kegging question

I have two cornys filled with Octoberfest and American Creme Ale. My beer closet temperature is 65 degrees. What CO2 pressure should I put in the kegs for conditioning? At this time I don't have a fridge for keg conditioning.

You don't need to put any pressure on for conditioning.

I always like to give them a shot of 5 PSI, and vent any air in the headspace. Then I give it another shot at 5 PSI just to seat the lid and everything just right.

If you don't have a fridge for keg conditioning, you might want to consider natural carbonation. 1/3 cup corn sugar with a pint of boiled water into each keg.

I would think with forced carb, you'd have troubles getting the CO2 to dissolve at those 'high' temps.

David, In order to carbonate the beer in my kegs at a room temp of 65 degrees. How many pounds per square inch of CO2 would you put in the kegs. I have a carbonation chart that only goes up to 60 degrees.

Are you plannng on serving it at 65 degrees?

The pressure per temp should be fairly linear. Make a graph with the pressure at 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60 and then just extrapolate the line out for 65 degrees.

not planning to serve at 65......

I think you mean "force carbonate" instead of "keg condition."

Keg/cask conditioning is the process of naturally carbonating your beer by priming it with a fermentable solution and letting residual yeast ferment it in a closed container (keg), thereby dissolving CO2 under pressure.

Force carbonation is simply putting CO2 pressure on a keg full of flat beer. Significantly better results can be achieved by cooling the keg before force carbonating, then agitating the pressurized keg a few times a day (really shake it well). 20-30 psi is usually sufficient for this method.

Since you say you can't chill your keg for force carbonation, I'd recommend naturally carbonating your beer.

To clairify Yuri's point: the 20-30 psi quoted is best for speeding up the force carb process.

You can force carbonate over the course of a week by putting the beer under service pressure (11psi is what my system is balanced for) and letting it sit attached to the gas system for a week.

You can force carb beer at 65 degrees just the same as you can @ 45 degrees. You just have to use more pressure at the higher temp. Don't let people BS you into thinking otherwise.

You do need carbonation in your beer for it to age and condition properly. CO2 changes the PH and adds Carbonic Acid and other compounds to the beer which help it age and mellow.

@ 68 degrees, I use 20 lbs of CO2 which would be @ 2.0 volumes of CO2


Many people want the ability to force carb and then condition at room temp instead of having to take up room in a refridge to condition. The key is to avoid temp fluctuations that will degrade your beer. DO not chill the beer to force carb and then let it get hot sitting in room temp to age.

Whatever temp you are going to age the beer at...let that be the temp that you force carb the beer at.



A rule of thumb for force carbing.....

45 degrees to get 2.0 volumes you will need 9 lbs of co2

The hotter your beer is the more pressure you need and vice-versa.

a 5 degree temp varience requires 2 lbs adjustment to get the same volume of CO2

So to get 2 volumes @ 65 degrees you would need 8 lbs more than at 45 degrees. So that adds up to 17lbs per the shortcut. Which is close to the real 20 lbs.

thanks for all your replys

First time kegger here - when you all say "give it a shot" or hook it up at service pressure" do you mean 1) siphon beer into sanitized corny 2) lock lid in place 3) connect gas in and beer out hoses to approriate poppets then to keg and 4) turn the CO2 valve on place in beer meister then wait a week or so?

I believe my regulator lives somewhere near 5-9 lbs, for the commercial draft ales I serve - I prefer less carbed beer.