3 Minutes @ 30PSI & Shake like mad!

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Brewing Clamper

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As per my LHBS, this is the technique I use to force carbonate my brews... but I seem to have a consistent problem with the first few pulls... well, quite a few. It probably takes a good 3/4 gallon before it starts pouring a nice beer with head, as opposed to a nice head with hardly any beer. So what am I doing wrong? Should I do the 30PSI until it can take no more, then drop it down to 10? If not, how long should I keep it at 30 and how do I drop it slowly? Anyway, thanks.
 
Keep 30 psi on it only as long as you're shaking it. Drop it to 10-ish to serve. It's probably best to let it sit at serving pressure overnight before attempting your first pour, though that's not entirely necessary.
 
omniscientomar said:
As per my LHBS, this is the technique I use to force carbonate my brews... but I seem to have a consistent problem with the first few pulls... well, quite a few. It probably takes a good 3/4 gallon before it starts pouring a nice beer with head, as opposed to a nice head with hardly any beer. So what am I doing wrong? Should I do the 30PSI until it can take no more, then drop it down to 10? If not, how long should I keep it at 30 and how do I drop it slowly? Anyway, thanks.

Wait...you're shaking up beer and wondering why you're getting a lot of foam? Really?
 
Here's how I do my 3 minutes of cardio before I drink beer.

Set pressure to 30# shake like H#&* for 3-5 minutes. Stick in ice or refig with pressure at 20#. When cold enough to drink (30 minutes) lower pressure to 8# and purge the keg until new CO2 can be heard going in. This should get the extra pressure out. Now if beer appears to be over carbonated remove CO2 line shake keg and purge pressure...shake again and purge pressure. Now don't shake the H@$@ out of it just shake enough to help release some CO2. Pour a glass and repeat if needed if not needed hook up CO2 at 8# and get drunk!
 
If I ever use this method I will make sure the beer has been in the fridge long enough to be chilled through. Have the pressure at around 25 to 30 psi.
Then I will shake it for 100 seconds, then wait at least 4 hours then drink.
 
Do yourself a favor and let the keg get cold in the fridge for a day, set your regulator at the pressure you will be serving that particular beer at and forget about it for 3-5 days. At that time it will be perfectly carbonated. This patient method produces consistent, repeatable results every time. It takes more time than the shake the **** out of it method. But if you are in such a hurry, why homebrew in the first place? JMHO.

John
 
just get a diffusion stone and let it carb your beer for you within a few hours to the exact level you want, much easier.
 
I've read that force carbonating at high pressure for <1 day will produce a head but the beer won't hold the CO2 in suspension. This will eventually leave you with flat beer that came out super foamy.

All things I've read say the same thing as every other step of brewing: patience. You're still about 1/7th to 1/10th the wait time as if you'd bottled.
 
Thanks guys... I think I'm done with the shaking thing... I'll just "set it & forget it..." holy crap... I've been staying up too late watching infomercials again....

p.s. So, then in order to use the patient method to carb 4 cornies for a party I would have to add 2 more gas lines to my kegarator just to hold them under pressure... That way I have two beers on tap and two reserves... time to head to my LHBS...
 
omniscientomar said:
Thanks guys... I think I'm done with the shaking thing... I'll just "set it & forget it..." holy crap... I've been staying up too late watching infomercials again....

p.s. So, then in order to use the patient method to carb 4 cornies for a party I would have to add 2 more gas lines to my kegarator just to hold them under pressure... That way I have two beers on tap and two reserves... time to head to my LHBS...

Get a 4-way distributor.
 
yes, a manifold will serve you well, and will allow you to have individual cutoffs and check valves per gas line.
 
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