Please confirm the obvious about kegging.

I've searched on this forum and one other without finding this spelled out for me, so I'm asking for confirmation.

If one is kegging the basic outline is:

1. Ferment the wort
2. Put into the keg
3. Carbonate via CO2
4. Chill beer to serving temperature and enjoy

With kegging, no priming sugar is added for the yeast to make carbon dioxide because it's being done artificially via CO2 tank? With bottling, priming sugar is added to provide food energy for the yeast to make the carbon dioxide.

If changing to kegging, I won't need priming sugar, correct?

That is correct. However, if you so desire you can go ahead and use priming sugar as a substitute to force carbing. Both ways work, force carbing is faster but uses more CO2. So the short answer to your question is you are correct you do not NEED priming sugar.

Actually, you want to chill before or as you carbonate. The amount of CO2 that your beer will hold is dependent on the temp.

I don't have the link handy, but there is a spreadsheet floating around that will allow you to calculate the final carb levels based on style, line length, and temp.

Sorry I don't have the link handy.

Enjoy!

Not a spreadsheet, but a nice table here...

http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

Thanks everyone. Looks like I need to gather kegging stuff soon. I only drink at home and only by myself, so I think kegging is the way to go. I can always bottle a six pack or so for new recipes to have my co-worker (and brewmaster at the local brewpub) try some.

Also that chart is wonderful. Thank you for that.

freakshow10mm said:

I only drink at home and only by myself

Click to expand...

They have a program for people that do this...

I don't drink and drive. My wife is pregnant.