From Keg to Bottle

[alliloop]

Hi. So, here we go: A few weeks ago, a buddy of mine loaned and helped me keg a Pilsner into one of his 5gal corny kegs. I followed to the T what I was suppose to do. Turned out, there was just the slightest lil leak going on that I failed to notice til about two weeks later.
Shift a few weeks later... (Yes, a few... we couldn't meet up.)
Beer's flat.
So, ok... We go for the force carbonation.
Nope... Doesn't take.

He says I can, but I just wanna get more than one opinion here:

Can I pop this sucker open, bottle my brew (adding priming sugar, of course), and rescue it from being a worthless batch?

Thank ya kindly!
- Alliloop

 

[shortyjacobs]

How does force carbonation "not take"?

Regardless, there's no reason why you can't just bottle it with sugar.

 

[alliloop]

Well, ok, let me rephrase - I can't honestly say the force carb'ing didn't work... but I wasn't able to get a drop out when I tapped it. Could be clogged... but to be honest, I just don't care to figure that bit out right now. I just wanna rescue my beer.

PS Itchy - was looking at your pictures on here of your kegging hoisting et al. In one of your images, I see you have what appears to be a fish tank thermometer. (I thought I was being clever with that idea. Heh) The only ones I've been able to find only go to about 61 degrees. How low does yours go, and if lower - care to tell where I can get a couple?

Thanks for your response.
Alliloop

 

[shortyjacobs]

Well, ok, let me rephrase - I can't honestly say the force carb'ing didn't work... but I wasn't able to get a drop out when I tapped it. Could be clogged... but to be honest, I just don't care to figure that bit out right now. I just wanna rescue my beer.

PS Itchy - was looking at your pictures on here of your kegging hoisting et al. In one of your images, I see you have what appears to be a fish tank thermometer. (I thought I was being clever with that idea. Heh) The only ones I've been able to find only go to about 61 degrees. How low does yours go, and if lower - care to tell where I can get a couple?

Thanks for your response.
Alliloop

Not quite sure what you mean. Are you talking about the red thing around my neck? That's a digital food thermometer, instant read, for 12 bucks from Lowes.

Are you talking about the multicolored thing stuck on my carboy? That's a Fermometer:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/default/fermometer.html
which goes from 36 F to 78 F.

If you are talking about something else, tell me which picture you see it in, and I'll see if I can help.

About the beer, yeah, just rack onto sugar and bottle. If beer won't come OUT of the keg though, there is a good chance it's still carbonated, (as long as CO2 was able to get INTO the keg), which will make siphoning IMPOSSIBLE. If it is carbonated, focus on fixing your keg instead. (Don't try and transfer carbonated beer out of a keg by siphon or by pouring....it just makes for headaches, oxidized beer, and sad men and women). Usually it's a bad poppet, bad quick disconnect, or clogged diptube that stops beer from coming out. To narrow down between bad connection and clogged diptube, vent keg pressure, remove liquid out post, put a small amount of pressure on keg and see if beer comes out of diptube. If it does, focus on the post and/or disconnect to find the reason your beer won't flow.

 

[alliloop]

...You know, I thought I picked that site (and their catalogue) to pieces, but didn't see that on there. Thank you!

 

[pilotdane]

I would pull the relief valve to vent the keg and then unscrew the output fitting and give it a good look over. If that's not the problem pull the dip tube. Most likely it's clogged at the bottom. Sanitize the parts and re-assemble. Your beer does not have to leave the safety of the keg.