Just bought the keg set up!!!!!!!!!!

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God Emporer BillyBrew

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I am super pumped! No more bottle cleaning, or not near as much anyway. I got two cornies, regulator, o rings and the tap and hose to get one of them going for $140. I already had a CO2 tank. I probably paid a bit much for the regulator, but I had a $100 gift certificate from the LHBS.

Anyway, I'm going to put my Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale clone in it tomorrow night. I'm going with the pressurize, shake, pressurize method. How long does that normally take?
How much pressure should I put in it before shaking?
How much pressure should end up in the keg?
My ale has been in the secondary for about 6 weeks, do you think that will make up for the 3 weeks of aging it normally gets while carbing in the bottle?
Any other advice?

Did I say I was pumped!!!!:ban:
 
I only bottled my first batch. Since then it's all been kegged. Kegging rocks! :rockin:

I endorse the set-it-and-leave-it method of setting the regulator. Get the correct psi for your style of beer and temperature where it will be stored and set the regulator. Then rock/shake the keg (I usually set it lengthwise across my lap and grab both ends and shake side to side) for as long as you can stand it. You'll feel the CO2 working its way into the beer (feels like a mild vibration) and hear a rumbling noise. After a couple of minutes, put it down and leave it for 8-12 hours and do it again. After doing this routine twice a day for two to three days, every one I've kegged has been ready to go. Just don't draw a glass within a couple of hours of the last shake.

Oh, and if you didn't already know, pressurize and purge a few times before you start shaking to get all the O2 out from when you filled it.
 
Sweet avatar. I just saw the movie on cable this week after having read the book a couple times. I guess they did a decent job. I wasn't nuts about the whole "love story" angle, but the rest was pretty good.

So is that my only choice? I'll probably have patience later, but I'm fired up to drink out of that bad boy tonight.

Also, how do you get those plastic tubes clean? Should I take them out or just let them soak in sanitizer?
 
Oh yeah, one more question. I bought two kegs but only enough hook up stuff for one of them. Is it OK to switch them back and forth instead of getting the other stuff for a while. I'll upgrade eventually, I'm just broke right now.
 
I really liked the movie. Used to watch the TV series years ago and the modern special effects surely give the movie a leg up. My wife got me a copy of it for my birthday.

I'm sure others will post methods that will get you there faster, but I think even over-pressurizing and shaking still won't have it drinkable before tomorrow. It takes time for the CO2 to be absorbed, even if crank up the psi and shake the crap out of it.

I purchased a hand-held pump to clean the lines. There are special "beer line" cleaners that you can mix with water and add to the pump reservior. It has a fitting that connects to the tap shank (after you remove the tap) and then you just pump it through and let it set for a while. After that, you fill the reservior with water and rinse the line and you're good to go.

I've switched back and forth when I had three kegs in the fridge and only two taps. Just keep a paper towel handy... when you pull the disconnect off, some of the beer will leak out and you'll want to wipe that off so it doesn't harden into a sticky mess.
 
Here's what I did and you can try it. Throw about 40 lbs. on it and shake it. Then grab 2 HB's. Lay the keg on the floor and roll it back and forth with your foot for an hour while drinking your HB. Drop the pressure to 6 lbs and try. Repeat if necessary. I must caution you that this is not what I reccomend because I've found that set and leave is much better, but I feel your pain when it comes to "I've got a keg, must get beer in and drink ASAP!". You can have drinkable beer in about an hour or two. Plus, the high pressure of CO2 seems to chill it down to boot. Good luck and you'll figure out the right way to do it later but for now knock yourself out :rockin:
 
Chill your ale overnight to speed the carbonation process, just don't let it freeze.

I swap party taps around a lot. I don't bother flushing the lines, just run enough ale through to clear the old stuff out. This makes for some interesting combinations, like blackberry cider mocha porter. Most party taps only hold 1/2 oz. or so and I figure I'd lose more flushing the line cleaner out.
 
Yeah, I was wondering about the flavor combos when switching. Who wants to waste that much beer? Kind of gets you out of the Harp/Guiness rut I guess.

Thanks for all of the advice. I did the hit it with 40 lbs and shake, rock and roll the heck out of it. It's got a foamy head this morning(yeah, I had a morning beer, it's my birthday:drunk: ) but I don't feel like the CO2 is really IN the beer yet. Didn't chill because I was too lazy to reorganize the spare fridge last night.

when I cleaned it I put some Iodophor solution in it, after a thorough washing, shook it up good, let it set and then pressurized and ran it through the lines. Then I boiled some water to rinse with, but didn't run it through the lines.

I wonder if I left a bit of solution in there? Especially the intake tube. It doesn't taste exactly like I thought. Just a little off flavor or something, but maybe that's because it's not there with the carbonation yet.
 
Happy old-day. Had one myself a couple weeks back.

I'd say drinking luke warm beer without much carbonation in it would definately affect the taste. The nut brown I kegged last weekend tasted like warm tea when I sampled it during the transfer, but it sure tastes good now that it's been chilled and has bubbles.

If the Iodophor solution was stronger than no-rinse, I'd bet that contributed to the funky flavor. But one draw should have cleared that. Have another and see. Go ahead... it's your birthday after all. :drunk:

I'm not sure, but I don't think the CO2 can equalize overnight. I'd give it until this evening.
 
Thanks, I'm 34. I was thinking it was all downhill after 21, but I just realized that in one more year, I'm old enough to run for president. I'm thinking of running on a beer and guns platform.

I bet you're right the temp and lack of carbonation. Warm tea sounds about right.. I still haven't got off my butt and put it in the fridge, luckily it's cool in the garage.
 
billybrew said:
Thanks, I'm 34. I was thinking it was all downhill after 21, but I just realized that in one more year, I'm old enough to run for president. I'm thinking of running on a beer and guns platform.

BILLY FOR PRESIDENT! You have my vote if you add the legalization of marijuana and dangerous fireworks to the platform. I'm not really a red neck, but I can learn. Maybe I'll try watching NASCAR this weekend. BILLY FOR PRESIDENT!

P.S. "Settle down Frances."
 
Prost! said:
BILLY FOR PRESIDENT! You have my vote if you add the legalization of marijuana and dangerous fireworks to the platform. I'm not really a red neck, but I can learn. Maybe I'll try watching NASCAR this weekend. BILLY FOR PRESIDENT!

P.S. "Settle down Frances."

That would probably bring in the extra votes I need to win. So, you've got a deal.

I've already started fundraising. (my granny gave me $20 for my b-day.)
 
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