Kegging / Carbonation Question

Hey Guys - hopefully a few of you can lend some knowledge. I have read many threads on this board and various others, regarding how to carbonate your brew after kegging (this is my 1st experience with kegging).

After doing a lot of reading, I decided to hook up my tank & regulator, set it around 28 psi and let it rip. I left it like this for 24 hours, agitated the keg whenever I was around it and let it be.

After the 24 hours, I purged the keg, set the psi to about 20, listened for the gas to enter (and then stop) and shook the keg. I repeated this 4 times until the amount of time was minimal regarding the co2 entering the keg. I then purged again, set to keg to approx 10-12 psi (serving pressure) and let it settle for a few hours.

I then drew a pint because I was curious - got a foamy head but the beer seemed a little "young" - not so carbonted where there were bubbles coming up from the bottom. By the way, temperature all this time was 34-38F.

Have I done something wrong? Should I be waiting longer? Should I change pressure? Serving temp for this type of lager is usually above 40, should I raise it? I appreciate any help.

Well, it's way overcarbed. Shaking isn't a great idea in my opinion, but if you're going to shake it, don't do it higher than your serving pressure should be. For a balanced system, 10-12 psi is typical.

By overcarbing it by letting it sit at 28 psi for a while, plus shaking, then setting it at 20 and shaking, you've really overcarbed it.

You can try turning off the gas, and pulling the pressure relief valve a couple of times an hour for the next couple days. It might help. If it doesn't, you may have to repeat the shaking drill, but this time in reverse. Shake the keg, pull the pressure relief valve. Shake the keg, pull the pressure relief valve. Etc, until it's not overcarbed any more.

Next time, don't shake at all. Stick it in the kegerator and set it at 12 psi. Wait 7 days or so, and drink. If you MUST have the beer ready soon, set it at 30 psi for 36 hours, then purge it and set it to 12 psi. It'll be ready about three days sooner with the 30 psi set at the beginning.

hi yooper. just doing my first keg, done loads of bottling! sooooooomuch info out there like your simple advice got a batch of coopers larger finished primery about 4 days ago in no rush to drink shall i just pop it in the keg as you advise for a first atempt

hey yooper, thanks for replying - the thing is it does not taste overcarbed - it actually tastes "young." Pours get a nice head on it, but not very bubbly on the palate when drinking.

I'm lost.

You probably are not overcarbed if you only let it sit for 24 hours at high pressure. I never shake kegs but if I need to carb quickly, I will let it sit for a day or two at a higher pressure (30) then lower to serving pressure around 10-12psi.

You will get best results just putting in the kegger at serving pressure and waiting it out.

If it's truly that cold, it probably is overcarbed. It tastes "young" because it probably is. Purge it as mentioned, find the exact temp of the beer, and the correct carbonation desired for the beer type, set the psi to that number and leave it alone. Time is the only thing that will cure nearly all carbonation problems.

The temperature regulator is set that low, what the "true" temperature of the brew is, is unknown. I'll check it out today. This brew lagered for 2+ months, so I didn't anticipate it being "young." I've had the regulator set at 11 psi since I posted the original thread, increased temp to 40 and haven't touched it. Most of the threads on this forum state that 10-12 psi is good for most types of beer. Others say to use the carb chart. For this specific lager, most charts state, at 40F, use 11 psi to get 2.47 volumes of CO2. I'm gonna give it a few more days and see.

Of course it will taste "young" CO2 doesn't replace the conditioning that the beer needs time to go thru. You can't ferment a beer with even a month in primary, stick it in a keg, shake the crap out of it at whatever pressure and in a day or two expect the beer to be as good as beer that sits on the gas at serving pressure and ages another 2 or 3 weeks.

If you cut corners there will be a effect and not for the good. Just like rushing to bottle beer that has been in primary 5 days. Will it be beer? Yes. Will it be as good as it would have been if primaried longer? Uhhh duh no.

did you read the portion where I stated it lagered for 2+ months?

it's a bit better today after about 5 days at serving pressure - thanks guys, I think another 5 and it'll be set to go.