27 replies to this topic

[positiveContact]

Every time I pour for the first time after not having poured for a while from a certain keg I get some small black specs. The specs float. The beer tastes good and is nice and clear. What am I dealing with here? It's my first time using this keg so I'm hoping it's not part of the poppet or something. any thoughts?

[MyaCullen]

Every time I pour for the first time after not having poured for a while from a certain keg I get some small black specs. The specs float. The beer tastes good and is nice and clear. What am I dealing with here? It's my first time using this keg so I'm hoping it's not part of the poppet or something. any thoughts?

strange that they float

[BarelyBrews]

Im curious. 

[neddles]

strange that they float

Yeah strange that they float in your glass but are at the bottom of the keg. I got no idea.

[positiveContact]

Yeah strange that they float in your glass but are at the bottom of the keg. I got no idea.

 

that's why i was thinking they are in the out post or something.

[neddles]

that's why i was thinking they are in the out post or something.

Have you broken down the post and had a look at the poppet? Do you clean the inside of your outposts with one of those skinny brushes? 

[Big Nake]

Tiny little pieces of a black rubber gasket or something?  Seems like once the keg is empty, you should be able to investigate and find it easily. Let us know what you find... if you're still alive.  Kidding!

[positiveContact]

Have you broken down the post and had a look at the poppet? Do you clean the inside of your outposts with one of those skinny brushes? 

 

I broke down the post before putting beer in it but not since.

 

i often just soak in oxiclean and rinse with pressure.  i'm not sure if i brushed the outpost or not but I'm guessing I did since it was a new keg to me.

[positiveContact]

Tiny little pieces of a black rubber gasket or something?  Seems like once the keg is empty, you should be able to investigate and find it easily. Let us know what you find... if you're still alive.  Kidding!

 

the pieces kind of disintegrate in my hand when i fish them out.

[jammer]

 I had some chunky stuff come out in my beer once.  Turns out there was some hop material stuck in the taps.  I took them apart and cleaned them.  It was pretty gross.  Now i make sure I do it on a regular basis.

[MyaCullen]

could be little bitts of brush bristle?

[neddles]

Are you certain its not coming from your tap line? When is the last time it got a good soaking?

[Big Nake]

Are you certain its not coming from your tap line? When is the last time it got a good soaking?

I've mentioned it before but if it turns out you need to clean the lines, a hot (hotter the better) solution made with LD Carlson Easy Clean works wonders.  This reminds me that the next time I'm cleaning and sanitizing a keg, I should run cleanser and sanitizer through my lines.  This Easy Clean says on the label that you should wear safety goggles and wear impervious gloves when working with it... and don't inhale it.  Serious bidness.

[positiveContact]

could be the line I guess but it's a hand tap so I actually clean it after a keg kicks.  I also have moved this one to another keg temporarily and not noticed the problem.  but I'll keep it on the list.  i'm going to go see if any black specks turn up now...

[positiveContact]

just poured a half pint and it looks clear of black stuff.  maybe whatever it was is gone or maybe i have to wait longer than a day before it will come back...

[gnef]

Did you say you are using a hand tap, as in one of the 'picnic taps', like this:

 

https://www.austinho...215afdca9c12f10

 

 

Then I think you could have mold growing in the faucet itself. This happens to me if I leave them for too long in the chest freezer. You can take off the QD from the keg, and unscrew the top part of that faucet. There will be a plug - this is what is used as the valve there. If there is a lot of stuff growing there, you will see it very clearly.

[positiveContact]

Did you say you are using a hand tap, as in one of the 'picnic taps', like this:

 

https://www.austinho...215afdca9c12f10

 

 

Then I think you could have mold growing in the faucet itself. This happens to me if I leave them for too long in the chest freezer. You can take off the QD from the keg, and unscrew the top part of that faucet. There will be a plug - this is what is used as the valve there. If there is a lot of stuff growing there, you will see it very clearly.

 

what you've got there yeup.  i guess i figured since the faucet was always cold it would be okay.  i'll check that out.

[positiveContact]

the man with 100 kegs wins.  initially i thought it was clean but for the first time i realized i could actually pull that plug out and all along the edge near the threads of the faucet cap i could see stuff growing in there.  then for fun i took apart the qd end which i have never done before.  that looked clean which is good.  i'm soaking everything disassembled in oxiclean right now.

[Big Nake]

Good to know you found it.  I actually know some people who are 'afraid' of draft beer because they're concerned that the lines don't get cleaned properly and those same people give me the fisheye when they're at my house thinking they'll get some sort of bug from 'unclean' tap lines.

[positiveContact]

Good to know you found it.  I actually know some people who are 'afraid' of draft beer because they're concerned that the lines don't get cleaned properly and those same people give me the fisheye when they're at my house thinking they'll get some sort of bug from 'unclean' tap lines.

 

this mold probably would not hurt me.