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EMPyre · 10-27-2009, 10:21 PM

Just a quick question for those of you naturally carbing your cornies... I've been going over some old threads and everyone seems to talk about bursting with CO2 and then purging. I understand why the burst, to seat the valves and O-Rings, but as far as the pruge goes, is that at total pressure bleed off or is some residual pressure left in the keg? If some is left where are you leaving it at, serving pressure, 10-12 psi?

TIA

**ChshreCat** · 10-27-2009, 10:32 PM

When you close the lid on the keg, you have regular air in the headspace. You want to purge that out. So, you give it a shot of CO2, then pull the relieve valve. Do that a couple times and you're left with mostly CO2 in the headspace. It's to protect against oxidation.

EMPyre · 10-27-2009, 10:46 PM

Thanks, I understand that, and that's what I've done. More specifically, should I hold open the relief valve until the pressure inside the keg is at equilibrium with the outside atmosphere, or after 3 purge cycles should I then leave 10-12 psi inside the keg? The beer has been primed with dextrose and I'd like to naturally carb...

shortyjacobs · 10-28-2009, 01:38 AM

I find it takes more than 12 psi to seal my kegs. I hit them with 30, and that seals them.

I hit my keg with 30 PSI, vent, 30 PSI, vent, 30 PSI, then disconnect the gas. I don't vent the 30 PSI, or else I lose the seal I just made, (at least I lose that seal quite often). The 30 PSI in such a small headspace of a full keg won't adversely affect your carbonation.

EMPyre · 10-28-2009, 03:54 AM

Really? Cause I get a water tight seal with no gas even in the keg. Anyway I found what I was lookng for with this procedure:

Quote:

http://www.ebrew.com/primarynews/intro_keg_system.htm
Priming & Cask Conditioning - Naturally

With this method, after transferring the beer into the keg, add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of corn sugar that has been dissolve in a cup of water by boiling. Adjust the P.S.I. rating to 20 on the regulator and turn on the gas. Check for leaks as previously described. Correct as necessary. When a good seal has been achieved, bleed off the CO2 in the head space by opening the valve on the pressure release lid or removing the gas disconnect and depressing the center of the gas “adapter”. Hit the keg with 20 pounds of pressure again and bleed it off two (2) more times to purge the keg of oxygen.

Disconnect the gas and leave for 10-14 days at room temperature to achieve carbonation. After which the keg should be refrigerated for 2-3 days. Bleed off the head space pressure. Adjust the regulator pressure to 6-12 P.S.I. (the normal dispensing pressure) and draw off 3-4 ounces of beer. This first draw will contain mostly sediment. Pour it out. Draw another glass of 3-4 ounces of beer. Sample this one. If the carbonation is right, you can leave the pressure in the 6-12 range and work it in to your dispensing schedule.

Looks like simply clearing the air in the headspace and then letting the yeasties work on the sugar is the way I want to go...

awarner322 · 12-09-2011, 05:35 PM

What if you have a pin lock corney that doesn't have a release valve?

iijakii · 12-09-2011, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awarner322

What if you have a pin lock corney that doesn't have a release valve?

Disconnect the gas and let out some of the CO2/air from the Gas-in post.

solbes · 12-09-2011, 06:16 PM

Good procedure, that's pretty much what I do. Back to your original question though. You purge the O2 with a few shots and valve releases (3 or 4). But you want some pressure in there before you disconnect. 20 or 30 lbs ought to be enough to keep the seals good. Eventually this small amount of CO2 will absorb into the beer and it will have very little effect on final carbonation.