Carbonation problem with keg

[jasonlee471]

So I kegged my second brew, it was a porter from a kit. I was carbonating it and and on its 4/5 th day it slowly had began to leak from the tap. I poured some into a glass to just check how things are and if the leak has caused it to turn bad and to my surprise it's producing a nitrogen, creamy head on my beer!

It would be great if that's what I was looking for, also the beer is still flat. This could be due to the fact that it hasn't finalised it's two week carbonation yet but I was just curious if anyone knows why it is pouring like Guinness, it's just a normal tap.

 

[terrym]

My guess is that your porter is carbonating as it should. There is no exact rule about how long brews takes to carb up, it depends on sugar concentration, yeast concentration and temperature to name only three determinants. Under 'normal' circumstances brews take up to two weeks to properly carb up but it can be a few days only.
I put my stouts into a PB and after a few days they are delivered through the tap with a pub type creamy head, having carbed up as they should. PB pressure, the characteristics of the tap opening and the beer itself give it that head. I suspect that's what you have got. Enjoy!

 

[jasonlee471]

Yeah I've had a 2 glasses now and it's not flat just very low carbonated which like you said is probably because it hasn't finished but I'm just shocked at how much like Guinness it is pouring, it even has that cascading effect which looks great and is cool since I have made it, but I'm thinking that whatever is happening now to cause this won't be present by the time it's done it's two weeks.

Also I have only brewed kits so far and despite this beer tasting nice it definately has that 'home brew' taste to it I think, is this just the case of kits in general or poor brewing on my part ?

 

[Leon103]

No it's down to it being kits. Once you try AG you won't go back

 

[pms67]

No it's down to it being kits. Once you try AG you won't go back

Do AG beers carb quicker?
I doubt its anything to do with kits,taste maybe but carbonation?

 

[Leon103]

Do AG beers carb quicker?
I doubt its anything to do with kits,taste maybe but carbonation?

I was answering the question about taste

 

[terrym]

It probably has an odd taste because its only 5 days ago since you kegged it! That's nothing to do with whether its brewed by AG or from a kit or by any other means imo, it's basically still not yet ready to drink. You have to give it time to carbonate, as you are doing, and then time to condition properly
Give it at least another week to fully carb, then another two weeks at least in the cool before you start to drink it. Someone on this forum said today on another thread that you should condition beers for a week for every ten points above 1.000 that the brew started from as an OG.
Finally all this is not to say that some homebrew kits do not have a 'twang' even after conditioning, but contrary to what some might have you believe the majority do not. Yours may or may not be OK, time will tell on that.

 

[pms67]

+1 on that.
Any beer,regardless of how brewed requires a minimum of time to be fairly judged,undoubtedly AG brews will taste better but to beat a kit brew with a stick because of a certain "twang" is unfair and lazy IMO
As in life, you reap what you sow but to say "it's because its a kit" is basically ****.
Im almost 100% certain a correctly brewed kit will beat a badly brewed beer by any other method every day of the week.
It's misleading for noobs and annoying for time starved pot noodle brewers like me.
Rant over

 

[ManseMasher]

A week for every 10 points above 1000? So if I get a brew to 1050, does that then infer it is conditioned after 5 weeks? That is very interesting - can you post a link please?!

 

[terrym]

A week for every 10 points above 1000? So if I get a brew to 1050, does that then infer it is conditioned after 5 weeks? That is very interesting - can you post a link please?!

As requested....
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=560758&postcount=20

 

[ManseMasher]

As requested....
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=560758&postcount=20

Cheers! I wish mine lasted that long....