A Carbonation Puzzle

Tech211 · 03-12-2009, 01:13 AM

I have not been kegging for very long and there are a few things I still do not understand. For instance, I learned today that when you set a regulator that is sitting in your refrigerator, the pressure can creep up a couple of psi over a few hours until it hits equalibrium. I thought I just had a faulty regulatory. Here's something I still cannot figure out:

What happens if the pressure you carbonate at is different than the pressure you use to serve? For instance, let's say I have a keg of bitter in a fridge set to 45F and set the psi at 9. The beer should get carbed to 2 units. Now say I want to serve at 15 psi. I bleed the pressure and reset to 15 psi. Won't my bitter be carbed in the next few days to an unacceptable 2.5 units? How would I avoid this without disconnecting the gas everyday?

What about the opposite? Lets say I carb at 15 psi and serve at 9 psi. Wouldn't the beer eventually go from 2.5 units to 2?

**GilaMinumBeer** · 03-12-2009, 01:24 AM

Yes. And to avoid the confusion learn about direct draw balancing so that you can set it and forget it.

hopsoda · 03-12-2009, 01:37 AM

I'm new to keging but why would you serve at a different pressure? for a faster pour? ,
according to the charts the desired carbonation volumes - should be reached at the (x) temp at (x) amount of co2 pressure.

I have been following this and i get good carbonation but my beer is all foam from the tap... so i bleed off excess co2 from the keg and it pours perfect?

I think your pouring pressure should be the same as your target volumes of co2 according to the charts.

Here is 1 carbonation chart http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/ForceCarbonation.html

Here is 1 link for the:Direct Draw Draft Beer System

Tech211 · 03-12-2009, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GilaMinumBeer

Yes. And to avoid the confusion learn about direct draw balancing so that you can set it and forget it.

I suppose some part of me was hoping not to have to change the liquid tube length just to serve different types of beer. I guess I have to choose between connecting and disconnecting or getting various lengths of tubing.

hopsoda · 03-12-2009, 02:18 AM

They make quick disconnects for the beer line, I bet you could make a few "whips" at different lengths to change the restriction...

Then you could add or subtract a few feet of line without messing with the shanks and all that.