Trouble With Ross Method

[mateostojic]

Beer bros,

I have been having a bit of trouble with the Ross Method.

After shaking/rolling the keg for 50 sec and turning off the gas, my regulator does not show the drop in pressure.



I have read several threads including the very well documented als_world guide Link

Instead of connecting the black disconnect to the gas line i simply roll the keg on its side so that the gas valve is on the bottom and roll for 50 sec. I hear the bubbling and everything seems to be going fine except when i turn the gas off, the pressure gauge on my regulator does not drop.

I have attached a sketch my set up.

The first time this happend i foolishly pulled the pressure release valve on the regulator and suprise, suprise i got beer rushing from the keg to the regualator.

Since then i have bought a one way valve thingo and put it in the gas line as suggested by als_world in his guide.
This confuses me even more because i dont see how (after turning off the gas) the regulator is meant to show the pressure reduction in the keg if the one way valve does not allow any CO2 (and therefore pressure difference) to pass from the keg to the regulator.

Can anyone help me with the Physics behind this?

 

[Cocko]

Are you continuing to rock/roll after you turn the gas off?

 

[jayse]

Personally I think the turn it up to infinity and rock it for several seconds is just wrong so won't comment on how to do that right instead do what you did first but at 1 bar max and gently rock for some time. Perfect beer and you are not treating it like some poor kid that tried to sell you crystal meth down the local strip and shaking him till he foams at the mouth.

15 mins gently at 1 bar is ample even less.

 

[ausdb]

I can't really be bothered reading 8 pages of posts on "the Ross method" and setting your reg at 300kPa gives you a good chance of overcarbonating your beer but why not just try this.

Set your reg at the pressure for the correct volumes of carbonation based on your beer temp or about 10% over, as has been stated before CO is more soluble in cold beer so the colder the better.

With your keg standing upright vent it slightly as stated by others (but if your beer is uncarbonated this would not be an issue)
Attach your gas disconnect to the gas post so when you have your keg on its side the gas post is at the bottom.
Lay your keg on its side and then start rocking or shaking and you will hear the gas bubbling through the beer, as the beer starts to become saturated with CO you will hear the bubbling decrease, when it does stand the keg upright and give it a break for a half an hour.
After a bit of a break repeat the procedure and pour yourself a glass to check carbonation and it's job well done :icon_cheers:

If you listen to the bubbling and stand your keg back up when it starts to slow right down there is very little chance of pushing beer back up your gas line. I have all of my gas disconnects on a short piece of beerline with a john guest joiner into my gas distribution system, so if I am worried about them getting full of beer it is no problem to disconnect and clena and sanitise them again. By not having your gas pressure set so high you don't have to worry about overcarbonating your beer full stop.

 

[jimi]

I follow this method - the Ross method.
You should see a drop in the pressure as you shake after turning off the gas as the CO2 is diffusing into the beer. The valve is a 'one way' valve and will allow for the gas to move into the keg as the C02 diffuses into the beer dropping the pressure inside the keg.
You don't have to shake hard. Are you shaking after you turn the gass off?

 

[floppinab]

As others have said you have to continue to do the shake 'a shake once you back off the reg.

One other thing to consider is if you've had beer back through the gas line and then maybe also the reg, your reg might be screwed as well and may need a pull apart clean/fix.

 

[sumo]

After shaking/rolling the keg for 50 sec and turning off the gas, my regulator does not show the drop in pressure.

Do you have a non return valve? If so, you probably will not show a reduction of pressure until you have purged the gas line and then reconnected, well that is at least what I have experienced.

Cheers

 

[clean brewer]

I know this doesnt answer your Q, but I started using the "Ross" method and after a few goes changed my ways...

I now just hook up, turn up to 250 for 24 hrs and its done... Unless you are desperate for a Beer straight away, why bother trying to gas it in a minute??

:icon_cheers: CB

 

[winkle]

I take it that the keg was cold?

 

[buttersd70]

three words....
"the slipper method"

 

[QldKev]

Another simple way is just leave it at serving pressure for a week.

QldKev

 

[AndrewQLD]

Another simple way is just leave it at serving pressure for a week.

QldKev

That's the best method, if you can keep your stocks up, much better carbonation with finer bubbles and it carbs to the exact pressure every time.

andrew

 

[KHB]

That's the best method, if you can keep your stocks up, much better carbonation with finer bubbles and it carbs to the exact pressure every time.

andrew

I have always had trouble with getting a carbed beer this way. I have my gas split between 4 kegs with john guest t piece fittings leave turned on at 1 bar for a week and it dosnt seem to get as good as ross method does. Am i doing something wrong??

 

[mateostojic]

Yeah i keep rolling the keg after i turn the gas off and yes the keg is cold.

With my last batch i left if for a week at serving pressure and it was perfect but man what a long week that was.
I just brewed an extract golden ale recipe and it smells so good that i just couldn't wait a week.
I think next time i am going to set to serving pressure and roll for 15 minutes or set to 250kPa and leave for a day...depending on how desperate i am.

Cheers boys.

 

[Pete2501]

Can anyone help me with the Physics behind this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry%27s_law

Henry's Law brah.

The gas/liquid bonds become stronger at lower temperatures.

 

[Mercs Own]

probably doesnt help but I follow the Ross Method to the letter and I have never had a problem - if you are doing something slightly different then expect a different result.

 

[Effect]

three words....
"the slipper method"

have seen this in action and have to say that it works and there is no way of over carbing...a safe way to get your beer carbed up in 30 minutes (safe as in no chance of overcarbing)

Cheers
Phil

 

[troopa]

um are you watching the High pressure gauge or the low presure gauge when you are looking for pressure drops?
Sounds dumb but i can see why you wouldnt get a pressure drop at all .. even with a non-return valve inline
are you 100% certain that you turning the valve on the gas tank off completely

Tom

 

[Screwtop]

Beer bros,

I have been having a bit of trouble with the Ross Method.

After shaking/rolling the keg for 50 sec and turning off the gas, my regulator does not show the drop in pressure.



I have read several threads including the very well documented als_world guide Link

Instead of connecting the black disconnect to the gas line i simply roll the keg on its side so that the gas valve is on the bottom and roll for 50 sec. I hear the bubbling and everything seems to be going fine except when i turn the gas off, the pressure gauge on my regulator does not drop.

I have attached a sketch my set up.

The first time this happend i foolishly pulled the pressure release valve on the regulator and suprise, suprise i got beer rushing from the keg to the regualator.

Since then i have bought a one way valve thingo and put it in the gas line as suggested by als_world in his guide.
This confuses me even more because i dont see how (after turning off the gas) the regulator is meant to show the pressure reduction in the keg if the one way valve does not allow any CO2 (and therefore pressure difference) to pass from the keg to the regulator.

Can anyone help me with the Physics behind this?

Ross' method works (with varying degrees of success, as you do have to adapt pressures, shaking method, volume of keg and beer temp to produce something close to good carbonation) for 99.9% of others.........................think you may need to re-read the instructions?

My 2c don't overfill the keg leave 90mm below the cap opening. Overfilled kegs are slow to carbonate.

Screwy

 

[Sully]

three words....
"the slipper method"

have seen this in action and have to say that it works and there is no way of over carbing...a safe way to get your beer carbed up in 30 minutes (safe as in no chance of overcarbing)

Cheers
Phil

Am I missing something but what is "the slipper method" please explain to a dumbass