kegging for dummies

Ok I am going to keg my first beer. I've read some good information on this site about kegging and I think I am ready. What I wanted to do with this post is confirm that how I am going to do this is the correct way. I like Edworts carb for a week at serving pressure and I think thats how I am going to do this.

1. Pressure Test Keg- Fill keg halfway with water, connect the gas side ball valve leaving the beer side valve OFF and hit it with 20 pounds. this should tell me that my keg holds pressure.

2. Sanitation. Enough said.

3. Rack Beer, Hook up gas side ball valve, beer side valve still OFF. Turn gas up to 12psi, hit the little valve that purges the oxygen out of the keg a few times.

4. Let sit for 1 week at serving temps, around 39 degrees. After one week hook up beer side ball valve and beer comes out on command. Is this right?

How does that sound? Did I make a error anywhere? Thanks for info.

Josh Brady

Sounds exactly like what I did today, Except I didn't test a new keg, and ended up having to change the lid out before I could get it to seal.

I would squirt some Starsan solution around the lid seal and the pressure relief valve, and the poppets, and inspect for bubbles after attatching the gas. Sometimes those things just don's seat quit right.

Good Luck!

Big 10-4 on the starsan trick....You'll kick yourself if you don't find the leaks.

OH...and warn your SWMBO....the first few nights....with no bottles to count....and it's very cool to just be able to walk over and top off the beer....Ya, You're gonna end up drunk!

well the hefe is kegged, i have a small co2 leak due to using screw on hose clamps, i'll go buy new ones in the morning. I honestly think that I like bottling better but that may change once I get a few kegged beers under my belt.

JBrady,

Bottling better? Hang in there my friend! Give it some time in the keg. Small leak due to the clamps? Hoses should be a tight squeeze on the fittings, In my experience the clamps are only for security and piece of mind.

I have also found that carbing at serving pressure will take upwards of two weeks. I usually crank up the pressure ( 25 +- ) for a day or so in the beginning to jump start the process ( careful here you can over do it ).

Mike

JBrady said:

well the hefe is kegged, i have a small co2 leak due to using screw on hose clamps, i'll go buy new ones in the morning. I honestly think that I like bottling better but that may change once I get a few kegged beers under my belt.

Click to expand...

Man kegging is da bomb. Nothing better than pulling the tap and getting your beer out of it.
One big bottle to maintain with no worries of breaking or skunking. Don't come any better.

wilserbrewer said:

JBrady,

Bottling better? Hang in there my friend! Give it some time in the keg. Small leak due to the clamps? Hoses should be a tight squeeze on the fittings, In my experience the clamps are only for security and piece of mind.

I have also found that carbing at serving pressure will take upwards of two weeks. I usually crank up the pressure ( 25 +- ) for a day or so in the beginning to jump start the process ( careful here you can over do it ).

Mike

Click to expand...

Absolutely correct. If your Barbed Fittings are leaking at serving pressure, they are either damaged, or you are using the wrong size Tube/fitting.

Really? I carb at 12 PSI, @ 40 Deg. F. It takes exactly one week to perfection every time.