Beer Forum

This is a forum for enlisted and new recruits of the BN Army. Home brewers bringing it strong! Learn how to brew beer, trade secrets, or talk trash about your friends.
https://thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/

Clogged dip tube. HELP!

https://thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=30637

Page 1 of 2

Clogged dip tube. HELP!

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 2:03 pm
by RiggsSpiltMyDrank
So when I was transferring my beer from my carboy into the keg, I also transferred some hop matter. I had Dry Hoppped with hop flowers and I didn't bag, just threw them in.

After I force carbed the beer, I began to bottle a few days later using a Blichmann beer gun and it was fine until it stopped dispensing beer. There is still beer in the keg, but I want to get that stuff out and into bottles. I didn't know what to do, still don't. I am thinking of reversing my post connections. "In" post switch with "out" post to backflush with CO2 to unclog the dip tube. Does that sound like a good idea? Or what other things can I try to do to unclog the dip tube so I can get my beer out of keg.

Thanks in advance

Riggs :jnj

Re: Clogged dip tube. HELP!

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 4:11 pm
by Ozwald
That's what I'd do.

Be careful though. That's also a good technique to blow off CO2 in an over-carbed beer (gas through the out, vent, repeat a half dozen times). A quick burst should be fine, but just warning not to over do it or you could drop your carbonation level pretty quickly.

Re: Clogged dip tube. HELP!

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 5:43 pm
by troybinso
Release the pressure valve, take the "beer out" post off. Pull out the dip tube and clear it out. Check the post and the poppet - it is probably where the clog is and clear it out too. Sanitize the parts you fooled with. Put it all back together.

MAKE SURE THERE IS NO CO2 PRESSURE LEFT IN THE KEG BEFORE YOU TAKE OFF THE OUT POST.

Re: Clogged dip tube. HELP!

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 9:45 pm
by BDawg
I agree with what troybinso said. The clog is probably all the way up into the poppet valve. you have to release ALL pressure from the keg, remove the outpost, and clean everything all up. I would also add that if its possible to add a (sanitized) plain stainless steel scrubby to the bottom of the long beer post, it will prevent more hop material from clogging it up again. Either that or crimp on one of these:

http://www.homebrewing.org/Corny-Keg-Di ... _2091.html
(it's essentially some stainless steel braided hose that you crimp closed on one end and slip over your dip tube like a rubber. You can probably make a bunch of them yourself by chopping up braided hose cover like you would when making a braided hose for your mash tun.)

HTH-

Re: Clogged dip tube. HELP!

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:28 pm
by grod
BDawg wrote:I agree with what troybinso said. The clog is probably all the way up into the poppet valve. you have to release ALL pressure from the keg, remove the outpost, and clean everything all up. I would also add that if its possible to add a (sanitized) plain stainless steel scrubby to the bottom of the long beer post, it will prevent more hop material from clogging it up again. Either that or crimp on one of these:

http://www.homebrewing.org/Corny-Keg-Di ... _2091.html
(it's essentially some stainless steel braided hose that you crimp closed on one end and slip over your dip tube like a rubber. You can probably make a bunch of them yourself by chopping up braided hose cover like you would when making a braided hose for your mash tun.)

HTH-


you could also crank up the co2 and try to flush out the hop block.

love

g

Re: Clogged dip tube. HELP!

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 3:30 pm
by BDawg
CO2 flushing isn't a fix if shit is gunking up the poppet valve.
It has to be manually removed.

Re: Clogged dip tube. HELP!

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 11:53 pm
by Ozwald
BDawg wrote:CO2 flushing isn't a fix if shit is gunking up the poppet valve.
It has to be manually removed.


In my experience it'll at least get you through the keg... and teach you to be more careful about keeping that shit out in the first place :wink:

Re: Clogged dip tube. HELP!

Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:20 pm
by RiggsSpiltMyDrank
BDawg wrote:CO2 flushing isn't a fix if shit is gunking up the poppet valve.
It has to be manually removed.


Thanks guys! I will remove my dip tube and clear out the poppet. Last time I let the flowers sit in the beer without bagging! Lesson learned!

All times are UTC - 8 hours
Page 1 of 2