Keg disaster!

[Dabooka]

Right, I've bought my keg in from the shed last night after a few days inside and couple of weeks out there to condition.

Anyway, as I got in from work early I thought I'd pull a cheeky half off to see how it looks, smells and tastes (I've been patiently waiting for quite some time now!). My problem is, as soon as I opened the tap air rushed IN throught the tap, bubbling through the ale; I take that to mean a vacuum must have been created somehow.

I got a couple of inches out into a glass (where it tastes alright but is obviously a little cloudy) but now I'm unsure what to do next. I was thinking I should whack some CO2 in quick smart to blanket the brew, and leave it to settle again before attempting to draw some more off.

Does this sound about right? And can anyone suggest how this could have happened? I think it must have been the extreme cold, but assumed bringing it in overnight would've have let any gas and fluid expand a bit. Guess not, eh?

By the way it's a budget keg with a brand new S30 on which looks well seated etc.

Cheers,

Sam

[Kev888]

Its possible that because it was cold the beer and gas in the keg contracted; this normally only happens enough to negate the pressure if there was little or no pressure to begin with, for instance if you had a leak at some point, but perhaps being soo cold it may have managed it anyway, I'm not sure. Cold beer also absorbes/retains CO2 more readily, which may be a factor.

By all means squirt in CO2 in place of the air that got in there, but I'd suggest being vigilant as it warms up in case it expands again - if its a PB then the release valve 'should' save you but they're not the most reliable things sometimes.

Cheers
kev