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Scooby_Brew · 04-20-2011, 11:52 AM

So what way to carb beer in a keg is better/ easier/ gives better resolts?

I have been mainly force-carbing in kegs for a few years now, but I'm going to try to prime in kegs more often and see where it takes me. Is there anything special I need to do with my kegs?

Native302 · 04-20-2011, 12:01 PM

Add your priming sugar, attach lid, pressurize with 10-15 psi and remove, set it somewhere for a couple weeks, pull it out and throw the gas on it around 5-8 psi and test it out.

Scooby_Brew · 04-20-2011, 12:46 PM

Why would you need to pressurize the beer before conditioning? The conditioning is going to create prussure in the keg naturaly so why bother with pre-presurizing? Just asking.

BTW, when priming in kegs you need to use about a 1/2 the amount of sugar you would use for priming in bottles, right? So about 2-2.5 oz. instead of 4-5 oz. correct?

***Yooper*** · 04-20-2011, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooby_Brew

Why would you need to pressurize the beer before conditioning? The conditioning is going to create prussure in the keg naturaly so why bother with pre-presurizing? Just asking.

BTW, when priming in kegs you need to use about a 1/2 the amount of sugar you would use for priming in bottles, right? So about 2-2.5 oz. instead of 4-5 oz. correct?

In case you have a lid that doesn't seal well without a shot of co2. I have to do that, and check for leaks by spraying star-san on it once it has some pressure in it. Some of my lids are "fussy" and need to be seated perfectly or they don't seal. If they don't seal, they don't carb up!

Scooby_Brew · 04-20-2011, 02:22 PM

What about cutting the dip tube? I hear you shuld cut the dip tube by about 1"?

**JuanMoore** · 04-20-2011, 03:46 PM

Better? I don't think either one is better than the other. Easier? Force carbing for sure. Better results? Some say that the carbonation is "smoother" with natural carbonation, and I tend to agree, but the difference is really miniscule.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooby_Brew

What about cutting the dip tube? I hear you shuld cut the dip tube by about 1"?

As long as you don't mind dumping the first one or two yeasty pints, there's no need to mess with the diptube. If you really do mind, I'd suggest gently bending the diptube up a little rather than destroying it.

**woodstone** · 04-20-2011, 07:39 PM

Toss in the keggerator, connect to 12 to 15 psi, tap a pint after 2 weeks...perfect, everytime.

I've not adjusted the pressure on my CO2 tank for years.

Cut the dip tube? And loose a pint! Gasp.

erikpete18 · 04-20-2011, 08:05 PM

I personally force carb, but have considered naturally carbing if I've got a beer I'm planning on aging anyways and don't have a spot open for it in the kegerator. I don't think either is better than the other though. You might get a little more yeast in the naturally carbed one, but cool it down good and that's all gone in the first pint or two. Not sure what CO2 costs near you, but I wouldn't be surprised if the cost of the sugar is less than the cost of the CO2 it would take to force carb it, but I don't wanna have to do the math to figure that out!

PVH · 04-20-2011, 08:21 PM

I think naturally carbing is great for times when I have no open spots in the beer fridge. If I had a second CO2 tank, I'd probably use that to carb the kegs as they wait to go into the fridge, but using priming sugar works just fine for now.

No need to cut the dip tube. If you're patient and let the keg sit long enough for the sediment to compact, you'll just get a little bit in the first pint. Also, if you are letting your beer clear up before kegging and racking carefully, there will be very little sediment, even if you are naturally carbing.

FlipMasterFlash · 04-20-2011, 08:41 PM

I'd agree that naturally carbing is a great way to go when you've got a pipeline of beers. My kegerator only fits 2 kegs but I keep 3 backup kegs filled with beers that then have time to naturally carbonate and condition. Sure I wouldn't have to add the priming sugar and could force carbonate but I like that when a keg kicks I have kegs ready to take its place and can be served as soon as it cools down, no 2 week wait for 'set and forget' and no screwing around with trying to carb faster at high pressures.