I have a chest freezer that I am hooking up to that regulator device to keep beers at a refrigerator temperature, I would like to know what all I need to buy to be able to hook up both ball kegs to 1 co2 tank and 1 regulator but still be able to use all that equipment for just one keg when the other one is empty. I dont plan on drilling any holes for taps, id just like to have the pump taps you see at parties for each keg (I just want to run them both from one co2 tank
general ball keg questions
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lotusworker
Well-Known Member
I have a 4 way manifold and 1 regulator. I typically just set it to 12-14 psi and don't force carb my kegs because I like to age the beer after I keg them.
Whta else would you need to use it for? Are you force carbing a keg while you have the others at serving psi? You would need a dual regulator to do that if you want different pressures.
Whta else would you need to use it for? Are you force carbing a keg while you have the others at serving psi? You would need a dual regulator to do that if you want different pressures.
You don't need the pump with a co2 tank, just picnic taps. You can either use a manifold to get the two kegs hooked up or attach a "y" splitter to the one regulator and have two lines running from it. You will also need a shut off valve on each line so you can close the one that has an empty keg but you really should never have an empty keg
and you want it to a check valve, beer in your regulator is a bad thing
all the best
S_M
Ok so no i dont need to force carbonate, assuming its faster than priming sugar (although it does seem appealing to get it done as fast as possible)
Just trying to penny pinch which is why I was thinking 2 regulators (assuming they arent cheap, im also tryin to do it with as few parts as possible to eliminate room for error)
So from what I can tell so far I need...
1 manifold?
2 lines
2 shut off valves
1 co2 tank
1 regulator
1 y splitter
2 picnic taps
1 check valve?*
*i understand the idea behind this, just never heard of it or where to execute it
-Ethan
p.s. can I use the one regulator to force carbonate 2 kegs with one co2 tank?
Just trying to penny pinch which is why I was thinking 2 regulators (assuming they arent cheap, im also tryin to do it with as few parts as possible to eliminate room for error)
So from what I can tell so far I need...
1 manifold?
2 lines
2 shut off valves
1 co2 tank
1 regulator
1 y splitter
2 picnic taps
1 check valve?*
*i understand the idea behind this, just never heard of it or where to execute it
-Ethan
p.s. can I use the one regulator to force carbonate 2 kegs with one co2 tank?
a lot of the on/off valves are check valves but not all
yes you can use one co2 tank to force carbonate 2 kegs, I use one to do 4 kegs with a 4 way manifold
but they all end up at the same carbonation level , I do 36 hours at 30 psi then purge my kegs and set a 12 psi for a day (at 34 degrees)
then start drinking
all the best
S_M
okay so assuming my check list is complete aside from however many on and off valves (that are also check valves) i need, could one of you fine gentlemen please send me a list of links to some quality products for all those things I listed/need
Tombstone0
Well-Known Member
Really, if you want the quick and dirty cheap way to serve two kegs all you need is the Y splitter a couple worm clamps and some extra tubing on the gas in side. The ball lock quick disconnect won't let any gas flow when it's disconnected. You do have to be careful that you don't over carbonate your beer and cause it to back up into your co2 lines and regulator.
I also want to throw in that force carbonating means carbonating your beer by forcing co2 into solution from a co2 cylinder as opposed to adding sugar of some kind for natural carbonation. So force carbonating includes both the set it and forget it method (setting your keg at serving pressure, around 12 psi or so, and letting it sit for a week or so) and when you attempt to speed up the process by adding extra pressure or agitation. I just wanted to clarify that because some of the earlier responses weren't very clear on the subject.
Also, if you use the quick and dirty suggestion at the top I would recommend against using added pressure and agitation to speed up the carbonation process because that will increase the chances of over carbonating your beer which could cause it to back up into your lines.
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I also want to throw in that force carbonating means carbonating your beer by forcing co2 into solution from a co2 cylinder as opposed to adding sugar of some kind for natural carbonation. So force carbonating includes both the set it and forget it method (setting your keg at serving pressure, around 12 psi or so, and letting it sit for a week or so) and when you attempt to speed up the process by adding extra pressure or agitation. I just wanted to clarify that because some of the earlier responses weren't very clear on the subject.
Also, if you use the quick and dirty suggestion at the top I would recommend against using added pressure and agitation to speed up the carbonation process because that will increase the chances of over carbonating your beer which could cause it to back up into your lines.
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I never thought of using priming sugar to carbonate the batch inside the keg instead of with a co2 tank, I think I'll just start there and get two picnic taps. Is there anything wrong with that? Is is there any benefit of using a co2 tank to carbonate instead?
I guess I just don't understand how all the beer would be expelled out of the keg without the added pressure of a co2 tank
Keg conditioning is simple to do. In fact, I do it w/ ally beers. But, you'll still need a way to chill the keg (CO2 dissolves much more effectively at lower temps) plus you'll still need a CO2 tank, regulator, etc. in order to serve your beer.
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You will need the co2 tank to push the beer out of the keg. You wan't get much if you rely on the carbonation from the priming sugar.
I have a chest feezer with one of those temperature regulator devices to keep the kegs cool, could I just carbonate them with corn sugar and use the pump style taps? or do I need the co2 to cause enough pressure to force the beer out?
I guess the same question applies here. Can I use a pump tap then if the priming sugar wont suffice?
kombat
Well-Known Member
You're going to need the CO2 tank.
First, when you first keg the beer, you'll need to "purge" the oxygen from the headspace of the keg and replace it with CO2 to prevent your beer from oxidizing.
Secondly, you'll need to pressurize the headspace in the keg to ensure the lid holds a firm seal until the yeast produce enough of their own CO2 to carbonate the beer. If you seal the keg up with no pressure initially, the yeast will go to work on the priming sugar, and will start to produce CO2. However, initially the pressure will be very low; so low that it might leak out the seals of the keg if there are any gaps, never actually carbonating the beer. By pressurizing the keg initially with some CO2 from a tank, this "seats" the lid and seals and ensures that any CO2 produced by the yeast consuming the priming sugar remains in the beer, rather than venting out through poorly-seated seals.
Finally, you'll need CO2 to push the beer out the serving lines. You could use a hand pump, but you'd be introducing oxygen into your keg and would oxidize your beer over time. If you plan on drinking the entire keg in one night (like for a party), then that might be good enough. But there's really no good substitute for using CO2 to serve your beer. If cost is an issue, you can use a smaller, paintball-gun-style CO2 tank for serving the beer.
First, when you first keg the beer, you'll need to "purge" the oxygen from the headspace of the keg and replace it with CO2 to prevent your beer from oxidizing.
Secondly, you'll need to pressurize the headspace in the keg to ensure the lid holds a firm seal until the yeast produce enough of their own CO2 to carbonate the beer. If you seal the keg up with no pressure initially, the yeast will go to work on the priming sugar, and will start to produce CO2. However, initially the pressure will be very low; so low that it might leak out the seals of the keg if there are any gaps, never actually carbonating the beer. By pressurizing the keg initially with some CO2 from a tank, this "seats" the lid and seals and ensures that any CO2 produced by the yeast consuming the priming sugar remains in the beer, rather than venting out through poorly-seated seals.
Finally, you'll need CO2 to push the beer out the serving lines. You could use a hand pump, but you'd be introducing oxygen into your keg and would oxidize your beer over time. If you plan on drinking the entire keg in one night (like for a party), then that might be good enough. But there's really no good substitute for using CO2 to serve your beer. If cost is an issue, you can use a smaller, paintball-gun-style CO2 tank for serving the beer.
okay cost be damned. I'll just get the necessities... now could one of you gentlemen maybe direct me to some links on YouTube to ensure that I don't screw anything up my first time setting everything up and purging the oxygen and carbonating, all that good stuff, and maybe some links to all the equipment Ill need for my 2 ball kegs. please and thank you
kombat
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