Problems with Kegged beer Carbonating. HELP!

[stadelman]

How can you tell that the oring isn't the problem? I don't even know how to check for a bad oring when a qd is connected. I suppose you could try to spray something up in there, but you'd really have to drench it and I'm still not sure you'd see any bubbles.

[Mk4 Getta]

I pressurized the tank, then disconnected everything and sprayed the outside of the keg with soap water

[stadelman]

When you do that, you're only testing to see whether the post/poppet is leaking. When you connect a quick disconnect, you've got an additional connection point that can't really be testing by spraying.

The keg that I had that was not carbonating had no leaks when the gas wasn't hooked up. The leak only surfaced when the gas quick disconnect was connected. The bad oring isn't going to be an issue with nothing hooked up to it.

I pressurized the tank, then disconnected everything and sprayed the outside of the keg with soap water

[Bugeater]

Whenever I clean a keg I run my finger around the post O-ring to check for any nicks or roughness. If I find something, I automatically replace it. Post O-rings are cheap so I keep a bag of them around for such use. I've never had a problem with these things leaking. I've probably thrown out a few that didn't need replacing but I figure the price of a lost tank of CO2 is much less than a lifetime supply of the O-rings.


Wayne

[stadelman]

I totally agree. You can get a bag of 100 orings for $3.

Whenever I clean a keg I run my finger around the post O-ring to check for any nicks or roughness. If I find something, I automatically replace it. Post O-rings are cheap so I keep a bag of them around for such use. I've never had a problem with these things leaking. I've probably thrown out a few that didn't need replacing but I figure the price of a lost tank of CO2 is much less than a lifetime supply of the O-rings.


Wayne

[Mk4 Getta]

So, I tested the two brews this weekend, and they are finally carbonated.

One of them (the Ale) I made a double batch of, at the same time. I bottled one batch and I kegged the other. They have completely different flavors. The kegged batch is very bitter. The Oktoberfest that is kegged is also very messed up. Would the problems I had in getting the two batches in the keg alter the flavor like this? I am so confused.

[stadelman]

I'd be surprised of the carbonation issue was related to the quality issue. Carbonation lends a bit of bitterness to the beer. Over (or under) carbonation will change the flavor and perception of the beer.

If you keg half a batch and bottle the other half, the two halves are going to have different flavor profiles. Differences in bottle conditioning vs. forced carbonation. Differences also arise from storage at different temperatures. I've bottled from a keg and had the bottled beer taste like a totally different batch.

[Mk4 Getta]

I can understand having a slightly different taste, however, the kegged batch is pretty much undrinkable and the bottled batch tastes like it normally does.....This is a style that i brew regularly