Force Carbonating 9l Keg

[Poodz]

Just wondering if i go about force carbonating my 9L keg exactly the same way as my 18L keg.

I dont mean the process, i know that is the same im just wondering about the number of times i shake the thing.

I shake my 18L 75 times gas on 400kpa and then another 25 times gas off. Would i do the same with my smaller keg or less???

 

[Hoops]

Poodz
I would think it would be pretty much the same although I would maybe do a little less as you have half the liquid volume and the same headspace volume. You could always reduce the headspace by half as well?
Hoops

 

[J.W.B]

Why shake it...
If you put it in the fridge with 200kpa pressure for 3 days you will find it carbonated ok...
ive never shaken my kegs...Just hook the gas up...purge the head space of air and leave for 3 days at 200kpa...

 

[Corey]

Some people prefer to shake so that they can force carbonate in 20 minutes rather than 3 days.

3 days @ 200kpa + gas leak = empty CO2 tank.

 

[Glenn W]

Corey if you have a gas leak why not fix it,I gas my kegs at 90kpa for about 5 to 6 days tastes great. You can check gas leaks by spraying soapy water on the joins if they start bubbeling you have a leak. It makes me laugh when keggers say they turn the gas off becuase they have a leak, just fix it?

 

[Corey]

I don't have a gas leak - I was just explaining why some people prefer to shake their kegs rather than leave it for 3 days.

If you get a leak on day 2 after checking it on day 1, it can still result in an empty CO2 tank by the end of day 3. Why risk losing $30+ of gas?

 

[Poodz]

i dont have a gas leak but what i do have is a non-adjustable gas regulator set at 400kpa. Thats why i want to know how many times to shake.

 

[Corey]

You said that you normally shake 75 times. Shake it 25 times then taste. If not enough carbonation, shake it another 25 times. As you get closer to the desired level of carbonation shake a little less each time until you get it just the way you want it.

 

[Batz]

I am alway interested when this subject comes up ( and it does several times a year )

Everyone carbonates their kegs a little differently , the basic steps are there , it depends on a lot of things really , your berr line length , temperture of your fridge , your own preferance in carbonation.

Try it yourself and you will work out a system the suits you

These threads always become a "my way is best" type thingy

I must agree with Glenn W on leaky kegs , if you know you have a leaky keg...why not do something about it?

Batz

 

[Poodz]

Thanks ill go the shake and try method...

And geez there are a whole lot of methods out there, the one that uses least gas would suit me as i only have a 1.5kg cylinder.

Another question... Immediately after force carbonation, theres not much empty keg room and with a pretty high head pressure my first glasses come out real quick (lots of foam) and then the pouring pressure drops very quickly as the beer volume drops a little. Not a problem however i dont want this initial mess, so if i leave the keg for a day or 2 before pouring the first glass, will the head pressure drop? or would the best thing be to simply let a bit of gas out the release valve for those initial glasses when the keg is full.

Remember, before answering with, "adjust your reg", well i cant, my reg is set at 400kpa...