Very full keg

[FedoraDave]

I kegged a fiver of South Ferry Steam Beer yesterday. Actually, it was more like a 5.5-er; in an effort to keep as much trub as possible out of the keg, I've taken to upping my volume slightly. And, of course, I want to get as much out of it as possible when I rack to the keg. I was keeping a very close eye on the CO2 post, and left an inch or so of space above the beer. But then, when I was purging the oxygen out of the tank, the valve spit a bit of beer out a couple of times -- usually when I introduced a bit more CO2. This is a keg that was originally a pin lock, and I converted it to ball lock; there's no release valve on the keg itself. I have to disconnect the gas line and press the button in the middle of the poppet to release the gas, so this was coming right up the feed tube.

I don't foresee any actual problems once things settle down and I've drawn a pint or two, but I just thought I'd bring it up to the more experienced keggers.

FWIW, I won't be tapping this keg for a while, since I've got two others hooked up, and they're both more than half full at the moment. So I won't be jumping the gun on proper settling, pressurizing, carbonating, etc.

[Inkleg]

That can be normal for a keg as full as yours. At 30psi and the poppet depressed all that gas wants to rush out the gas tube and it will drag liquid/beer with it. I've had it happen with the relief valves on my ball locks, so I've learned to release the pressure very slowly and haven't had the problem since. You could make a short jumper line with a gas post and picnic tap. It would add an extra step as you would have to attach it, but would give better control over releasing the gas.

[bpgreen]

I've got pin locks, but I've replaced all of the original lids with one's that have valves just because they're easier.

I've had liquid come out the gas connection before. It's not a big deal unless it happens when the gas is connected (over carbonated keg and connected the gas). Even then, it's not too bad. It just means taking it apart, cleaning, sanitizing, drying before reconnecting.

[FedoraDave]

That's all what I figured. Thanks, guys.

Jeff, I keep my regulator at around 11 psi. I've found it carbs the beer nicely in about 7-10 days, and it doesn't let the beer foam up when I draw. Anything lower, and it's a disappointing, headless dribble, and anything higher, and I get maybe a nine or ten ounce draw, with more head than is desirable.

[Inkleg]

Sorry for any confusion. I forget that I have a second regulator outside my keezer set to 30 psi for purging and sealing. Thats what I hit them with before going in the keezer at 11 psi also.