When a Keg Blows

[Popo the Reprobate]

On 6/13/2021 at 5:50 PM, Shamus O'Sean said:

I found this the first few times, but not lately.  I only empty out about 3/4's of a keg.  Thinking about it, that might be because the keg full of sanitiser is not pressurised.  If it was also at 12-15psi, this pressure will help empty it. 

This makes sense now. I used the keg that had soda water (30psi) to purge with.

[Norris!]

The keg of Berserker Juice just blew, but I did get a full glass, so that is the silver lining. Brewing up a pale ale to replace this as we speak...only slightly behind schedule (like 2 weeks).

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 minutes ago, Norris! said:

The keg of Berserker Juice just blew, but I did get a full glass, so that is the silver lining. Brewing up a pale ale to replace this as we speak...only slightly behind schedule (like 2 weeks).

 

That looks really nice & drinkable @Norris! I think I have one of those floating around somewhere.  

[RDT2]

Boom there she goes Irish Red gone! Not complaining I got a few more glasses out of it than I thought I had left. It was a nice beer will do again one day maybe St Pats Day???

[Shamus O'Sean]

Well that's the end of my VB Clone keg.  Normally that's a good thing.  However, I have no kegs to replace it with.  Brewing for others has diminished my stocks.  I only have 5 litres of Pale Ale left in a keg.  Hopefully the Oatmeal Stout I brewed on Saturday will be ready before the Pale blows.

[Malter White]

1 hour ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Well that's the end of my VB Clone keg.  Normally that's a good thing.  However, I have no kegs to replace it with.  Brewing for others has diminished my stocks.  I only have 5 litres of Pale Ale left in a keg. 

I have no doubt a well organised brewer such as yourself will have a stash of bottles as back up, Shamus.
"IN CASE OF EMERGENCY - BREAK GLASS"

[Aussiekraut]

1 hour ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

Brewing for others has diminished my stocks. 

That sucks. I was in this situation in the leadup to xmas. Brewed a lager for the father in law and his (my recipe) signature pale for the son in law and found myself in the undesirable situation where I had no new stock for a few weeks and three rather low kegs to drink. To top it off, the whole mob was coming to our place for xmas eve, so the kegs were depleted even more  

[Malter White]

6 minutes ago, Aussiekraut said:

That sucks. I was in this situation in the leadup to xmas. Brewed a lager for the father in law and his (my recipe) signature pale for the son in law and found myself in the undesirable situation where I had no new stock for a few weeks and three rather low kegs to drink. To top it off, the whole mob was coming to our place for xmas eve, so the kegs were depleted even more  

I can't blame brewing for others as a reason for running low but Xmas does create stock level issues. My trusty old fermenting fridge that usually has something brewing in it becomes the Xmas surplus drinks fridge because of all the extra food, drinks and visitors associated with Xmas, which means no brewing happens over Xmas. I just bottled 2 x 23 litres today and I'll get another 2 FVs going on Wednesday to get me back to adequate stock holdings. The main problem having such low stocks is I'm drinking beers that are barely over two weeks aged. Keeping in mind I only do bottles not kegs.

[Classic Brewing Co]

51 minutes ago, MUZZY said:

I have no doubt a well organised brewer such as yourself will have a stash of bottles as back up, Shamus.
"IN CASE OF EMERGENCY - BREAK GLASS"

I reckon he should stand in the corner for brewing a VB clone 

[Malter White]

1 minute ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I reckon he should stand in the corner for brewing a VB clone 

I disagree.
1. Going by that photo and considering it's last the beer from the keg, it looks like a very well made beer.
2. VB was and, if not for some poor corporate decision making, would probably still be Australia's market leader.
3. VB is an excellent beer on a hot day. Might not everyone's cup of wort but it is for a lot of people.

[Shamus O'Sean]

2 hours ago, MUZZY said:

I have no doubt a well organised brewer such as yourself will have a stash of bottles as back up, Shamus.
"IN CASE OF EMERGENCY - BREAK GLASS"

Hi Muzzy, not as many as I hoped.  Lately I have been brewing 32 litres and splitting it across two kegs.  Previously I brewed around 23 litres and filled one keg and put the rest in bottles.  Most of the bottles from that era are gone.  Although between the top kitchen cupboard, under the computer desk, and in the upstairs brewing cupboard I could make up a dozen bottles.

[Shamus O'Sean]

2 hours ago, Aussiekraut said:

That sucks. I was in this situation in the leadup to xmas. Brewed a lager for the father in law and his (my recipe) signature pale for the son in law and found myself in the undesirable situation where I had no new stock for a few weeks and three rather low kegs to drink. To top it off, the whole mob was coming to our place for xmas eve, so the kegs were depleted even more  

Yep.  On top of my usual Brother, Brother-in-Law and Neighbour, my Brother wanted two kegs for his step-daughter's wedding.  That is what set me back so far.  Plus they were both lagers.  It was like not brewing for 6 weeks.

[Shamus O'Sean]

2 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I reckon he should stand in the corner for brewing a VB clone 

I knew there would be at least one comment.  Your opinion of VB is legendary.

Maybe I should have called it True Blue Aussie Lager and you might have given me the rest of the day off instead.

[Classic Brewing Co]

15 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

I knew there would be at least one comment.  Your opinion of VB is legendary.

Maybe I should have called it True Blue Aussie Lager and you might have given me the rest of the day off instead.

Good one Shamus but 

[kmar92]

2 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I reckon he should stand in the corner for brewing a VB clone 

Back in the day VB was not a terrible beer, I know as I drank enough of it! Most of the original Australian beers have been ruined by the amalgamation of the original breweries, all those breweries produced their own unique brews before they were gobbled up by the big multinationals. Now, besides Coopers, there are just 2 major companies that own nearly all the original brands - Asahi and Kirin, and they have assiduously attempted to lower their production costs by using cheaper ingredients and producing beers that are all the same.

That is a big reason why small craft breweries are now so popular as discerning beer drinkers turn away from the mass produced megaswill and go for a better product, though at a considerable price difference.

It is also why we home brewers have also flourished, the pursuit of a good beer. Thankfully Cooper's and the Cooper family have maintained the faith and continued to produce exceptional mass produced beers at a reasonable price and are also supplying us home brewers with great products.

[Classic Brewing Co]

4 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

Good one Shamus but 

I am sure it was a very drinkable beer Shamus, I have never tried an AG version of the recipe so who knows I may even like it. Cheers.

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 minute ago, kmar92 said:

Back in the day VB was not a terrible beer, I know as I drank enough of it! Most of the original Australian beers have been ruined by the amalgamation of the original breweries, all those breweries produced their own unique brews before they were gobbled up by the big multinationals. Now, besides Coopers, there are just 2 major companies that own nearly all the original brands - Asahi and Kirin, and they have assiduously attempted to lower their production costs by using cheaper ingredients and producing beers that are all the same.

That is a big reason why small craft breweries are now so popular as discerning beer drinkers turn away from the mass produced megaswill and go for a better product, though at a considerable price difference.

It is also why we home brewers have also flourished, the pursuit of a good beer. Thankfully Cooper's and the Cooper family have maintained the faith and continued to produce exceptional mass produced beers at a reasonable price and are also supplying us home brewers with great products.

Well said @kmar92 I drank my share of it in earlier days travelling across Vic but it didn't take me long to realise I didn't like it & it was giving me headaches beyond belief so I quickly stopped drinking it & I won't anytime soon.

[Aussiekraut]

8 hours ago, kmar92 said:

Back in the day VB was not a terrible beer, I know as I drank enough of it! Most of the original Australian beers have been ruined by the amalgamation of the original breweries, all those breweries produced their own unique brews before they were gobbled up by the big multinationals. Now, besides Coopers, there are just 2 major companies that own nearly all the original brands - Asahi and Kirin, and they have assiduously attempted to lower their production costs by using cheaper ingredients and producing beers that are all the same.

That's because it is accountants making the beer, not brewers. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

12 hours ago, MUZZY said:

1. Going by that photo and considering it's last the beer from the keg, it looks like a very well made beer.

I have to agree with you on that Muzzy, it would be a well made beer & probably would taste fine.

[Pale Man]

On 2/14/2022 at 5:03 PM, Shamus O'Sean said:

Well that's the end of my VB Clone keg.  Normally that's a good thing.  However, I have no kegs to replace it with.  Brewing for others has diminished my stocks.  I only have 5 litres of Pale Ale left in a keg.  Hopefully the Oatmeal Stout I brewed on Saturday will be ready before the Pale blows.

Looks a cracking beer, making me thirsty.

[Shamus O'Sean]

Finished my Bent's Poke Cranking Shaft IPA this afternoon.  Lucky I got the Porter on earlier.

[iBooz2]

Damn keg of COPA 1.0 blew last night.  Was not quite a full keg as I need to build up travellers but this beer did not last the week as it was just so easy drinking. 

Luckily I have COPA 2.0 gassed up and at the ready and COPA 2.1 ready to keg tomorrow and COPA 3.0 about to start its CC.

[Aussiekraut]

Isn't it funny how kegs always blow when you don't want them to but if you have a beer you need to finish because you need the spot in the kegerator, the buggers last forever. I had to work hard to finish the dry experiment and finally the keg went yesterday. Now I have until Saturday to finish the porter. I have two kegs coming up on Sat and need the space  

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 minutes ago, Aussiekraut said:

Isn't it funny how kegs always blow when you don't want them to but if you have a beer you need to finish because you need the spot in the kegerator, the buggers last forever. I had to work hard to finish the dry experiment and finally the keg went yesterday. Now I have until Saturday to finish the porter. I have two kegs coming up on Sat and need the space  

 

I know what you mean, I thought I was sneaking up on my last IPA & it just decided to give up the ghost, I have since replaced it but the waiting game waiting for the next keg to carb up is frustrating.

[Tricky Micky]

18 hours ago, Aussiekraut said:

Isn't it funny how kegs always blow when you don't want them to but if you have a beer you need to finish because you need the spot in the kegerator, the buggers last forever. I had to work hard to finish the dry experiment and finally the keg went yesterday. Now I have until Saturday to finish the porter. I have two kegs coming up on Sat and need the space  

 

Bit like my Gas BBQ bottle Aussie - always runs out mid way thru cooking.