Carbonating A Keg

[Dangor]

Hi All

Just a quick question for all the keggers out there. I put my first brew into a keg last Thursday, into the kegerator at 5 degrees and set the pressure to 12psi. From my bits of reading, this should sufficiently carbonate the keg in about a week or so. Does this sound OK?

I intend pouring a tester towards the end of the week to see how it is all proceding and then deciding whether I need to make any changes (increased pressure, etc)

 

[wombil]

Hi Dangor,
Thats what I do.Works well for me.I set mine at 70kpa [10 psi],don't think I'd go too much over 12 psi tho.
wombil.

 

[kelbygreen]

sounds good you may not need to increase pressure there are a few factors, the temp of the beer and the beer line makes a difference there was a article on it with a chart but last time I looked the chart link didnt work unless some one reposted it then it will prob still be missing.

But if you go by the chart temp and pressure and get more beerline then you think and just cut little bits off the beer line till you get the right carbonation to your liking (its called balancing) Also some people have a smaller piece of beerline they add on to increase the overall length and decrease the carbonation level for say a lager or other style that calls for less carbonation then what you normal serving pressure is. Or you can spend heaps more money and buy a dual regulator so you can serve at 2 different pressures

 

[Crusty]

Hi All

Just a quick question for all the keggers out there. I put my first brew into a keg last Thursday, into the kegerator at 5 degrees and set the pressure to 12psi. From my bits of reading, this should sufficiently carbonate the keg in about a week or so. Does this sound OK?

I intend pouring a tester towards the end of the week to see how it is all proceding and then deciding whether I need to make any changes (increased pressure, etc)

Good carbonation for Ales, if that's what you have kegged.
12psi @5deg will give you about 2.5 vol/co2.
Turn back the regulator after a full 7 days to pouring pressure, 8-10psi may be better suited to pouring depending on your beer line length.
No need to spend heaps, I have one of these & very happy with mine.

 

[Pennywise]

I find that 12 psi is good at 5c for my beers. Takes about 4 days when left as is & only time I turn the reg down (or remove the qd altogether) is when the keg is very low as I've found that I pour a fair amount of head when it running low, and I prefer not to slow the flow. Biggest issue for me is if I fill the keg up to much (above the weld line) then the first few beers are very undercarbed regardless of how long I leave it hooked up for.

 

[woodwormm]

No need to spend heaps, I have one of these & very happy with mine.

fully agree,

i've got one of these now http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CO2-ENTRY-LEVEL...=item19c8554b58

works better than the micromatic i used to have.

 

[bignath]

Can't offer an opinion about slow carbing, as i'm a forced carbonator for my kegs.

After primary, put in conditioning fridge for the best part of a week at 1deg.
Transfer to keg straight from chilled primary, and then hook gas up at 200kpa, set timer on my iphone for 60sec and roll keg until alarm goes off. Turn gas bottle off. Keep rolling until regulator says "0" pressure as it gets rid of the gas in the lines.
Re-set iphone timer for 15mins. Put keg in keezer.

Come back after alarm goes off and repeat process.
Disconnect QD, and drop regulator back to serving pressure.
Burp keg before serving and reconnecting.

Ready to drink, fairly clear beer (gets better with age) the next day. I could drink it that night, but the difference between tapping the keg right there and then vs leaving it until i get home from work the next day is massive.

Happy days.

Nath

 

[Dangor]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I will see how it responds in the next few days. Then make the decision about pressures and line lengths.

Cheers

 

[Dangor]

Just providing a quick update. The keg has carbonated well although I think I need to up the pressure slightly as it was a bit under carbonated for my liking. Looks as though I will be off to get some more beer line though to try and balance the system as the beer was pouring a bit too fast. Not glass full of foam fast but a bit too much head in there.

Cheers

 

[drfad]

Is it possible to carbonate using a compromise between serving pressure carbonation and force carbonation with agitation?
Say, set the reg to 200 or 300 kpa for 2 days rather than 100 for 5 days, without agitating the keg?

 

[scooza]

Is it possible to carbonate using a compromise between serving pressure carbonation and force carbonation with agitation?
Say, set the reg to 200 or 300 kpa for 2 days rather than 100 for 5 days, without agitating the keg?

hi, i let the keg get cold for a day then hit it for 24hrs at 300kpa. release pressure and hook up at serving pressure.ready to drink after that but does improve with another day or 2 at serving pressure.
hope that helps.

 

[stux]

I start off with a cold keg as i crash chill the beer in the fermenter before kegging

If you do 48 hrs at 300kpa you'll probably over carbonate

I do 24-36 hours, but normally 24. 36 seems to get me just about spot on.

Then I finish carbing at serving pressure for a few days

 

[drfad]

Great! thanks for the fast replies!!
:beer:

 

[flano]

hi, i let the keg get cold for a day then hit it for 24hrs at 300kpa. release pressure and hook up at serving pressure.ready to drink after that but does improve with another day or 2 at serving pressure.
hope that helps.

this is how I do it.

I have pretty short tap lines ...they came standard with the keg king kegerator and I find my pouring pressure is quite low..more like 5 than 10.
pours fine for me....just pretty slow.

 

[Dangor]

If you carbonate your keg at higher than pouring pressure and then dial back to your pouring pressure, does the beer equalise with the head pressure and lose any carbonation?

I have carbonated my keg (Morgans Australian Mid 3.5 K&K) at 12 psi for a week or so and have added a couple of metres of extra beer line to my kegerator and I am now getting a better pour at this pressure. Fairly happy at the moment with the situation.

 

[taztiger]

Maybe a silly question, but do you carb 9L kegs for the same time period as the big cornies?

 

[kelbygreen]

for all Id say NO! I wouldnt force carb one and I would say to carb it at serving pressure it in theory should take half the time! but carb at serving pour a glass after 4 days and you will see if its carbed enough