Alternate force carbing method?

So far as I know, there are 2 camps when it comes to force carbing: the high-pressure shake, and set-it-and-forget-it. I've tried shaking, but find it very hard to hit the right volume of CO2. And, of course, set-it-and-forget-it takes too long. So here's what I'm thinking.

For any given "volumes" of CO2 and beer temp, there should be a pressure (above the serving pressure) at which you can fill the keg, take it off the gas, then shake till your heart's content with beer that always ends up at the correct carb level at your storage/service pressure. Has anyone made that sort of a table?

gr8shandini said:

For any given "volumes" of CO2 and beer temp, there should be a pressure (above the serving pressure) at which you can fill the keg, take it off the gas, then shake till your heart's content with beer that always ends up at the correct carb level at your storage/service pressure. Has anyone made that sort of a table?

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I have seen some graphs about this. The shaking method causes an initial spike in dissolved CO2 and then it (CO2 levels) undulates over the next day or so until reaching equilibrium. I haven't seen any experiments done as far as predicting where the pressure will be a few days out from the shaking method. I imagine this is because such an experiment would be difficult to quantify due to the variability in shaking procedures. You can definitely predict a range of dissolved CO2.

gr8shandini said:

And, of course, set-it-and-forget-it takes too long.

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Only if you plan poorly.

I think this may be the 3rd thread on this topic in a week. Yes, you could do this "single burst" method but it's not going to be chart based exactly. It has to do with how much beer is in the vessel and how much headspace you have left. That basically sets up the ratio that you'd apply to the regular carb chart. In short, if you have 5 gallons in a 5.5 gallon keg, you'd have to apply 10x the pressure that is on the chart. It comes pretty close to the 130psi max for a corny though unless you stick to under 2.5 volumes and keep the beer under 40F. So, nice and cold, say 38F and hit it with a single shot of 90psi would get you pretty darn close.

Or you could try what I do. I put it on gas after I rack to the keg and pop it into the kegerator at 30 PSI with NO SHAKING for 2 days then switch it over to serving pressure after I bleed the excess gas. Simple, and have never had a overcarbed beer yet.

Why not shake it while on the gas? I routinely use the chart, hook up the gas at set the regulator to the pressure required to achieve the correct carbonation at whatever ambient temperature happens to be that day.

Then I rock it back and forth in my rocking chair while watching tv and usually eating a meal. Around 60 minutes later you will be dead-nuts-on (which is a scientific term). You will know when you hit equilibrium either by listening for gas flow or small amounts of beer may be found in the gas line.

It works, and can be double checked with a tool like this:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/bleeder-valve.html

Coldies said:

Or you could try what I do. I put it on gas after I rack to the keg and pop it into the kegerator at 30 PSI with NO SHAKING for 2 days then switch it over to serving pressure after I bleed the excess gas. Simple, and have never had a overcarbed beer yet.

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Plus one to the above method...this keg shaking method never served me well. Perhaps if one NEEDED a keg carbed NOW, the shake method is OK, but never tastes decent for a few days regardless. Shaking is too much work for me.

tjpfeister said:

Why not shake it while on the gas? I routinely use the chart, hook up the gas at set the regulator to the pressure required to achieve the correct carbonation at whatever ambient temperature happens to be that day.

Then I rock it back and forth in my rocking chair while watching tv and usually eating a meal. Around 60 minutes later you will be dead-nuts-on (which is a scientific term). You will know when you hit equilibrium either by listening for gas flow or small amounts of beer may be found in the gas line.

It works, and can be double checked with a tool like this:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/bleeder-valve.html

Click to expand...

That sounds like a plan. I was worried about getting beer in the lines, but I guess that's what check valves are for.

Bobby, sorry for the repost. I searched, but didn't find what I was looking for. Thanks for the input. I had no idea that the pressures required for the "single burst" method would be so high. Even 90 PSI is higher than I'd like to go in a vessel that's been cycled who knows how many times.

gr8shandini said:

That sounds like a plan. I was worried about getting beer in the lines, but I guess that's what check valves are for.

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Yep, and if it does occur just pull the keg relief valve for a split second while hooked up to CO2 and it will blast that beer right back into the keg were it belongs. (Note that the beer in the line really only forms when the keg is tipped sideways. Tipping the keg sideways increases surface area of the beer and thusly speeds up carbonation. So it's a trade off of sorts.)

Have you guys heard of this method?

- Rack beer to keg.
- Put 30psi in to seal the keg
- bleed said pressure
- put 30psi in the "out" spout so it goes in from the bottom and is forced through the beer.
- Let it sit for 24-36hrs
- Put pressure at serving pressure and serve

My buddy said this works and I wanted to run it by everyone

PDXCoug said:

Have you guys heard of this method?

- Rack beer to keg.
- Put 30psi in to seal the keg
- bleed said pressure
- put 30psi in the "out" spout so it goes in from the bottom and is forced through the beer.
- Let it sit for 24-36hrs
- Put pressure at serving pressure and serve

My buddy said this works and I wanted to run it by everyone

Click to expand...

Putting gas "through more" of the beer doesnt seem to make any noticeable impact on carb level or time in any of my efforts to rush beers ymmv

I used to give all my kegs 30 psi for the first day (I was paranoid about seals) then bump it down to serving pressure, that sped things along but got to be a hassle with my crappy regulator.

Seems like everybody eventually goes to the set and forget method with time

The set it an forget it method works, its just a hassel