Carbonating A Keg

[flano]

g'day this has probably been done to death...
I am very green at this brewing thing .
Am having a ball doing it though...reading all the beer and brewer magazines cover to cover .
Buying single stubbies of different beers at the bottlo to get the gist of what beers taste like.
Found out last night I quite like pilsener.

I have read this one http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...showtopic=10667

and it is great....but
I am not really in a huge rush to gas up the beer and would like to get as close to perfect as possible.

I was also given some advice here http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...showtopic=43804

just want to know what the general consensus is for gassing up 19 ltr post mix kegs.

I was told to do it at about 220 - 240 for 48 hours.
this is not really the forced method described in that first link.


The other method ( second link ) of set and forget at pouring pressure for a week didn't actually work for me when I tried it. It was still as flat as . Maybe I did it wrong.

To be honest I don't want to stuff it up ...so any info would be greatly appreciated.
cheers
I have about 5 mtrs of gas line with a splitter to 2 kegs
this is my setup

 

[raven19]

I have about 5 mtrs of gas line with a splitter to 2 kegs

How much beer line do you have from keg to tap - that is where you will need about 3 - 5 meters depending on fridge temp & serving pressure.

(Gas line length from reg to keg wont make any difference).

If in no rush I would set your regulator to around 50 - 70 kPa, and leave it for a week or so. This should also be around your serving pressure - as such you wont ever overcarb your beer. Works for me a treat.

Just my 2c on the matter.

 

[flano]

Only have about 2 maybe 3 mtrs at most of beer line from keg to tap.
It came already set up with the kegerator.

 

[tallie]

I use the "40 for 40 at 40" rule with pretty good results on my setup. That is; 40PSI (about 280kPa) for 40 hours at 40F (about 4C), then let it settle for a couple of days at serving pressure.

I also tried the Ross method for the first time recently (exactly as described in your first link) and it worked perfectly, but I'm not usually in that much of a hurry B)

Cheers,
Kris.

 

[beerbog]

Throw the keg in the fridge, dial up 300kpa (for beers that require that much carbonation) and leave for 24 hours with the bottle open. That will sit you on about 100kpa at the end.

Then adjust to your serving pressure.

Works for me.

:icon_chickcheers:

 

[mxd]

if you want to try set and forget, then run the gas in the beer out line, and give the keg a shake (tip upside down) every couple of days, I have found this can take upto 2 weeks though.

For you beer line length, there is a spreadsheet that yo can set your temperature and carbonation level and it will tell you the length of the line.

For my carbonation, I put a keg (warm from fermenter no crash chill) into fridge then gas at 250 for 36 hours through beer out line, then it's close enough.

 

[argon]

Throw the keg in the fridge, dial up 300kpa (for beers that require that much carbonation) and leave for 24 hours with the bottle open. That will sit you on about 100kpa at the end.

Then adjust to your serving pressure.

Works for me.

:icon_chickcheers:

Typically i just leave the kegs at serving pressure for about 7 days and all is good. Although i'm not a fan of leaving the gas on the whole time, just in case i get a gas leak and lose the contents of the bottle.

I've done the Ross method in the past but you can over do it and too much carbonation.I have in the past done a bit of the Ross method to get it partially carbed. That is not rock and roll it for as long then leave for a couple of days at serving pressure and that works a bit quicker... probably all good in 48 hrs.

 

[Fents]

Throw the keg in the fridge, dial up 300kpa (for beers that require that much carbonation) and leave for 24 hours with the bottle open. That will sit you on about 100kpa at the end.

Then adjust to your serving pressure.

Works for me.

:icon_chickcheers:

Spot on for me too.

 

[brendo]

Spot on for me too.

:icon_offtopic:

Fents... I am impressed mate... you have got a little emoticon that closely resembles a kooi bottle there... nice touch!!

 

[felon]

300kpa for 24-28hrs works for me. :icon_cheers:

 

[flano]

Throw the keg in the fridge, dial up 300kpa (for beers that require that much carbonation) and leave for 24 hours with the bottle open. That will sit you on about 100kpa at the end.

Then adjust to your serving pressure.

Works for me.

:icon_chickcheers:

cheers

I'm liking this method...nice and simple on paper.
Do I get the keg cold first before gassing up?

bottle open??? you mean open the gas all the way open??

 

[cdbrown]

if you want to try set and forget, then run the gas in the beer out line, and give the keg a shake (tip upside down) every couple of days, I have found this can take upto 2 weeks though.

Not sure about 2 weeks, but setting at serving pressure (90kpa), connecting through gas post and not having to shake it or tip upside down and it's carbed after a week.

 

[Snow]

300kpa for 24-28hrs works for me. :icon_cheers:

This is how I do it, but remember the beer has to be cold before you can carbonate effectively. Chill the keg for 24 hours, then gas at 300kpa for another 24 hours and you will have perfectly carbonated beer. Then, bleed the keg of the excess pressure and serve at 60-80 KPA.

Cheers - Snow.

 

[Fents]

:icon_offtopic:

Fents... I am impressed mate... you have got a little emoticon that closely resembles a kooi bottle there... nice touch!!

had it specially made for us on another forum i visit

 

[flano]

This is how I do it, but remember the beer has to be cold before you can carbonate effectively. Chill the keg for 24 hours, then gas at 300kpa for another 24 hours and you will have perfectly carbonated beer. Then, bleed the keg of the excess pressure and serve at 60-80 KPA.

Cheers - Snow.

Beautiful...that is how I will do it.
My pouring pressure's best results are 60-80 kpa.

 

[Bribie G]

I've got the same kegerator and that's basically what I do as well, I'm always puzzled by guys saying that it takes a week to carb. Even at serving pressure of about 70 (I work weekends and often whack on a new keg say Thurs or Fri and don't drink for a few days) it carbs up a lot quicker than that and a Friday keg is usually pouring just fine by Monday or Tuesday.

 

[NickB]

I use a slightly different method in that I crash chill, keg, then at serving pressure, I use the "Ross Method" for about 15 mins. There is no chance of over carbonation, and for me, it's about 90% there in terms of Carbonation. A day or two in the fridge and it's fully carbed. I have in the past, however, drunk straight away with no real issues!

Cheers

 

[thesunsettree]

this works for me - 32psi for 42hrs in frig (same as yours) @ about 2-4deg. but i guess its dependent on your preferred carb levels. any of the suggested techniques will bubble your beer but i guess it will be a little trial and error to determine which one works for your preferences. the ross method is great in a pinch and has been a blessing on a number of occasions but where possible i like to do it at lower psi over a few days, my 2c.

cheers
matt

 

[pmolou]

i've recently just got a keg king setup as well and left my beer (been around 3 weeks sofar) at 12psi and it doesn't really have a great deal of bubbles is this normal or is simply better to do one of these 32psi methods for 2 days then dop to serving pressure-

-can having beer say carbed to 15psi and then serving it at 10psi have any bad effects ie. lots of head (which i'm suffering from atm

 

[OzBeer_MD]

Cold beer absorbs Co2 into solution, warm beer expels it. The thermometers on the Keg King style fridges can sometimes be way off. Double check the temperature in different parts of the fridge, adjust the thermostat accordingly and add a second (or in my case third) fan to get the cool air moving around full time and a few carbonation related issues might get addressed.