Do most people force carb or set it to serving PSI and let it carb normally?

Just wondering what everyone does -force carb or let it carb naturally?

Thanks!

I use either depending on the beer.

Why isn't there an option for both? I usually let it sit and carb but some times I am in a hurrry. The set and forget method is foolproof and just takes more time. The burst carbing sometimes overcarbs and can cause problems if you don't know what you are doing (And sometimes even then.)

Set it and forget it. I'm lucky that I'm in a situataion where I have way more beer on hand and in the pipeline then I need. So, no rush.

I'm getting better at waiting...that was always my hang-up. I'd want to rush to drink...

Remember that BOTH are force carbing, so I didn't answer. Anytime you "force" co2 into a beer, it's force carbing whether it's burst carbed (the shake or start with a high psi) or force carbing at a set pressure.

"Natural" carbing would be using priming sugar or another fermentable when kegging so that the carbing is done without co2.

I've done all three.

It's really hard to set and forget when the pipeline isn't well established. I dropped a case of bottles on Monday night as I was trying to put them in the garage fridge. This has left me with a sixer of homebrew and a couple craft beers and a flat keg still waiting to carb up. I have had the keg at 20psi since Sunday night and still haven't got enough carbonation to make it drinkable (39 degrees F).

I hate waiting for beer and almost hate to buy craft brews. My fermentation chamber is only big enough for two carboys so the pipeline isn't building as fast I as I would like.

I'm in the same boat as Yooper. My current setup has a 4 way manifold off of one regulator. I'm not gonna monkey with my regulator pressure in that situation. I have a second tank lent out right now. When I get it back I may consider a second regulator and keep it set at 40-60psi to seat lids and give the keg a good tight headspace if it has to wait to go in the fridge.

Yooper said:

"Natural" carbing would be using priming sugar or another fermentable when kegging so that the carbing is done without co2.

I've done all three.

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Do you get much sludge in the bottom of keg carbing naturally? I usually force carb, but with the new 10 gal system, I 'm starting to ramp up my pipeline and I'll have the time to let kegs carb naturally in the storeroom while waiting for an open tap.

Fly_Rodder said:

Do you get much sludge in the bottom of keg carbing naturally? I usually force carb, but with the new 10 gal system, I 'm starting to ramp up my pipeline and I'll have the time to let kegs carb naturally in the storeroom while waiting for an open tap.

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Nope, no more sludge than with force carbing. I use 2 ounces (by weight) of corn sugar and leave it at room temperature for a couple of weeks. It works great! I don't do it quite as often lately because I'm brewing "quicker" beers like IPAs and APAs that I'm drinking by day 20 or so. But for my oatmeal stout that takes longer to really come together, it's a great technique!

So, if I wanted to just put the beer on CO2 at 40F - what PSI should I put it to?

The beer is a scottish ale.

I do 30psi for 48 hours then set to what ever I want to serve it at for another 48 hours or so and by then it's perfect.

knotquiteawake said:

I do 30psi for 48 hours then set to what ever I want to serve it at for another 48 hours or so and by then it's perfect.

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I do similar to this, 30 psi for 1 day, then reduce it to serving pressure. In the end it only knocks off two or three days of carb time, but for some reason I keep doing it...

Serving pressure would be about 10 PSI?

scottvin said:

So, if I wanted to just put the beer on CO2 at 40F - what PSI should I put it to?

The beer is a scottish ale.

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10 psi.

10-12ish is what I use. I think it depends on the hose length as well.

The hose I purchased is 10 feet.

Oh... Well... I don't actually KNOW the EXACT correlation... Just that it DOES have an effect!

scottvin said:

The hose I purchased is 10 feet.

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I would use the full length. Too short = foam. Too long = slow pour. You can always cut it down later. There are line length calculator out there. There are several factors to consider including how much rise from the keg to the faucet.

Disclaimer: I've been kegging for about a month now, maybe two, but as I've got four kegs under my belt, I've read almost every article on force carbing, and I feel I've got the best way to do this.

The temperature and pressure charts are your best friend. People that force carb at super high pressures (30+ psi) are just asking for trouble. Set it at your carbing level and don't go over it.

I take a temperature reading on my keg and then look up my carb volumes to get the psi needed. I set my regulator to that number. I take the keg and set it in its side on the ground with the gas line up. I put a chair in front of it and sit. I put my feet on the keg and rock it back and fourth no more than an 8 inch swing or maybe 45 degrees of rotation forward and then 45 degrees back. Listen to your gas regulator, it'll tell you when you're done and no more co2 can.be absorbed into your keg. The gas will flow slowly as you rock and when done (about 10-15 minutes later) the regulator will be quiet as a mouse. I have a gas flow meter attached after my secondary regulator so when the ball drops to 0, I know I'm done.

The temp/pressure charts are nothing more than liquid physics charts for gas solubility. If you stick to them, you'll never over carb your beer.

The point of this is you dont have to set your pressure at 30psi and shake it to get your result and possibly overcarbing like a lot of people do. I was able to carb my first four beers this way and have come out perfect every time.

divi2323 said:

Disclaimer: I've been kegging for about a month now, maybe two, but as I've got four kegs under my belt, I've read almost every article on force carbing, and I feel I've got the best way to do this.

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Good for you? Everyone has their own best way of doing things and what works great for you isn't necessarily the best method, just what works for you. BTW, two months of kegging and you're an expert? Don't get me wrong, it's great that you're sharing your process, but don't make overtly blanket statements with little fact behind it.

8 kegs in and used the 30psi method every time. Never had an overcarbed beer. Just lucky I guess.

There is a great thread on here somewhere on force carbing charts. I think Bobby_M posted it but I can't for the life of me find it right now. Luck is usually out of the question when successful, repeated results are achieved.

HawksBrewer said:

Good for you? Everyone has their own best way of doing things and what works great for you isn't necessarily the best method, just what works for you. BTW, two months of kegging and you're an expert? Don't get me wrong, it's great that you're sharing your process, but don't make overtly blanket statements with little fact behind it.

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You're right. Gas saturation in a liquid isn't fact. The point I'm making is that its not possible to overcarb using my method.

I concede that claiming its the "best" method is a broad statement and a better choice of word is in order.

As for being an "expert" that's the reason behind my disclaimer. It's a take it as you will, statement. Next time you look at the disclaimer on a pack.of cigarettes that smoking may cause cancer, do you call the company up and say "your product is not healthy, why are you talking at all?!!!". Probably not.

My method works, laws of physics all but prevent overcarbonation, and I'm sharing in a thread which is fairly appropriate. I see no harm other than claiming to be king of earth with a few words.

I set everything to be dealt with on the weekend. I am too busy to mess around on the weekdays. This means all brewing, kegging, and carving are based on Saturdays and sundays.

Set it and forget it works great.
I use the snazzy chart

Yooper said:

Remember that BOTH are force carbing, so I didn't answer. Anytime you "force" co2 into a beer, it's force carbing whether it's burst carbed (the shake or start with a high psi) or force carbing at a set pressure.

"Natural" carbing would be using priming sugar or another fermentable when kegging so that the carbing is done without co2.

I've done all three.

Click to expand...

this