Advice/reassurance needed

[PaddyTheClaw]

I’ve been a bit of a plonker. I grabbed a top tap king keg of freecycle and was ever so pleased with myself until just now when I’ve racked my x-mas beer into it to find that the tap is leaking. It’s a twisty tap and turns out the rubber/plastic inside the nozzle is to pieces (not a exhnicalmphraee I know). I bought a couple of bungs thinking I could just transfer to bottles and treat it like a secondary ferment but the bungs don’t fit and there wasn’t a replacement tap at the shop.

I’ve had to order a new tap (and grabbed a new float while I was at it) which is due in 2 days which is fine and in the meantime I’ve stuffed the nozzle with grease. Plan to fit the new tap and float when it comes and then just use cartridges to replace any CO2 lost by opening the keg.

I would be great to hear some reassurance if this is the best way to solve the problem or alternatively any advice that might produce a better outcome. Thanks in advance!

 

[Graz]

You can simply re-prime it when you've got you new tap fitted by adding more sugar. Once sealed this will produce the CO2 you need to dispense the beer so that you'll hopefully only need to resort to adding CO2 with the cartridges as you get to the end of the keg.

 

[An Ankoù]

I agree with Graz, except that I'd reprime it now with about 50g table sugar. This should kick off the fermentation again and keep everything good, with an internal pressure greater than that outside, which will keep bugs and oxygen out. Then, when your new tap comes, just sanitise it and bung it in place.
I disagree that you've been a bit of a plonker; shiite happens, it's how you dealwith it and put things back on an even keel that matters. (That's the reassurance bit).
Good luck. I used to have King Kegs and sold them on in favour of bottom-fitted taps. On the up-side, if your tap was at the bottom of the PB, you'd have real trouble changing it when it's full of beer.

 

[PaddyTheClaw]

Thank you both, perhaps I overstated the leak as it was a drip rather than a gush and there’s now enough Vaseline to kill a small horse stuffed up that nozzle and there’s nothing coming out so think I’ll just Re-prime after fitting the new tap. A lot more optimistic now so thanks again.