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Dloucks · 01-08-2009, 08:52 PM

I just kegged a cream ale, my first all grain brew. I did a half-ased force kegging (30 psi, shake shake shake, 30 psi shake shake shake repeat repeat repeat). I then cranked down to about 10 psi. It's not all the way down to temp yet (only been in the fridge for a few hours) and it's only been in primary for 3 weeks.

I poured my first draw which was 90% foam (due to being impatient and not letting the keg sit before I took a sample). It's a little on the warm side, and still needs to carb a bit, but it is easily my best batch yet.

I changed to many thing on this batch (all grain, kegging etc) to know why it taste so much better, all I know is that I am happy with the end product. a week from now this is going to be delicious....if I can keep my hand off the tap that long.

If this is the sign of things to come, I'm really glad I bought 4 kegs!

**BierMuncher** · 01-08-2009, 08:58 PM

Congrats.

A few random thoughts:

Warm beer does not absorb CO2 very well at all. Always try to get it fully chilled.
Warm beer will also foam much more than chilled, because the CO2 won’t stay in suspension as well in warmer liquids.
Three weeks in the primary is just fine (if the recipe is something shy of a 1.060 beer)
After you’ve charged your first few kegs with the rush (shake) method, try the static (rush) method. (Keg goes to chiller. Set to 30PSI, Hold there for 48 hours. Reduce psi and serve)
I’m glad you bought four kegs too…you’ll buy more…trust me.

Dloucks · 01-08-2009, 09:30 PM

Thanks BM. Yeah the temp was definitely a problem. Shaking it caused it to foam, which prevented me from venting off the pressure (because the beer would spew out the vent) which caused the serving pressure to be very high, which caused an already warm beer to foam.

Patience...I know I know I know!

However, with all that said, it still was pretty good (aside form the beer soaked shirt, and floor, and west highland terrier). Definitely excited though.

I'm brewing a hefe tomorrow (boulevard wheat clone) and will keg it after 3 weeks as well, I have a pretty busy 3 weeks coming up, so hopefully the current keg will last me through until then, and I can go 30psi for 48 (chilled) and see if that's better. I'm hoping that having cold beer on hand will help improve my patience .