Noob Kegging Questions

[laxation]

Hoping for some help with this list of what I figure the process is for filling a keg and not using the force carb method (this way seems easier...)

Can you please check the list, let me know if I'm missing anything, and help out with the questions?

1. Fill tank with Co2 (to what PSI?)
2. Pour beer from fermenter into tank, using a hose connected to Beer Out tube, or just straight through the lid (lid off)
3. Fill to 1-2cm under gas tube
4. Purge oxygen by putting in 3 short bursts of Co2 at 12PSI, with the PRV released
5. Chill beer overnight in Keezer
6. Connect gas to 12 PSI
7. Wait a week to drink (Leave gas connected/turned on for the week or not?)
8. When pouring do you leave Co2 connected? If so, still at 12 PSI?

 

[pnorkle]

Fill tank with Co2 AFTER you've poured the beer in.

Yes, you need the gas connected while pouring.. otherwise after a couple of beers there'll be no gas to force the beer out.

 

[laxation]

Fill tank with Co2 AFTER you've poured the beer in.

I thought you did it first as well to get rid of the oxygen in the tank?

 

[pnorkle]

The point I'm making is - your steps are unclear - you can't pour beer into a keg pressurised with Co2.

So, what I do is - put 3 or 4 litres of sanitiser (such as StarSan) into the keg (providing you've already cleaned it, or course,) give the keg a shake, empty the keg by using the Co2 to force the sanitiser out the beer post - disconnect the gas, & fill up with beer - through the opening at the top of the keg.

 

[Brewno Marz]

What pnorkle said. Best practice might be to seal the keg and purge the air using CO2, but you will waste gas (and time) purging the full volume of the keg until you get sufficient dilution of air. Good practice is what pnorkle said - except maybe 600ml of sanitiser would be enough. Best is the enemy of good....

 

[Digga]

I've not seen any difference between filling / purging the keg with CO2 or not I generally just clean with met/perk blend ( 1 tea spoon to 1.5 boiling water) empty and spray with San mixed as it should.
I run silicone hose that goes to the outside of ferm tap to inner of transfer silicone hose and straight into keg via lid hole.
I have the ability to chill before transfer to keg so then just Ross method and drink .5 to 1.0hrs later.
Does improve with the first week / 2.
Then depending on style goes south slowly after 2-3 weeks. Don't know if it's the hop aroma depleting or if it's something else.
These beers are generally APAs and IPAs my stouts do loose something but not like the lighter beers.

 

[Rocker1986]

You're still force carbonating it anyway, it's just slower doing it at serving pressure. I don't have the patience for that so I use high pressure for 22-24 hours followed by a 6-7 hour settling period, and then they sit on serving pressure. I stuck 3 kegs in the fridge yesterday around lunchtime and have had a couple of glasses tonight, the two I tried were both nicely carbonated.

 

[laxation]

You're still force carbonating it anyway, it's just slower doing it at serving pressure. I don't have the patience for that so I use high pressure for 22-24 hours followed by a 6-7 hour settling period, and then they sit on serving pressure. I stuck 3 kegs in the fridge yesterday around lunchtime and have had a couple of glasses tonight, the two I tried were both nicely carbonated.

What pressure do you put it at for the first day?

When settling what do you do with it?

Havnt heard this one before but it sounds good...

 

[4heckssake]

I found this helpful to watch someone experienced do it on youtube. check this out

 

[laxation]

I found this helpful to watch someone experienced do it on youtube. check this out

perfect thanks! I think watching someone do it once is what I really need

 

[Rocker1986]

What pressure do you put it at for the first day?

When settling what do you do with it?

Havnt heard this one before but it sounds good...

Forgot to hit the post button on this apparently... lol

I use 45 PSI for about 22-24 hours. This is with room temp kegs going into the fridge, I'd probably only use 20 hours with a pre-chilled keg. The liquid (beer out) disconnects aren't connected to the kegs at this stage.

I do nothing to it when settling other than take the gas disconnects off the kegs. The kegs then sit there in the fridge undisturbed for 6-7 hours, before I bleed the pressure, re-attach the gas disconnects, attach the liquid disconnects, and then turn the gas back on at my normal serving pressure.

At this stage, the beer is usually slightly undercarbonated but carbonated enough to enjoy a glass or two. The carbonation rises to normal levels in a day or two though.

 

[5150]

I would definitely purge the keg with CO2 before filling it as you mentioned in your first post. Also make sure your fill tube goes to the bottom of the keg when filling. Oxygen will spoil your beer surprisingly quickly.

 

[Mat B]

I agree with purging before filling. I had a beer go stale once and I put it down to mixing with oxygen in the keg. As others have pointed out, you're not pressurising you keg. Seal it up and connect gas. Turn gas on for a few seconds. Then release the valve. Do this a few times and most oxygen will be expelled (co2 is heavier than oxygen so will sit beneath it as it's pushed up through the valve). Then relase the valve a final time. The pressure will then be the same inside as it is outside. The you can just open the lid a bit and feed your clean hose in and fill er up.

As for carbing, I tried heaps of methods to get drinking faster and always ended up with foam issues etc. Now I just set to 12PSI and leave it. After about 5 days it's drinkable, and about 7 days seems to be carbed perfectly. Probably depends what temp you keep it at too. I found the following to be super useful in getting my carbonation method right: http://www.mikesoltys.com/2012/09/17/determining-proper-hose-length-for-your-kegerator/#calc

 

[stewy]

I purge with CO2 via beer out line prior to filling then fill via beer out.. set at 60PSI for 20 hours and it's good to go.. (ensure nothing is connected to beer out line when you pump it up to 60PSI... trust me, I have learned the hard way on more than one occasion.)

 

[laxation]

I purge with CO2 via beer out line

Is that so the co2 goes right to the bottom to start with?

 

[stewy]

Yeah, that's the idea. I inject it at a low pressure (5psi) for a bit then open the valve & commence transfer. The theory is that the CO2 being the heavier gas will remain below the O2 during transfer and the O2 will be forced out

 

[Rocker1986]

. (ensure nothing is connected to beer out line when you pump it up to 60PSI... trust me, I have learned the hard way on more than one occasion.)

So have I, but only once, which is why I don't have the beer out disconnects on while carbing at high pressure either. Lost a keg of lemon lime and bitters when the pressure blew the line off the tube to the tap, it also blew the fridge door open. :lol:

Big mess to clean up!

 

[mattyh77]

Hey Rocker. What's your lemon lime and bitters recipe.

 

[Rocker1986]

Nothing special Matty, just 5 bottles of bickfords cordial in the keg and filled to 19L with water. I haven't done it since though because it took a billion years to carbonate. I've reserved that keg for soda water now and just mix in the glass with whatever cordial.

 

[laxation]

Nothing special Matty, just 5 bottles of bickfords cordial in the keg and filled to 19L with water. I haven't done it since though because it took a billion years to carbonate. I've reserved that keg for soda water now and just mix in the glass with whatever cordial.

Is soda water as easy as filling a keg and gassing it?