Kegging, Pressure/Temp/Time question

jonbrout · 04-30-2009, 12:01 AM

So, I've read all of the articles about carbing, and I understand all the carbing charts (the temp vs pressure ones) yet I still need a few things tied up for me.
Friday will be my first time kegging. It's edworts Pale ale all grain--how exciting, the fermenter samples tasted like the best beer I have ever made. I plan to give all those connections a good test before I set it and forget it. Is it okay to dunk everything in the tub, including the regulator?

Anywho, I will be kegging it around 68 degrees since that's what my basement stays at and I don't quite have a kegarator yet, thus I should use about 28psi for 2 weeks, correct? However, the psi vs temp charts do not specify how long the beer should remain under this pressure.

2 weeks Is what I believe is the correct time, but what about 3 weeks or 4? Would over 2 weeks at ~28psi and 68* start to overcarb the beer? Should you be sure to get it off that 28psi as soon as two weeks rolls around and set it to serving pressure?

Also, will the serving pressure be the same regardless of the temperature?

I'm sure there are other questions, but this is all I can think of now.
Thanks

JesseRC · 04-30-2009, 12:04 AM

Those charts are for serving levels . So if you plan to serve at 68 , well then it would stay at that pressure indefinately. If you cool it down to 38, well then you would look it up in the chart and adjust the pressure. You will not overcarb provided temp and pressure are constant for that level.

jonbrout · 04-30-2009, 12:24 AM

Mmhmm I see. Thanks. So 2 weeks to carb it (28psi @ 68*) and then leave it at that psi until you change the temp of the brew?

JesseRC · 04-30-2009, 12:42 AM

well one caveat, if you decide to serve at 68f and 28 psi , you'll have to have use a really long liquid line to prevent foam and slow the pour, or you can just bleed the keg, reduce psi to like 5 psi and pour. But if you're really just doing this for storage purposes and will eventually be cooling it in a keezer, you'll be fine.

iceman80403 · 04-30-2009, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Is it okay to dunk everything in the tub, including the regulator?

I'm positive you're not supposed to get the regulator wet. I may be misunderstanding what you're saying though.

skatensx · 04-30-2009, 01:27 AM

on that chart, it says german wheat beer - 3.3 - 4.5

to get that combination, i would have to turn the psi to 20+ in the 40-45 degree range. how do others do this? do your turn the temperature down, do you use that high of a psi with longer beer line or do you just set it at 12psi and say its good enough.

JesseRC · 04-30-2009, 01:47 AM

Yeah, if you turn it down to say 38, the pressure requirement goes down. I know lots of folks like to server at 38 and up, I server at 34, but my keezer is outside, and I am in Texas, hell 1 minutes outside and its at serving temp.

If you're asking us what temp do we usually serve at, well most of us who dont have dual reg setups serve between 8-14psi. If you look at that chart you'll get an idea at what level of co2 that can create.

**Bobby_M** · 04-30-2009, 04:57 AM

You pick the carb level you want based on the beer style, Find your beer's temperature and follow it down to the volumes number you wanted. Then find the pressure that lines up. Set the regulator there and wait 2-3 weeks. You can also slosh the keg around every once in a while to speed the process by a few days.

Of course you'll want to reduce the temp of the keg before you pour and when you do that, you want to disconnect the gas. Once you get the temp down, reset your regulator pressure to the new pressure for the same volumes you had before at the new temp. Then you connect the gas again.

Checking for leaks? Soapy water in a spray bottle.

jonbrout · 04-30-2009, 06:09 AM

thanks guys for clarifying