7 replies to this topic

[Thirsty]

I just filled a couple kegs, and my blond filled pretty much right up to the top, with maybe a 1/2" to spare. The keglid took a nice dunk to turn it into place. I have filled very high before and never had any issues, but this time it is past the gas dip tube I am sure, and I carbed through the liquid post like normal and there was really no gurgling, wondering if space is necessary for gas absorption?

[chuck_d]

The volume doesn't matter. It's the interfacial area that affects the rate of gas exchange into and out of the beer.

[djinkc]

It doesn't matter. Just be certain keep pressure in your gas line. You don't want any beer backing up if it's really below liquid level.

[Thirsty]

Cool. I pumped 30 psi in for 2 minutes, I will let that absorb for a couple days, then relieve any excess pressure and hook it up to serve pressure.

[chuck_d]

Cool. I pumped 30 psi in for 2 minutes, I will let that absorb for a couple days, then relieve any excess pressure and hook it up to serve pressure.

You mean you had it set for 30 PSI, connected to the regulator, and then shook for 2 minutes? I amend my previous statement to say that when using the shaking method the volume of the headspace impacts the interfacial area, and so in that way it does impact how quickly a beer will carbonate. I've had batches where I end up with like 8.5 gallons of finished beer. So I use the shaking method on both them the same way and the one with 3.5 gallons became far more carbonated than the one that was full. It will take a lot more shaking of a tippy-top full keg than a keg with 4.5 gallons or less of beer.

Edited by chuck_d, 31 May 2009 - 05:37 PM.

[ncbeerbrewer]

I overfilled a keg recently and had the liquid level above the gas dip tube end. When I hooked it up for carbonation the beer shot back into the gas line and that was it for me. It never got past the gas distribution block in my kegerator but it pissed me off. I won't carb a beer unless I can see the end of the gas tube now.

[gnef]

Make sure you have check valves on your gas lines. I didn't until beer backed up into the gas distributor. I was lucky it didn't back up into the regulator - if that ever happens, your regulator could be destroyed. Now I try to put check valves on every gas line if I can.

[cbbrown40]

I cut off all of my gas tubes so that they are about a 1/4 inch into the keg so I don't have to worry about overfilling so much