Ideal ForceCarb Suggestions?

So, I've done some research... here's my plans. I wanted to see what you all thought.

First time doing this...

I'll have my future-keezer chest freezer in by tomorrow, complete with Johnson controller. I plan to set this @ about 38degF.

I have 3 brews in secondary I plan on getting into kegs tonight.
Oatmeal/Vanilla Stout, Newcastle Clone, Pumpkin Ale.

I want to cold crash all of these for a day in the freezer, getting them down to freezer temp. (any optimal practice/assumption that one can use to get in-keg brew temp?)

Then, time to gas up.

Assuming my 38degF chest is making 40degF beer in the kegs, I'll gas up as follows:
Oatmeal Vanilla Stout = Put it on 7psi for about a week, should put me around 2.0-2.1.
Pumpkin Ale = Put it on 12psi for about a week, should get me to 2.47.
Newcastle Clone = Still looking for optimal carb levels for this thing...

Thoughts?

It's probably worth reading this thread and checking out the tables and whatnot.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/keg-force-carbing-methods-illustrated-73328/

At any rate, you're not going to be able to accomplish varying levels of carbonation in the different beers unless you have multiple regulators.

Eventually, all of your carb'ed beer will be connected to one CO2 tank with one regulator set to one pressure. Carbonation levels will all balance out in all of the beers based on the pressure you ultimately set.

EDIT: the main thing to take away from the Force Carb Illustrated thread is that after 1 week, you will not be at the level of carbonation you want (you're barely over half-way at that point). You will need to wait about 2.5 weeks to get there.

There is a dead link in that thread to a carb chart, but luckily I had it saved on my own PC:

Good man.

I saw that thread, and I'm aware of the carb levels. I have a dual-regulator manifold, so 2 zones of carb isnt a problem...

2.5 weeks, eh... Even if we take it out and shake it up on gas every once in a while? I'd think in a week it should be good for service I'd think...

BillyVegas said:

2.5 weeks, eh... Even if we take it out and shake it up on gas every once in a while? I'd think in a week it should be good for service I'd think...

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Shaking might help. I am the "set it and forget it" type on my CO2 and one week is not enough to get the levels to where they need to be.

Trying to get these batches prime for Super Bowl... Time isn't on my side.

I'll give it a shot with the shake... still gotta figure out ideal carb levels for Newcastle draft...

all i can say is that 1 week is not gonna be enough to judge you carbonation on those styles. So if you aren't satisfied after a week, just know that its not really fully carbed yet. Plus at 7psi that stout will feel uncarbed. For some reason all my stouts take a while to carbonate and get the right mouthfeel. My only suggestion is patience.

I'm confused why you think a 38° fridge will mkae a 40°beer and not a 38° beer

I expect the stout to take its time... but if I can crank that Newcastle batch up and crank out a decent amount... I'd like to.

IrregularPulse said:

I'm confused why you think a 38° fridge will mkae a 40°beer and not a 38° beer

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Brilliant post.

I just assumed there would be a variance between the chamber temp and the beer temp itself... thats all. Accounted for 2 deg.

If this isn't the case...sweet.

BillyVegas said:

Trying to get these batches prime for Super Bowl... Time isn't on my side.

Click to expand...

Good luck with that. Every time I have tried to rush a beer through carbonation it has turned out badly for me.

The first time I tried to rush it, I neglected to unhook the gas before shaking the keg and ended up with beer going back up my gas line toward the regulator.

I never made that mistake again, but the shaking never seemed to speed it up too much and the use of higher pressure CO2 for a few days have always left me overcarbed in the end.

The only "Boost" I'd do is the shake. I wouldn't try to overcarb with higher pressure.

This all seems faster to me regardless, considering my last carbs were @ room temp.