Hey,
why would you choose to add a carbonating agent into your keg? I’m wondering why people don’t just force carb and leave it at that?
thanks!
It’s my understanding that force carbing actually uses a lot of CO2…much more than needed for despensing. So, your tank will last much longer if primarily used for despensing. Others have said they like the “natural flavor” from sugar too.
:cheers:
That makes sense, though the cost to fill the CO2 tank seems reasonably cheap (for me, it’s $26 and i’m hoping it’ll last me a half dozen or more kegs, probably more once i get done screwing around and having to vent)…
i’ll try it out on my next keg - i’m interested to figure out what the flavor is like 
[quote=“imajes”]i’ll try it out on my next keg - i’m interested to figure out what the flavor is like [/quote]CO2 is CO2 - any perceived difference in flavor is probably just from the extra sediment in the primed keg.
[quote=“Shadetree”]
…CO2 is CO2 - any perceived difference in flavor is probably just from the extra sediment in the primed keg[/quote]
Absolutely right.
If you’re kegging, there isn’t any advantage to priming with any kind of sugar as opposed to force carbing. (and force carbing is much easier and potentially quicker).
[quote=“The Professor”][quote=“Shadetree”]
…CO2 is CO2 - any perceived difference in flavor is probably just from the extra sediment in the primed keg[/quote]
Absolutely right.
If you’re kegging, there isn’t any advantage to priming with any kind of sugar as opposed to force carbing. (and force carbing is much easier and potentially quicker).[/quote]
That’s what i figured. And, it reduces the chance of infection too, which is why i hadn’t bothered. I guess it makes beer sweeter a touch.
I could be wrong, but don’t some people (CARMA) not consider force carbed beer “real ale”.
Could be a reason.
[quote=“shredd3r”]Could be a reason.[/quote]I don’t consider anything under 6% ABV “real ale” but that doesn’t make me right.
Nothing wrong with that! :cheers:
Some people do not have the facilities to force carb. For example, someone without a keg refrigerator (who normally bottles) may borrow a friend’s keg, prime it with corn sugar, hope he gets the carbonation level right, then serve the entire keg at a party. All he would need is a bucket full of ice, a picnic tap, and a $20 “genuine innovations” portable CO2 charger.
Other might not have a CO2 splitter or room in the fridge to carbonate their “backup keg” so they naturally carbonate outside of the fridge as they wait.
I’ve primed in the keg when my keggerator is full and/or I keg a batch that I want to age a while. Once a spot opens up and/or it’s aged, I hook it up and it’s carbed and ready to go as soon as it cools to serving temp. Works great. I think any perception of flavor change is just your imagination though. If your priming sugar worked, it’s hisory in favor of some CO2 and a touch of alcohol. If you recall brewing 101, corn sugar is added to recipies to dry a beer out, NOT add sweetness. It ferments completely leaving no residual flavor…
For what it’s worth, it takes about 57 g CO2 to carb to 2.4 vol after a 68°F fermentation, and 68 g to dispense at 12 psig. Meaning that with no losses, you can carb and serve 3.6 kegs per pound of CO2.
