77 replies to this topic

[Jdtirado]

Hello All,Sorry in advance for being such a newbie here, and for perhaps posting this in the wrong area.I am trying to read up on kegging and carbonation. The problem is that I get a lot of different information on the regulator settings even in the same beer styles. Additionally, I understand that a slow carbonation with CO2 can take take up to two weeks for the beer to be ready, but someone made a comment that it takes about 3 weeks for a beer to become good (mature).I certainly understand that kegging has its advantages in terms of saving time, but doesn't it make sense to bottle if you aren't drinking too much since I hear that kegged beer lasts around 2 months.Finally, can anyone point out a tried and true carbonation charts, along with forced carbonation methods. I guess that I don't mind experimenting, just not right now!John

[Big Nake]

I wish I had more scientific information for you but it's a sickness of mine to try to keep things as simple as possible. I have heard of keggers turning the gas to 50psi or more, connecting it to the keg and then shaking the living bejesus out of the keg for 10 minutes. I don't recommend this. I also heard of people who leave the beer to carb at serving pressure over 7-10 days or so. I have no problem with this but I have not tried it. Somewhere, many moons ago someone suggested going with about 25-30 psi over the course of 2 days... ish. The beer should be cold because cold beer absorbs the CO2 better. When I want to carb a beer, I go at 25psi for around 48 hours. If the beer would be better at a lower carb rate (like maybe an English Bitter or something), I will go for a shorter period like 40-42 hours or whatever. The idea that kegged beer only lasts for 2 months is iffy at best. Yes, the beer's profile could change over 2 months where it no longer resembles the beer that the brewer envisions but it would still be good. Many kegged beers don't last 2 months anyway. Also, I'll admit that I got into kegging to get the beer ready faster. It's also easier to clean and sanitize one vessel. But if you're patient and still want to bottle the beer, that's always an option. After 10 straight years of kegging everything, I'm considering bottling some. Someone else will be along any minute to give links to specific carb charts and Co2 volumes, probably. Good luck & welcome.

[Jdtirado]

KenThanks for the prompt reply. I found the CO2 chart posted here. I have to say that I am really trying to weigh all my options. I travel a lot for work and I'm not home enough to drink that much beer, but then again 5 gallons isn't that much especially if you have friends over. I also like giving bottles away to friends, so I may have to do some kegging along with bottling.I think that I will buy a cornelius keg and CO2 tank just to play with it a bit. Right now, however, I haven't even tried all grain brewing and so I am buy kits for MidWest Supplies. So far the kits that I've gotten from them are really good, based on my uneducated palate, but I still need to figure out if it will worth getting kits from other folks as well.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Ken do you shake in at 25psi? Also, there was a chart before on volumes of CO2. I'll try to find it.Cheers,Rich

[SchwanzBrewer]

https://www.kegerato...ation-table.phphttps://www.kegerato...ssure-chart.phpAlso there is a kegging how to in the FAQ section here.

Edited by SchwanzBrewer, 17 April 2012 - 06:50 AM.

[Big Nake]

Ken do you shake in at 25psi? Also, there was a chart before on volumes of CO2. I'll try to find it.Cheers,Rich

I do not shake. The flat, cold beer is in the keg and I connect the CO2 tank set at 25psi and start the clock. Sometimes I carb for a little less time (I carbed 2 kegs over the weekend... my MLPA and also Bordertown Dark Lager... both of which might be better if they weren't overly spritzy so I carbed them both for maybe 42-44 hours instead of 48) and other times I actually forget them and they go for three days or so. That is irritating but it doesn't really ruin the beer it just makes it a little fizzier. No matter what, when the time is up, I disconnect the CO2 and leave the keg cold and carbed until a tap opens up at which point I bleed the headspace, move the keg to one of the draft fridges, connect it and go. Cheers.Ps. I don't want to know about CO2 volumes, etc. I simply use this 25psi for between 40 and 48 hours and that's my system. I've never been concerned except for the kegs I've forgotten. Those just end up being too lively when you're tapping from them. I end up getting about half a glass of foam, quickly sucking up the foam and then tapping more beer into the glass. This is rare though. I can typically rest a beer on my drip tray, tap beer into it and get a really good pour. Cheers.

[brewman]

My cold storage is set at 38 degrees. So if I'm reading this chart right and I want to stay in the middle of the green I should set my reg to pump in CO2 at 10 psi???Dan

[SchwanzBrewer]

My cold storage is set at 38 degrees. So if I'm reading this chart right and I want to stay in the middle of the green I should set my reg to pump in CO2 at 10 psi???Dan

If you follow the directions for the time needed to carbonate in the article I posted in the edited post.

[MtnBrewer]

This is one where it seems like everybody does it differently. Let me see if I can summarize most of the more popular methods.

• Set it and forget it - You set the pressure according to the desired carb level and temperature of the beer and you wait. This usually takes about a week, sometimes (for whatever reason) longer. Pros: foolproof, can't overcarb unless you read the chart wrong. Cons: takes longer than some people are willing to wait.
• In through the out door variation - Same as before only you use the out post to carb instead of the in post. Pros: carbs a little faster. Cons: be careful with your QDs!
• Shake what yo mamma gave you - You set the pressure the same as before only this time, you shake or rock the keg so that it reaches equilibrium faster. Pros: can't overcarb if you do it right, fast. Cons: unless the beer was clean and yeast free going in, now you're going to have to wait for all that yeast to settle.
• Too much pressure - You set the pressure well above what the chart recommends (determined by trial and error) but you stop the process before it reaches equilibrium. This adds a new variable to the process: time. You'll have to empirically determine what combination of time, temperature and pressure works for you. Somewhere around 30 psi for 36 hours at 35°F are numbers I've seen people use. Pros: fast, doesn't disturb sediment. Cons: Easy to overcarb, takes a few batches to nail the right time & pressure.

If anybody wants to add something to this list, let me know.

[beach]

This is one where it seems like everybody does it differently. Let me see if I can summarize most of the more popular methods.

• Set it and forget it - You set the pressure according to the desired carb level and temperature of the beer and you wait. This usually takes about a week, sometimes (for whatever reason) longer. Pros: foolproof, can't overcarb unless you read the chart wrong. Cons: takes longer than some people are willing to wait.
• Shake what yo mamma gave you - You set the pressure the same as before only this time, you shake or rock the keg so that it reaches equilibrium faster. Pros: can't overcarb if you do it right, fast. Cons: unless the beer was clean and yeast free going in, now you're going to have to wait for all that yeast to settle.
• Too much pressure - You set the pressure well above what the chart recommends (determined by trial and error) but you stop the process before it reaches equilibrium. This adds a new variable to the process: time. You'll have to empirically determine what combination of time, temperature and pressure works for you. Somewhere around 30 psi for 36 hours at 35°F are numbers I've seen people use. Pros: fast, doesn't disturb sediment. Cons: Easy to overcarb, takes a few batches to nail the right time & pressure.

If anybody wants to add something to this list, let me know.

I use a variation of set it and forget it. I use a carb stone at serving temp and psi in a bright tank. Pros: doesn't overcarb the beer, a little quicker (2-3 days), Cons: an extra racking (primary to bright tank) but I do it with CO2 and a extra tank to clean/sanitize/purge but I use this tank to cold crash, add finnings and carbing. From there it goes into a serving keg via CO2.Not really what I'd recommend when you're new to kegging. I started with set it and forget it.Beach

[Humperdink]

My cold storage is set at 38 degrees. So if I'm reading this chart right and I want to stay in the middle of the green I should set my reg to pump in CO2 at 10 psi???Dan

That's what mine's set at with 6' of 3/16". Only a little bit of co2 breaks out of solution in the lines which means even the first pour doesn't go full foam. Never go full foam. Commercial kegs seem to have less restriction for some reason. I bleed a lot of carb out of the PBR keg before I serve anything, still serve without adding more co2 for about 10 pints, then hit it with 10PSI and it still foams hard first pour. I haven't figured this one out yet.

[Humperdink]

I use a variation of set it and forget it. I use a carb stone at serving temp and psi in a bright tank. Pros: doesn't overcarb the beer, a little quicker (2-3 days), Cons: an extra racking (primary to bright tank) but I do it with CO2 and a extra tank to clean/sanitize/purge but I use this tank to cold crash, add finnings and carbing. From there it goes into a serving keg via CO2.Not really what I'd recommend when you're new to kegging. I started with set it and forget it.Beach

So you have no issue with transferring a carbed beer from one keg to another? I've been pretty hesitant to try this for some unknown to me reason.

[beach]

So you have no issue with transferring a carbed beer from one keg to another? I've been pretty hesitant to try this for some unknown to me reason.

Not at all, I dial it back to <5 lbs and use 10' of 3/16" bev tubing. It also helps to get the recieving keg cold.Beacheta: I have a secondary regulator outside my keezer with 10' of gas line on it for carbing and racking under gas. Once I syphon out of the BK everthing is via CO2 after that

Edited by beach, 17 April 2012 - 08:17 AM.

[Genesee Ted]

One thing that I will add is that I carbonate on the liquid out post and bleed out the relief valve almost until the beer is coming out. I do this for a couple of reasons. The first is that is will drive out any oxygen that is in the keg. The second is that it seems to me that it carbs up a little quicker. the second one is probably not really true, but I like to get all the 02 out.

[Genesee Ted]

Not at all, I dial it back to <5 lbs and use 10' of 3/16" bev tubing. It also helps to get the recieving keg cold.Beacheta: I have a secondary regulator outside my keezer with 10' of gas line on it for carbing and racking under gas. Once I syphon out of the BK everthing is via CO2 after that

Do you transfer it through the liquid post or through the open cap?

[beach]

Do you transfer it through the liquid post or through the open cap?

Out through the liquid side and into the liquid side of the recieving keg

[brewman]

I plan on kegging it tonight and purging out the air with CO2 but no pressure. I'll let it sit in the kegerator for a few days to get to temp then Ill hook it up to the CO2 and set it to 10psi and set it set for 2 weeks.Dan

[Humperdink]

Out through the liquid side and into the liquid side of the recieving keg

That's how I push sanitizer and purge all o2 from kegs about to get racked into. being a heavier gas, you can splash into it (though I still transfer quietly) and don't have a real concern of oxidation.

[beach]

I plan on kegging it tonight and purging out the air with CO2 but no pressure. I'll let it sit in the kegerator for a few days to get to temp then Ill hook it up to the CO2 and set it to 10psi and set it set for 2 weeks.Dan

That will work just fine and give you ~2.4 vol's. Good for many styles.Beach

[MtnBrewer]

One thing that I will add is that I carbonate on the liquid out post and bleed out the relief valve almost until the beer is coming out. I do this for a couple of reasons. The first is that is will drive out any oxygen that is in the keg. The second is that it seems to me that it carbs up a little quicker. the second one is probably not really true, but I like to get all the 02 out.

Good call; I added that to my list. Carbing through the out post does carb a little faster.