MBM30075
Well-Known Member
Two nights ago I kegged an English Bitter. It is my third kegged batch.
For my first two kegs, I force carbed and I was very disappointed with the results. I'm not sure whether it was that I rushed the beer or maybe my setup, but if I have to age the beer anyway, I'd rather natural carb at room temperature and leave my fridge emptier.
Anyway, I used the full 5 oz. of priming (corn) sugar. (Not knowing better at the time).
I have 3 questions:
1. Am I totally screwed since I've heard you're supposed to use 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of priming sugar when kegging? Can I wait for the beer to carb up and then simply release pressure to compensate?
2. How do I know when the keg is carbed? When bottling, I could simply try one of the 50 bottles I'd produced to determine when the batch was ready. Since I want to serve my kegged beer chilled, but I don't want to chill the keg only to find it's not ready and have to warm it up again, how do I know when it's time? Would I simply draw some off at room temp and check the carbonation level?
3. I'm assuming that something like 2.5 to 3 weeks at room temperature is sufficient to carb and condition an English Bitter in a keg. Is that correct?
For my first two kegs, I force carbed and I was very disappointed with the results. I'm not sure whether it was that I rushed the beer or maybe my setup, but if I have to age the beer anyway, I'd rather natural carb at room temperature and leave my fridge emptier.
Anyway, I used the full 5 oz. of priming (corn) sugar. (Not knowing better at the time).
I have 3 questions:
1. Am I totally screwed since I've heard you're supposed to use 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of priming sugar when kegging? Can I wait for the beer to carb up and then simply release pressure to compensate?
2. How do I know when the keg is carbed? When bottling, I could simply try one of the 50 bottles I'd produced to determine when the batch was ready. Since I want to serve my kegged beer chilled, but I don't want to chill the keg only to find it's not ready and have to warm it up again, how do I know when it's time? Would I simply draw some off at room temp and check the carbonation level?
3. I'm assuming that something like 2.5 to 3 weeks at room temperature is sufficient to carb and condition an English Bitter in a keg. Is that correct?