I just started kegging beer and have read many of the helpful threads on it but I have a few basic questions.
To slow carbonate a soda keg, I Believe you use about 10 psi and takes a week or two.my question being, you hook the gas up to the out port of the keg, correct,essentially carbinating through the p/up tube. Having the gas hooked to the in line would only fill the void on the top of the keg never allowing for the gas to dissolve into the liquid.
With a sanke keg, how would you do this or does the gas travel down the pickup tube in time?
[quote=“Dadam”]I just started kegging beer and have read many of the helpful threads on it but I have a few basic questions.
To slow carbonate a soda keg, I Believe you use about 10 psi and takes a week or two.my question being, you hook the gas up to the out port of the keg, correct,essentially carbinating through the p/up tube. Having the gas hooked to the in line would only fill the void on the top of the keg never allowing for the gas to dissolve into the liquid.
With a sanke keg, how would you do this or does the gas travel down the pickup tube in time?[/quote]No, to slow carb or set and forget you just connect the gas to the gas connect or IN post, set it based on your preferred vol level which depends on temperature, beer style, etc , I set most of mine in the 9-10psi range. The pressure of the CO2 will force it into solution and carbonate your beer over time.
Putting gas on the liquid post is a method of quick carbing. I do this sometimes and will set the gas to 25-30 for 24 hours, then remove the gas, vent the keg(very important), and reconnect to the gas post, setting it to normal or serving pressure 9-10psi.
If you have the patience, the “set it and forget it” method is much less of a hassle. Easy to overcarb when you quick-carb at higher than serving pressure. I set my pressure to 10 psi and they are ready in 10 to 14 days. Also, if you decide to hook the gas up to the liquid post, remember that the disconnects are NOT interchangeable. They can get stuck if you try to put a disconnect on the wrong post.
I’m on the quick carb end as I’m not waiting 14 days… I set it to 20 for 48 hours, shake the keg 2-3 times a day. I then purge the keg, connect it back up and set to 8 psi for the next 5 days. I then have beer all carbed up and ready to drink.
I can understand this point of view. If I only had one tap I’d probably quick carb it, but I only have one regulator with a gas distributor. If I turned up the gas to quick carb a new beer, then I would be over-carbing the kegs I already have on tap.
I can understand this point of view. If I only had one tap I’d probably quick carb it, but I only have one regulator with a gas distributor. If I turned up the gas to quick carb a new beer, then I would be over-carbing the kegs I already have on tap.[/quote]
I only have 2 regs for 4 kegs in my serving fridge. I have a splitter off each reg with shut off vavles on each line. So if I wan to quick carb one keg overnight I shut off the other keg on the reg and raise the pressure. Works well for me.
I don’t always quick carb though. You are correct that it’s not quite as consistent as set and forget. You also don’t get that perfect mouth feel until the beer has been on the gas for a while. Quick carbing just allows you to serve it sooner.
I am quick carber typically. I will acknowledge that a slow carb will produce a more refined carbonation though. Essentially, carbing it slowly allows the tiny bubbles to hydrolyze, where the CO2 dissolved in the beer actually degrades a bit, so it is softer on your tongue (think of getting soda from a fountain vs. a bottle…the former typically has a harsher/more jagged mouthfeel because the water is carbed seconds before serving)
I will submit that unless you are REALLY REALLY paying attention, and have a good palette and maybe even have some sensory analysis training (BJCP, Cicerone), you can’t tell the difference in most beers.
I have never overcarbed a beer by the following method:
-chill beer in keg to serving temp
-hook gas line up to IN post
-set PSI to 25-30
-roll keg (approximately 90 degrees) back and forth on its side 25-30 times quickly (you will hear guzzling)
-set keg upright and in serving fridge, disconnect gas
-let sit for 1-2 hours
-bleed pressure off keg
-reconnect gas line set to serving pressure (consult the Winning Homebrew chart and recommended volumes of CO2 for various beer styles)
-serve
-in the rare case that it is foaming (assuming you have good, long beverage lines), reduce serving PSI a few points for a few days
beer has been ready in a few hours for me and tasted great. The only time I have hooked gas up to the OUT post is to briefly force some CO2 through the beer to try to scrub out some oxygen.
[quote=“Pietro”]I am quick carber typically. I will acknowledge that a slow carb will produce a more refined carbonation though. Essentially, carbing it slowly allows the tiny bubbles to hydrolyze, where the CO2 dissolved in the beer actually degrades a bit, so it is softer on your tongue (think of getting soda from a fountain vs. a bottle…the former typically has a harsher/more jagged mouthfeel because the water is carbed seconds before serving)
I will submit that unless you are REALLY REALLY paying attention, and have a good palette and maybe even have some sensory analysis training (BJCP, Cicerone), you can’t tell the difference in most beers.
I have never overcarbed a beer by the following method:
-chill beer in keg to serving temp
-hook gas line up to IN post
-set PSI to 25-30
-roll keg (approximately 90 degrees) back and forth on its side 25-30 times quickly (you will hear guzzling)
-set keg upright and in serving fridge, disconnect gas
-let sit for 1-2 hours
-bleed pressure off keg
-reconnect gas line set to serving pressure (consult the Winning Homebrew chart and recommended volumes of CO2 for various beer styles)
-serve
-in the rare case that it is foaming (assuming you have good, long beverage lines), reduce serving PSI a few points for a few days
beer has been ready in a few hours for me and tasted great. The only time I have hooked gas up to the OUT post is to briefly force some CO2 through the beer to try to scrub out some oxygen.
Keger on, Kegerer.[/quote]
I like this idea in theory, but dont you have a yeasty product after rolling the keg around (in spite of how carefully you may have racked)?
Even with my set it and forget it method, the beer takes at least 2 weeks to clear to the level that I want it to be. Unfortunately it usually reaches optimum clarity 2 or 3 pints before the keg kicks.
I like this idea in theory, but dont you have a yeasty product after rolling the keg around (in spite of how carefully you may have racked)?
Even with my set it and forget it method, the beer takes at least 2 weeks to clear to the level that I want it to be. Unfortunately it usually reaches optimum clarity 2 or 3 pints before the keg kicks.[/quote]
Occasionally, but typically I cold crash and clarify with gelatin prior to racking out of the primary, so I have a real bright beer going into the keg. Maybe 1/2 pint will have some sediment.
