First, narrow it down
Does the faucet hiss or release gas, trickle slowly, or produce nothing? Is the failure limited to one tap or a group of adjacent taps?
What you're seeing
| Symptom | Possible cause | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Gas hisses; no beer | Often empty keg | Check keg contents. |
| No gas; one tap | Coupler or local gas shutoff | Check approved controls. |
| All taps off | Shared gas/blender supply | Read both gas inputs. |
| Adjacent taps trickle | Possible frozen bundled lines | Record cooler/glycol conditions. |
What to check
Check the keg level and coupler
If gas comes out but no beer, the keg may be empty. Check that the keg coupler is fully engaged for that keg type. Do not force a mismatched coupler.
Check the normal gas supply
Carbonator’s field sheet says to look for a cylinder gauge at zero and check that normal beer-gas shutoff valves are open, with the handle generally parallel to its line. Gas pressure should be set by the technician, not guessed at by staff.
If all taps are down, look at mixed-gas equipment
A McDantim gas blender can shut down when either its CO₂ or nitrogen inlet is lost. A nitrogen generator may also have an output alarm. Read their normal indicators from a safe location.
A trickle at adjacent taps can mean a frozen section
Check keg cooler temperature and, on glycol systems, the glycol unit status. Carbonator’s sheet references 34–38°F for the cooler and around 28–32°F for its glycol pack. The correct pack setting depends on the system and product.
Check for crushed tubing
A keg pressed against a line or a kink behind a cooler can reduce flow. Do not disconnect pressurized beer tubing to see whether it is plugged.
Do not force-thaw a line
The old field sheet describes temporarily switching off glycol to thaw a frozen beer line. That is a site-specific technician decision, not a step for staff to use without confirming the cooling arrangement.
Why it happens
The gas moves beer, and the cooler keeps it from foaming or freezing. An empty keg, missing gas, closed coupler, and frozen trunk can all feel like a dead faucet.
Need service?
Call if the keg is full, coupler is engaged, gas supply is available, and flow is still absent or restricted.
Contact us (215) 726-8000