StarSan - Sanitizer and Leak Finder

I'm not sure if its bad luck, carelessness or a combination of both that has caused issues with CO2 the last couple years. I’ve had issues with a keg lid, o-rings and a hairline fracture in a regulator that all lead to leaks in my kegging system. Those I don’t believe I did anything wrong. However, not fully tightening the gas socket on the keg was my fault.  

I went to check on my 10 lbs CO2 tank today since I just filled those Porter kegs and to my disappointment it was empty. I filled it just 2 months ago so I know something was wrong. Now it became a game of find the leak. This is where StarSan comes in! 

Because of how easily StarSan foams up, it’s the perfect medium for looking for leaks because it bubbles like crazy. So I carefully went through each connection on my system looking for leaks. Nothing after 3 kegs. Finally I got to the gas socket on the 4^th keg and it started to bubble. I tightened it up and the bubbles stopped. Problem solved. This does teach me to check all of my connections one last time after filling a new keg. 

I learned a trick today when I talked to the guy at the CO2 place about my leak. He said, turn on the CO2 tank, lets it fill the entire system and balance out and then turn off the gas at the CO2 tank. If there is a leak, you’ll see the pressure slowly start to drop on the regulator since you are not forcing in any more pressure from the tank. If there is no leak, it should hold pressure in the regulator.

So I hope I go downstairs later or tomorrow and still find that everything is still OK.

Don't Cry Over Leaked Beer...Though I wanted too

Been a while since I posted so thought I'd post about a few things...

Hops
Things are progressing nicely. All the plants look healthy and have plenty of bines. None of them are as impressive as I'd hope for as warm as the spring started, but I'm being patient. I put some compost down a few weeks ago. I may try some basic fertilizer like Miracle Gro soon to see what happens.

Brewing
Been brewing around once a month. Nothing in the fermentor now as I kegged 15 gals of beer and cider last week. So my kegerator is full with 5 kegs for the first time ever. I still need to post some pictures of that finished kegerator project. I plan to brew again the weekend of May 12.

Cider
Finally kegged a cider. Have had it conditioning since the middle of November. I back sweetened with 1 can of apple juice concentrate because it was bone dry and pretty tart due to the type of apples.

BJCP
I've been studying to be a BJCP judge. I passed the new online entrance exam a few weeks ago. I'm taking the tasting portion this upcoming Saturday. If you plan to take the online exam...know your styles!! The exam was very difficult. So know your stuff and use the study guide. Did I mention, know your styles!

Reason for Post Title As I mentioned above, I kegged a bunch of stuff last week. Well I got home from a trip this past weekend and I to check on the progress of the carbonation. To my sadness, there was a ton of beer at the bottom of the kegerator. Come to find I have a leak in my beverage connection. After I soaked it all up, I measure 2 gallons of lost beer! It's a Munich Helles and my first attempt at a lager. I've been waiting on this beer since January. Needless to say, I was pretty pissed. But oh well, guess I have to brew more to fill the keg.

Air in your beer lines?

Though I don't have the collar on or the shanks installed yet, I have a chest freezer stocked with 3 kegs right now. They are all connected via picnic taps.

With the newest keg that I put in, it poured mainly foam and there was a ton of air pockets in the beer line (clear so I can see them).  I know many first think "you need to balance your system". I'd agree with that if it wasn't for the fact that the other two kegs work just fine. The air pockets in the line really is what confused me too. If the system was unbalanced, it shouldn't foam up until you pour and the resistance kicks in and not leave air pockets in the beer line.

I posted a question on the Northern Brewer forum (my go to forum) and someone gave me a suggestion to check my o-rings. I took the keg apart and I was missing o-rings between my dip tubes, both gas and beer lines, and the keg. It had been a while since I used this keg and I remember after the last batch in this keg I pitched the o-rings because they were worn out but never replaced them.

I had some extra o-rings laying around, replaced them and BINGO we have a good pour.

So the next time you have foam in your beer lines and you know your system is balanced, the o-rings may be worn/damaged or in my case, just fully missing.