Beer too sweet

Extract/Partial Mash Brewing
1

I have just started kegging beer. Not sure I know what I am doing just yet. I have made a nut brown before from and extract kit and bottled it. It turned out great. Now that I have started kegging I have made the same kit again along with a milk chocolate stout. Both turned out oh so sweet. Too sweet for me. Seems the Nut brown got a little better as it sat on the CO2.

I have been at 18PSI CO2 for a couple of weeks. Then I turn down the CO2 to 5PSI for serving and put it in the fridge. After a day or two of cooling I pour the beer and NO HEAD??? Not sure why I don’t have a head and too sweet.

Any ideas??

James S

2

Is the headless beer carbonated? If so, it could be glassware or recipe related.
Otherwise it’s because you’re turning the pressure down to 5PSI and the beer is equalizing to the lower pressure. I serve at my carbonation pressure, 12PSI, and pour with 10’ beer line. What temps is the beer? How long is your serving line?

3

Well at one time it was carbonated. Temp is 42 degrees F. I turned the pressure up to 18 PSI a few days ago. I have not poured one since.

Do you have problems of it being too sweet if not carbonated?

James

4

Not that I can recall. That might be the recipe or high mash temp or maybe it wasn’t finished fermenting.

How long is the line? You are probably going to need 12-15’ serving line for a pressure that high. You are looking for a beer with 3.0 volumes of CO2, right?

5

[quote=“mvsawyer”]Not that I can recall. That might be the recipe or high mash temp or maybe it wasn’t finished fermenting.

How long is the line? You are probably going to need 12-15’ serving line for a pressure that high. You are looking for a beer with 3.0 volumes of CO2, right?[/quote]
Seems like awfully high CO2 vol for both those styles.
Check out this link to find the correct vols pressure for the beer style. It’s for bottling but all you need is the vols.

http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html

Then reference the table at the link below to determine at what PSI to set
.

http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

Keep the pressure at the correct PSI for the style. You don’t need to turn it down to serve.

6

OK, so I went and set it to 7 PSI. But even with 18PSI I had no carbonation. I assumed I would have had something??

I am new at this so forgive me if I ask stupid questions.

How do I tell if my canister is empty? I am only showing 450 PSI in the canister.

Not sure If I am out or not.

James

7

When you run out, gauge will go to zero but it happens all at once. What happens when you purge the keg, can you hear it refilling with co2?

8

Thanks for all the info. It is a big help. I only have 5 feet of hose. I have adjusted the co2 to 7-8 PSI.
I now know how to properly CO2 charge my keg.

I initially charged the beer at 65 degrees at 18 PSI for 2 weeks but I understand that the CO2 does not desolve in the beer well at warm temps. So now it is at 35-40 degrees. Hopefully things will resolve in a few days.

Thank you all

James