying attention and gradual adjustments good.

            Waiting until you have that digital thermometer in your hot little hands so you know what you are adjusting even better.

            SA Octoberfest maybe not a good representation of the style, but a damn tasty beer.
            Malt is the soul of beer... and yeast gives it life..
            but the kiss of the hop is the vitality of that life!

            My three favorite beers: The one I just had, the one I'm drinking now and the next one I'll have.

            http://kegerator-social-network.micr...bygrouptherapy

            Comment


            • #7
              The other lesson learned here is that super cold beer is bad.

              If you want beer that cold, might as well stick to super light lagers with little flavor to beging with. The colder the beer, the more it's flavor is masked.
              Last edited by cubby_swans; 09-15-2009, 04:48 PM.
              ____________________________________________
              Our beer, which commeth in barrels, hallowed be thy drink
              Thy will be drunk, I will be drunk, at home as it is in the tavern
              ____________________________________________


              Home Brew IPA

              Comment


              • #8
                Got the thermometer and put it in a glass of lots of ice, little water. If I let it sit there it only got to about 36 degrees. If I constantly stirred with the thermometer it hot to be like 33.3, but as soon as I stopped stirring the temperature began to rise. What's the correct temp for a glass of ice water?

                I also don't know if the bottom of the keg is still iced up or if it's empty cause now it's sputtering. Can't lift the keg cause my kitchen table is blocking it and my wife is helping her twin sister with teacher stuff. I"ll report later tonight.
                RIP - 1/2 Sam Adams, 1/2 O'Doul's, 1/6 Sam Adams Octoberfest, 1/6 Blue Point Octoberfest, Corny keg stout homebrew

                On Tap- 1/2 Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

                Comment


                • #9
                  I figured out my problem, the probe was too far into the glass that it was hitting the bottom. I raised it up about an inch or two and finally got a nice, consistent temperature of 33.2° for a glass of crushed ice and water.

                  I'll say my keg is empty. I was finally able to move the table to open the door and lift. There was little to no sloshing going on. (This could also be due to frozen beer perhaps?) I don't know, when I open the tap it kind of just sputters foam out so I assume it's empty.

                  I gotta go google the weight of an empty keg, just to make sure. Then I'll weight myself, then weigh myselg with the keg and subtract the difference.
                  RIP - 1/2 Sam Adams, 1/2 O'Doul's, 1/6 Sam Adams Octoberfest, 1/6 Blue Point Octoberfest, Corny keg stout homebrew

                  On Tap- 1/2 Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Of course, I got the weight of an empty 1/2 bbl and it's 29.7 pounds if you're interested.

                    My scale is out of batteries!

                    Perhaps I'll put water in one of the corny's I just got, jut so I can test the temperature. Should that give a pretty accurate pour temp?
                    RIP - 1/2 Sam Adams, 1/2 O'Doul's, 1/6 Sam Adams Octoberfest, 1/6 Blue Point Octoberfest, Corny keg stout homebrew

                    On Tap- 1/2 Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      ARGH!

                      I forgot I needed to cut my existing beer line to hook up my corny. Not about to do that since I have my 1/6 of Sam coming Friday.

                      Hmm, how bout if I just fill my corny with water and set it in the fridge overnight. By the time I am able to hook up my new keg it'll be almost 3 days from now. I'll be sure to have a good water temperature reading if I just stick my thermometer in my corny after a day or two, right?

                      I'm gonna go fill it with a garden hose now and stick it in the fridge until I get a definitive answer.
                      RIP - 1/2 Sam Adams, 1/2 O'Doul's, 1/6 Sam Adams Octoberfest, 1/6 Blue Point Octoberfest, Corny keg stout homebrew

                      On Tap- 1/2 Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Great idea on filling the corny with water! Be certain to fudge your temperature reading one degree based on your ice water calibration test.
                        Scott Zuhse, Instructor Micro Matic Dispense Institute

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          You can't "set it and forget it."
                          Monitor your temps daily. You should have a thermometer to monitor air temp in the cabinet, also. As your keg cools down, the fridge won't have to work as hard, and your beer temp will start to mimic the air temp.
                          SEAN
                          I cool my tower with Beer.
                          http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-...-cid-2297.html

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Corny temp was about 70 last night. Twelve hours later it's down to 50......
                            RIP - 1/2 Sam Adams, 1/2 O'Doul's, 1/6 Sam Adams Octoberfest, 1/6 Blue Point Octoberfest, Corny keg stout homebrew

                            On Tap- 1/2 Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Just got home from work and it's 37.7. I just turned the thermostat to make it a little warmer now.
                              RIP - 1/2 Sam Adams, 1/2 O'Doul's, 1/6 Sam Adams Octoberfest, 1/6 Blue Point Octoberfest, Corny keg stout homebrew

                              On Tap- 1/2 Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

                              Comment

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