Troubleshooting - Timothy Taylor's Cask Care

If no beer is coming out of the pump these are things you need to check for.

Is the barrel empty?
Make sure the tap is in the open position, not closed.
Is a hard peg still in the barrel on horizontal dispense? Or is the valve still shut on vertical dispense?
Is there an air lock in the line.
Is the hop filter blocked?
Is there no electricity going to the electric pump, or gas, if you have one fitted?
Is the fob detector float stuck, if you have one fitted?

If you find that one of these issues are responsible, you’ll be able to sort it and get the beer coming out of the pump again.

Here’s what you need to do if you find the beer won’t pull through easily.

Check the gas bottle is switched on or possibly empty?
Is the gas assist motor switched on?
Check the hard peg has been switched for a soft peg, or the valve is open for vertical dispense.
Or, check hop filters are clean.

Hopefully one of these fixes will do the trick and you’ll be able to pull through easily again.

If the pump is pulling through with air you need to check the following things.

Check seals and hop filters are in place.
Check all connections are tight.
Or is the beer under-conditioned?

The pump should resume normal service if you make these checks.

If the beer seems lively, investigate these potential issues.

Is your cellar at the correct temperature between 11–13°C?
Are your lines clean?
Do you need to replace or add hop filters to create a better seal?
Is the beer under-conditioned?
Has the drop line got a kink in it?
Is the beer being pulled through or dispensed too quickly?

Solving any of these issues should ensure that the beer can be pulled through without being lively.

If the beer appears hazy, you should make the following checks.

Is your cellar at the correct temperature between 11–13°C?
Did you roll the barrel before tapping and venting?
If the cask is not on autotilt, have you tilted it after being on sale for 24 hours?
Has the barrel been knocked while on sale?
Is the barrel almost empty?
Is it within its best before date?
Has the beer sat in the lines overnight?

It’s more than likely that one of these issues is responsible for the beer being hazy.

In the rare event that you find our beer tastes funny then it’s worth double-checking all of these issues to find the cause.

Is the beer under-conditioned?
Has the beer been on dispense longer than three days?
Are your lines clean?
Is your cellar clean and between 11–13°C?
Is the product past its Best Before Date?
Has the beer been sat in the line overnight?

If our beer doesn’t taste like it ought to, it’s more than likely that one of these issues will be responsible.

If our beer appears to be flat, then make sure you check the following.

Is your cellar at the correct temperature between 11–13°C?
Are you hard pegging or closing your venting tap between sessions?
Is the beer under-conditioned?
Has the beer been sale on longer than three days?
Is your glassware clean and the glasswasher working correctly?
Are you dispensing the beer too slowly?

In the unlikely event that our beer seems flat then one of these issues will be the reason why.

Here are a few general troubleshooting tips that are always worth bearing in mind.

Does it do the same when pulling through water?
If yes, then it’s most likely an equipment fault.
If no, it’s something to do with the handling of the beer. Check the pegs, sparklers and whether the beer has been conditioned properly.

Does it do it on all your other lines?
If yes, then most likely a gas or temperature issue for it to affect all the other beers.
If no, then most likely a single tap issue or issue with the handling of the beer. Check the pegs, sparklers and whether the beer has been conditioned properly.

Remember, all our Business Development Managers here at Timothy Taylor’s offer free technical training, so don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need any help. If you would like to receive any of these items just give us a call or send an email and we'll make an appointment to come and pay you a visit.

Find out more and download your free cask care brochure from our website here: https://www.timothytaylor.co.uk/cask-...

Or view all our cask care videos here:    • Timothy Taylor's Cask Care - Looking After...