alexeygu

Recipes 

Hello,

I am just starting out to keg and have been reading the forums for advice. However, between the threads and the advice of the local brew shop, I am confused.

The local brew shop says that I can pressurize it, and let it sit for a week, and I should be all set. However, I keep reading on here that after pressurizing at 20-25psi, I should pressurize it constantly at 5-10psi for serving. Which one is true, and why only pressurize at 5-10psi for serving instead of 20-25?

Thanks!

Spunkmeyer

Recipes 

It depends in part how quickly you want to serve; you may want to check out the sticky at the top of this section:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/keg-force-carbing-methods-illustrated-73328/

TheJadedDog

Recipes 

The reason to keep it under pressure is that as you deplete the keg, the CO2 will come out of solution to equalize with the headspace pressure. The reason to keep it under lower pressure for serving it to prevent foam. If you want to be able to set it and forget it, I recommend getting longer lines for serving, the pressure will dissipate as the beer runs through the line and you won't get as much foam.

Also, the pressure you should set it at will vary based on the temp you are keeping the beer at and how much carbonation you want based on the style. There are loads of carbing charts available on the internet if you do a quick search.

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SpanishCastleAle

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IMO, set it to your carbonation pressure appropriate for the style and let if go for at least 4 days.

You can carb it up quicker if you set it at 20-25 or 30 psi...then once it's carbed you reduce the pressure back down to the pressure appropriate for the style. But imo this increases the chance of you having a leak that drains your CO2 tank and it takes some monitoring and it still only 'buys' you a couple of days. Just not worth it...carb at the lower (appropriate-for-style) pressure and be patient...imo.

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Early brewers were primarily women, mostly because it was deemed a woman's job. Mesopotamian men, of some 3,800 years ago, were obviously complete assclowns and had yet to realize the pleasure of brewing beer.- Beer Advocate

Jewrican

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dont forget that the time you use to pressure your kegs has nothing to do with aging your beer properly. I use the set and forget at 12 PSI as it forces me to wait another week or two before drinking it.

I dont force carb at all. I dont want to deal with did i overcarb it or anything like that. Just set it and leave it for 1 week (or a little longer) and enjoy when it is ready.

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Primary:
Secondary: Graff Cider
Kegged 1: - Terrapin Rye Pale Ale Clone (AG) 2: - Apple Bee (Woodchuck Cider Clone) 3: -
Consumed: Jamil's Sweet Stout (extract), Caramel Vanilla Creme Ale (extract, keg), Biermuncher's Black Pearl Porter (extract), Brown Ale (extract), Longhammer IPA clone (Extract), Chocolate Espresso Russian Imperial Stout (Extract),Caramel Vanilla Creme Ale (Extract,bottles), Centennial Blonde (AG), Reindeer Fuel (AG), Banana Cream Ale (extract)

Schlenkerla

Recipes 

I'm like you just started kegging. I carbing my 2nd keg.

I believe the set-it and forget is a good approach. My last two beers taste weird the 1st week its carbed. Somewhere between weeks two and three it starts tasting better.

I have a refridge that cools to about 40'F, a regulator set to 10 psi and a 5' beer line and a party tap. No excessive foaminess, good pour about 4-6 seconds for a 12oz glass. This is Dudes pub ale...



It takes longer to carb, but you have less fussing with the regulator.

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BS Nano-Brewery

Primary: Irish Red Ale, Dead Ringer IPA
2ndary: Red Zinfandel
Drinking: Irish Blonde, House Amber
Next: SNPA Clone, Cali-Common, Another Amber

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Schlenkerla

Recipes 

FYI - http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/simple-keg-carb-question-110514/#post1218278

__________________
Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. - Dale Carnegie

BS Nano-Brewery

Primary: Irish Red Ale, Dead Ringer IPA
2ndary: Red Zinfandel
Drinking: Irish Blonde, House Amber
Next: SNPA Clone, Cali-Common, Another Amber

|Myeast 50327|Easy Hop Oast|

alexeygu

Recipes 

Sounds like I should've just carbonated it at 12psi for a couple weeks. Does that mean I should leave the tank connected for 2 weeks? Or just connected it daily to pressurize?

Also, since I did pressurize it at around 25psi, how do I know if I over-carbonated it?

Jewrican

Recipes 

that depends lol

I was not sure that I didnt have leaks and did not want to wake up to an empty keg so i would just turn it on, pressurize the keg, and turn it off. Not that it is for sure not leaking, you should leave it on because the beer will obsord some CO2 so you need to replace that "lost"co2

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JewRican Brew Works

Primary:
Secondary: Graff Cider
Kegged 1: - Terrapin Rye Pale Ale Clone (AG) 2: - Apple Bee (Woodchuck Cider Clone) 3: -
Consumed: Jamil's Sweet Stout (extract), Caramel Vanilla Creme Ale (extract, keg), Biermuncher's Black Pearl Porter (extract), Brown Ale (extract), Longhammer IPA clone (Extract), Chocolate Espresso Russian Imperial Stout (Extract),Caramel Vanilla Creme Ale (Extract,bottles), Centennial Blonde (AG), Reindeer Fuel (AG), Banana Cream Ale (extract)

SpanishCastleAle

Recipes 

It will foam a lot and just be too fizzy...you'll know. If you overcarbed it you'll just have to reverse the process and keep venting it and then checking it after at least 8 hours (it should take ~8 hours for it to stabilize)...then venting and checking after 8 hrs...rinse and repeat until it's right.

Ideally you'd like to pressurize the keg and keep the pressure on it. Removing the pressure source (but leaving the keg pressurized) each time will slow the process...probably a lot.

Like the guy in Shawshank Redemption said; "Time and pressure."

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Early brewers were primarily women, mostly because it was deemed a woman's job. Mesopotamian men, of some 3,800 years ago, were obviously complete assclowns and had yet to realize the pleasure of brewing beer.- Beer Advocate