First kegs. A few questions.

[pipsyboy]

Hi guys.

Made the jump to kegs and need some advice.

When you've filled and sealed it how do you purge the air out and how do you know you've purged ALL the air out?

Have a stout ready to keg and wondered about the best way to carbonate it. As I'm not planning to drink it at least until Thursday would I just set it at serving pressure and leave it? If so, what is serving pressure?

Once it's carbonated does the gas stay on all the time or only when drinking?

As we normally only drink Thursday, Friday and Saturday can the fridge be switched off say on Saturday night until Wednesday night?

I'm sure I'll come up with more but this will get me started

Cheers

 

[Black Devil Dog]

I purge the air our before I transfer the beer to the keg and once I've filled the keg, I purge again.

I assume you have a pressure relief valve on the keg lid, like this one.

Connect the gas to the gas post and give it a burst of co2 for a couple of seconds. Turn gas off, then pull the ring upwards on the PRV. Keg purged.


Click here for carbonation tips.

 

[pilgrimspiss]

Typed you an epic reply pipsyboy then hit back on the browser and lost it! ARGH!

Some more links for you to read:

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/2387-beginners-guide-to-kegging/

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/10667-guide-to-keg-forced-carbonation/

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/16907-keg-transfer-made-easy/

If you don't have a manual relief valve on your lid you can purge using one of the keg posts. Not the beer one as it will spurt beer in your face!

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Hi guys.

Made the jump to kegs and need some advice.

When you've filled and sealed it how do you purge the air out and how do you know you've purged ALL the air out?

Have a stout ready to keg and wondered about the best way to carbonate it. As I'm not planning to drink it at least until Thursday would I just set it at serving pressure and leave it? You can. If so, what is serving pressure? I set mine to 1BAR or 12 PSI.

Once it's carbonated does the gas stay on all the time or only when drinking? You can leave it on, but I turn mine off when not in use, because I once lost a bottle of co2 due to leaks.

As we normally only drink Thursday, Friday and Saturday can the fridge be switched off say on Saturday night until Wednesday night? Can't see why not.

I'm sure I'll come up with more but this will get me started

Cheers

 

[pipsyboy]

Cheers guys. Going to have a look at those links now.

Yeah, kegs have the release valve on top.

 

[pilgrimspiss]

Pipsyboy,

Here's a few bits of info I've gathered over time. These where handy when I first started out.

Cheers
Matty

View attachment Balancing your Draft System.doc

View attachment carbonation chart.xls

View attachment co2_and_keg_balancing_v1.2.xls

View attachment Force carbonation.doc

 

[pipsyboy]

Ok guys. Thanks for all the help. She's in the keg happily sitting in the fridge at 10psi.

Had a minor incident when I first turned the gas on as the beer tried to escape through the lid but quickly got it sorted.

Looking forward to Thursday.

 

[pedleyr]

You probably won't have it carbonated in time, consider turning it up to say 20 psi...

As far as whether you can turn the fridge off between Saturday and Wednesday nights - not a problem at all, as long as it's carbonated. You need to keep it cold while you carbonate it so it absorbs enough co2. Once it's carbonated though, turn the fridge off and disconnect the gas when you're done drinking (if that's what you want to do!).

 

[Yob]

...or force carbonate, 30PSI leave gas on and rock for 90 seconds (cold)... Connect to tap, start drinking.

There is a guide on here somewhere, really easy.

 

[pipsyboy]

Gonna leave as is. Will test on Thursday and if not ready have plenty of backup.

 

[pilgrimspiss]

Gonna leave as is. Will test on Thursday and if not ready have plenty of backup.

You'll be close by Thursday if your keg is down around 1-2C and your running at 10psi. You could go up to 20psi like pedleyr said just to make sure.

Cheers
Matty.

 

[pipsyboy]

Hi guys.

Checked the set up this morning and pressure had dropped from 10 to 5 psi. Any idea what the problem might have been?

Keg temp might have dropped as it was probably on about 10 degrees when it went in the fridge yesterday arvo.

Cheers

Pips

 

[pilgrimspiss]

Leave the bottle turned on until your beers carb'd up.

Get a spray bottle and put a couple of drops of detergent in it, fill with water and spray all your seals, connections etc and check for leaks.

Its amazing how fast 1 tiny leak can drop all the pressure. Check that lid seal you said you had problems with.

You can get keg lube and stuff for your seals and o rings, it makes a big difference. I just use tastless KY jelly from the shop....cheap and easy, then your 'always ready' at the bar.

Cheers
Matty.

 

[pilgrimspiss]

The beer will absorb C02 easier as it gets colder.

I usually fill my keg then 'burp' the headspace to get all the oxygen out. Then let it sit for 24 hours to cool down to 1-2 C before i start carbonating.
The temperature drop could have caused the regulator to drop some pressure.

Cheers
Matty.

 

[Tucker4]

Once my beer is transferred from fermenter to a sterilised keg I put the lid on, disconnect lines from other kegs in the fridge, turn regulator to 40psi and connect it to the keg just filled. I the. Purge the air with 2 to 3 pulls on the release valve on top of the keg then place in the fridge. From the time the gas is connected to keg being carbonated is 36 hours. A couple more wont hurt. Leave connected and pressure at 40psi the whole duration and it will be spot on.

 

[rheffera]

There are many different methods and alot of them have been mentioned here.

The first keg i did was leave sitting at 6 psi for a week. That worked fine for me and was carbed at the end of that week.

However, the second keg i had at 20 psi for two days. Carbed up a treat. Depends if your in a hurry to drink your beer or not.

 

[pipsyboy]

IT'S THURSDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!



That is all.

 

[jaypes]

You can carb it in an hour as long as the keg is cold

Look on keg king website for a couple of carbing methods

 

[pipsyboy]

Could possibly benefit from another couple of days as this was poured with the gun half cocked to get the head but it will do me.

 

[pilgrimspiss]

Could possibly benefit from another couple of days as this was poured with the gun half cocked to get the head but it will do me.

ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1404382900.531954.jpg

Looks lovely Pips!! Well done!! how long did you let it sit and at what pressure and temp?

Cheer
Matty