Poll: Which Post do you Force Carb With?
- Thread starter RJS
- Start date
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if the keg is pressurized, nothing would be knocked out as there would be no where for it to go. however i do agree with:
"if you don't put pressurize the keg prior to connecting gas to the liquid post, it will actually force some of the residual CO2 out of solution and slow the carb process slightly." (ever so slightly, but yes)
definately not
cheezydemon3
Well-Known Member
For simplicity, safety, forgetfulproof ease...
I jack it up to 53PSI (via the gas side, I don't think it would make a difference though so why mess with it) disconnect gas (and tap for that matter) and let it sit cold for at least 2 days.
Connect 14 PSI any time after the first 48 hours, and it carbs nicely within a few hours.
Start cold of course.
I jack it up to 53PSI (via the gas side, I don't think it would make a difference though so why mess with it) disconnect gas (and tap for that matter) and let it sit cold for at least 2 days.
Connect 14 PSI any time after the first 48 hours, and it carbs nicely within a few hours.
Start cold of course.
JuanMoore
Getting the banned back together
Even under pressure some gas gets knocked out of solution when it's agitated, but like I said, it's minuscule amounts we're talking about. Where does it go? Into the headspace, increasing the headspace pressure ever so slightly. Don't believe me? Take a fully carbed beer that's at equilibrium, remove it from the gas, and connect a pressure gauge (or spunding valve set to something at least a few PSI higher than the headspace pressure). Shake the keg to agitate the beer, and watch as the gas coming out of solution causes the pressure to increase. You could also do this with your CO2 regulator by simply turning off the gas at the tank, but then you'd also have to remove any check valves first so that the regulator would read the pressure difference, and without check valves you'd need to be very careful not to get beer into the regulator through the gas line.
A less conclusive test can be done with 2 soda bottles (if we assume that they both have the same temp and carb level, and therefore the same headspace pressure). Very very slowly crack the cap open on one bottle, stopping as soon as you hear the tiniest hint of a hiss. Pay attention to how much gas escapes. Then shake the second bottle up, and do the same thing. The bottle that was shaken up will have a lot more gas escaping, because the headspace pressure has been increased. If you open the shaken up bottle too suddenly, the additional pressure will try to escape so violently that the pressure differential will cause the soda to foam.
At the end of the day it doesn't really matter though. Any changes in carbonation in either direction from the agitation or from the increased surface area in contact with the gas are miniscule, and likely act to cancel each other out. What I think we can all agree on, is that carbing through the liquid dip-tube without an airstone attached isn't going to carb the beer appreciably faster (or slower).
Spartangreen
Well-Known Member
I use both methods (one of my pin locks doesn't have a relief valve) so I carb from the liquid side so I can relieve a couple of times during force carbing.
Both methods carb the beer up at the same rate.
Both methods carb the beer up at the same rate.
I just talked with a Pro brewer at a local brewpub and he told me he always connects the CO2 to the liquid side 30 PSI for 48 hours and then reattaches it to the gas side and then sets the PSI to serving volume for the particular style. He told me that way the gas goes down the dip tube to the bottom of the keg and gas bubbles float up to top. Never a bad beer!
Very interesting. Thanks for the contribution
wailingguitar
Well-Known Member
Gas post, I have CO2 stones on all my serving kegs.
