Exactly what kegging equipment do I need if I am naturally carbonating my beer?

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sempf

Hellbranch Brewing
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I am making a wheat beer for a conference in January, and I wanted to naturally carb it (add 3/4 cup of corn sugar and leave it for three weeks) in a keg. It just isn't clear to me what equipment I need and don't need.

Clearly I need a keg. Ball lock. That's cool. Clearly I don't need a CO2 bottle. Gonna make that myself. Also cool.

Other than that, can someone type up a list for me?

Thanks!
 
I am making a wheat beer for a conference in January, and I wanted to naturally carb it (add 3/4 cup of corn sugar and leave it for three weeks) in a keg. It just isn't clear to me what equipment I need and don't need.

Clearly I need a keg. Ball lock. That's cool. Clearly I don't need a CO2 bottle. Gonna make that myself. Also cool.

Other than that, can someone type up a list for me?

Thanks!

How are you making a co2 tank? Paintball tank?

Let's see. You'll need a black QD, some beer line, and a picnic tap (cobra tap). For the "in" side, you'll need a way to put the co2 into the keg. There are a couple options. One is a simple "co2 charger" type set up. They are about $20 and you can use them to push the beer.

If you have a co2 tank or something like that, you'll need a regulator, some gas line and a gray QD. That should be it.
 
Well, I didn't think I was making a CO2 tank at all. I was making the CO2 with yeast farts. Like in the bottle. Or do I still need CO2 to push the beer out?
 
Well,
You need something to pop some pressure on the keg when you seal it. You might get lucky but eventually, you'll have one that is hard to seal without the pressure. You'll also need to drive it out of the keg when you serve it. The natural carb. will drive out some, but then it will come out of suspension and you won't be able to get it out of the keg and it will go flat. Least case, I would get one of these:
http://http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart/products/CO2-Keg-Charger.html
That will allow you to seal it as well as serve. You can buy the CO2 that fits this charger at Walmart. You'll need about 5' of vinyl tubing and a picnic tap. A trash can and some ice, and you're good to go.
 
Well, I didn't think I was making a CO2 tank at all. I was making the CO2 with yeast farts. Like in the bottle. Or do I still need CO2 to push the beer out?

Well, charming image there. :D

But, yes. You will have carbonated beer, but no way to force it out of the keg without someway to push it. You could get those co2 chargers (I have a couple) for pushing the beer for $20 or so.

Think of it this way. Picture your keg as a big bottle. You're going to have a beer, so you open the beer. But you don't have arms (co2) so no way to pour it out. So there it sits, in the bottle, fully carbed by no one pouring it into a glass. Because carbonated beer doesn't move itself.

Same thing with the keg. It'll be carbed up. (and 3/4 cup is too much, so it'll be overcarbed, but we can talk about that later). But once the initial co2 in the headspace is gone, the beer will stay in the keg without some co2 to push it out. You'll get a few glasses, but that's it.

Ok, I admit the "no arms" analogy is not my best. But I drink. ;)
 
Well, I didn't think I was making a CO2 tank at all. I was making the CO2 with yeast farts. Like in the bottle. Or do I still need CO2 to push the beer out?

you can def prime in keg but use a lil less prime sugar. You will still need a way to push the beer out like he was saying a 20$ co2 dispencer from your local brew shop. Thos things are GREAT!
 
http://www.kegworks.com/product.php?productid=16548&cat=778&page=1

It is the disconnect that you connect to the beer side, you would attach a hose and picnic tap to the end of that one.

The gas side is a gray disconnect, and if you go with the hand-held co2 charger it screws right on to the fitting instead of having the hose barb on it!

Right! For quick disconnects (QD) remember that black = beer, gray = gas. If you mix them up, you'll never get them off again in your lifetime. Except with a prybar and lots of brute strength. They are not interchangeable.

You'll need a gray QD if you go with the co2 charger, and you'll need a black QD to go with the beerline and picnic faucet.
 

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