New to keg brewing-flat beer help please!

[keisha01au]

I'm hoping some of you experienced keg brewers will be able to provide advice to a newbie.

I've just purchased the complete keg beer setup -fridge, gas etc. This was the advice given to me at the brew shop where I bought it with regards to getting beer kegged, carbonated and ready to drink after fermentation.

Keg the beer, turn gas pressure up to 35-40psi, roll keg back and forth on its side for 4 minutes. Refrigerate beer and it'll be ready to drink in 24hrs.

I did this but the beer came out flat and with no head! I've read on other sites that the beer and keg should be chilled first (mine wasn't). I also read that you could carbonate the beer again and for longer, which I tried with a little success.

Some people mentioned leaving the pressure high for a couple of days, then reducing it gradually. Which is better? Also the man in the brew shop said it could be drunk in a day, but I've read it should be left for longer.

As this is completely new to me, I'd appreciate any advice you can give.

Many thanks

I've checked everything for leaks (none found).

 

[A.B.]

Whats the gap in your keg from gas outlet to top of beer?

Chill the keg first, at least a day at 3-4 degrees.

then gas it at 40 for about 90-100 seconds on its side, gently rocking it so the gas outlet is underbeer (like underwater, but its beer).

Turn gas off, then let it rest in fridge again for a day, turn gas on to pouring pressure (will differ according to font) and it should be right to go.

There are a few topics already on this forum on this topic, but the above seems to work for me

 

[mstrelan]

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/8535-ross-method-of-forced-carbonation-of-kegs/

 

[GalBrew]

That's rubbish advice from your LHBS.

 

[Moad]

if you aren't in a hurry hook it up at serving pressure (10-12 psi is a good start) and leave it for a week or two. That is the simplest and most reliable method... but we aren't all that patient!

If you are in a hurry leave at 30psi for 2 days then dial back to 10-12. You can also use the "ross method", if you do a search there are many threads on this!

Enjoy kegging

 

[timmi9191]

Where you located. If nearby Im happy to drop by and show you.

 

[Blind Dog]

Lots of different methods top carbonate a keg. Hooking the keg up to the gas at serving pressure, and cooled to serving temp, for a week or so is my preferred method if time permits. It seems to give the best result and avoids the risk of an over carbonated a keg. If I don't have time, the method linked in post #3 works for me, although I tend to reduce the time taken just a little.

Beer should be chilled before carbonatingt as, within reason, the colder the beer the more C02 that will dissolve in it. I always chill to serving temps before carbonating, if using a quick method.

 

[Siborg]

Chilling helps. I hadn't force carbed in years and followed this video, which was really helpful. You shouldn't need to wait 24-48 hours after force carbing, it should be ready almost straight away (with a little mess):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g07Yj6-Ykw

 

[keisha01au]

Thanks very much everyone for your advice. Much appreciated. Cheers!

 

[pyrosx]

Once the beer is cold (cold crashing the fermenter is great for this), hook it up to the gas, purge the head space, then dial the regulator up to 300kpa.... and wait for 24 hours. I know that feels like an eternity when all you want is your beer on tap..... but it's only a day.

After a day, dial it back down to serving pressure, bleed the extra pressure from the keg, and have a taste. It won't be 100% carbonated yet, another couple of days at serving pressure are usually required to settle it out, but it'll be drinkable.

I've found that there are many downsides to the Ross method.... you need special fittings (liquid posts on gas lines etc.) and all that rolling and shaking the beer doesn't do it any favours in terms of clarity (especially with gelatin or other finings involved) and head retention - once those proteins froth out of the beer once, they're not going to do it again.

 

[Rocker1986]

I've used the Ross method on my last two kegs that aren't tapped yet but are sitting in the kegerator cold. Will be interesting to see how they go. They were carbed cold but have just been sitting next to the brew fridge since, up until Saturday when I put them in the fridge. Just waiting on a third to be filled next Saturday so they can all be hooked up at once and left there, although I won't be using that method on the third one. It can just sit at serving pressure the whole time and wait a week to be poured from, and hopefully run out after the two at the front :lol:. I always crash chill in the fermenter and also use finings in there, so they don't go into the kegs, and they're cold when I hit them with the gas.

I also used the Ross method on my first keg and fucked up the carbonation at first, but once it all settled down the clarity was fine and so was the head retention.

I probably prefer not to use it but I like to have them at least partly carbonated for storage so I can drink them pretty well as soon as they're chilled, as I generally put three full kegs in at a time and then wait for the last of them to blow dry before the next three go in. Gives me the maximum time to get the next three fermented and filled. Depending on how quickly they empty/the others are filled, the one at the back may or may not be quick carbed.