To Much Pressure In Keg Question

[New2HomeBrew]

Hello All,


I kegged my nut brown a couple of weeks ago. I have been keeping it at roughly 10 PSI for the conditioning phase.

I check the pressure every couple of days, and the last two times that I have checked the pressure of the Nut Brown, the pressure has been upwards of 20 PSI.

Has my ber gone through another fermentation and is that where the excess pressure is coming from?


When I raked to the keg there was no activity in the airlock at all.

 

[jdoiv]

Only way to tell if there was more fermentation would be to take a reading, but it is possible. You can always open the pressure relief and vent it for a while. Put it back on pressure for a few days and it will be fine.

 

[mr x]

Maybe a gauge issue? How are you checking the pressure?

 

[tdiowa]

I too have had the same problem. I have reasoned that the wort is not finished yet and when you put it into the Corny it continues to ferment. I bought a handy pressure gauge from Williams Brewing and check the pressure regularly. I have found that if I have a keg with to much pressure I just let the pressure out at a regular basis until it settles at what I want.

TD

 

[TheJadedDog]

The gauge on the regulator is not measuring the pressure in the keg, rather it is the pressure coming through the regulator.

My guess is you have your CO2 in the fridge with your kegs, I know I read somewhere that this can have an effect on the regulator causing a pressure increase after you set the gauge (happens to me all the time). I think there is also an issue where the pressure drops when you first open up the manifold; I know if I set the gauge, then open the valve, the pressure on the gauge drops (not sure what causes this). Someone with more knowledge can probably elaborate on this, I've only been kegging a few months.

What I usually do is set it, wait 24 hours, then check to see what the gauge is reading and adjust as needed.

 

[New2HomeBrew]

I keep the kegs at room temp for conditioning. I am testing the pressure by bleeding of the residual charge in the regulator, turning off the CO2 supply, then hooking up the gas in hose. My other beer that is currently kegged is sitting right at 10 PSI when I check it.

I am thinking there has to be something going on to produce more gas in the keg. I may just have to hook up the Jockey Box and sample it. I hope there isn't some sort of infection causing the gas pressure to increase.

 

[david_42]

It doesn't take much extra fermentation to pressurize a keg at room temperature. A 3 point reduction in FG would be about 1.5 volumes or 22 psi.

 

[WOP31]

Did you naturally or force carbonate? Either way if you are keeping you kegs at room temp they are going to build pressure, because the yeast is still going to try and do it's job, albeit slowly, but none the less they will keep working. I wouldn't jump to the infection conclusion just yet. If you chilled it with that pressure on there you would notice it go down as the beer absorbed the CO2. Also FWIW just because there is no airlock activity doesn't mean that the yeast isn't still working.

Cheers