[vinnieb]

Thanks all for the help.  Seems the common issue here is attenuation.  I'll be chalking this 5 gallon batch up to a loss. 

[dkfick]

I can only imagine the mess that it created... I've had the lid blow off a bucket before in my living room when I first started brewing... DIPA... Covered my wall, ceiling, and TV with hop and trub... That was at much lower pressure than I'm sure your keg exploded at.

[vinnieb]

Well, it ran through the floor boards(hardwood floors) and into the basement of my condo.  Covered everything in the closet and shattered two 1 liter bottle full of beer. It also cracked the wall moulding that it was against.  Took about 2 hours to clean up.  I don't cry over spilled milk, but spilt beer.....its a very sad day indeed.

[Slowbrew]

I agree with jroth and the others who are suggesting your beer wasn't done yet and the priming sugar pushed it over the top.  Everything I brew in 1.06x range drops to 1.010 or 1.009 after 12 to 14 days (typically).

I've had one or two mini-kegs bulge out on me due to over priming.  I got to the point I would only use 1/3 as much priming sugar for the mini-kegs as I used for bottles.  I sold all my mini-kegs, taps and such when I started using 5 gal Cornelius kegs.

I'd get going on the next brew and give it a few more days to finish.  Live and learn.   

Paul

[Jeff M]

If i remember correctly those kegs arnt rated for more then 2 volumes of co2.  The specific directions are something like 1-2 tablespoons of sugar per keg for sufficient carbing according to their restrictions.

Sucks that it blew.  hope you and everyone in your family are ok!

[euge]

Nah 1.018 isn't too high for a beer to be done. Depends on the recipe and yeast of course.

[Pinski]

Nah 1.018 isn't too high for a beer to be done. Depends on the recipe and yeast of course.

True, but racking the beer off the cake after four days and assuming 1.018 is truly FG certainly isn't best practice.

[duboman]

Maybe I'm missing something but from the picture those look like the mini kegs you can buy that already have carbonated beer in them when you get them.

If so I'm thinking they are not designed to withstand the pressure created when naturally carbonating a beer, only for beer that has already been carbonated.

They remind me of those commercial 'tap-a-kegs' you get at the liquor store.

[morticaixavier]

Maybe I'm missing something but from the picture those look like the mini kegs you can buy that already have carbonated beer in them when you get them.

If so I'm thinking they are not designed to withstand the pressure created when naturally carbonating a beer, only for beer that has already been carbonated.

They remind me of those commercial 'tap-a-kegs' you get at the liquor store.

that's what it is but a lot of people repurpose them for homebrew. it works okay most of the time.

[euge]

Looks like one shouldn't rush their batches if using them though!

[Stevie]

Maybe I'm missing something but from the picture those look like the mini kegs you can buy that already have carbonated beer in them when you get them.

If so I'm thinking they are not designed to withstand the pressure created when naturally carbonating a beer, only for beer that has already been carbonated.

They remind me of those commercial 'tap-a-kegs' you get at the liquor store.

Midwest Supplies sells them as kits for the very purpose that the OP was using them.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/mini-keg.html

[Joe Sr.]

Way back in 95 I bought some from Williams.  They were selling a similar kit at that time.  Midwest may be one of the last places still selling them but I've seen them at the LHBS, as well (though that may have been very long ago).

[dkfick]

I know Adventures in Homebrewing still sells them as well

[bluesman]

Thanks all for the help.  Seems the common issue here is attenuation.  I'll be chalking this 5 gallon batch up to a loss.

If not already asked for, could you post your complete recipe details/notes? This might further explain what transpired.

[duboman]

Maybe I'm missing something but from the picture those look like the mini kegs you can buy that already have carbonated beer in them when you get them.

If so I'm thinking they are not designed to withstand the pressure created when naturally carbonating a beer, only for beer that has already been carbonated.

They remind me of those commercial 'tap-a-kegs' you get at the liquor store.

Midwest Supplies sells them as kits for the very purpose that the OP was using them.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/mini-keg.html

ok, got it! Although I guess I wouldn't suggest the OP's picture and example then for product marketing;)