Kegging Questions

I don't know anything about Kegging besides what I have read here:
http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/Kegging101-1.html

I won't be able to set up a tap for a while so for now I will have to bottle my brew but I do want to force carbonate so what would be a easy and cheap way to do this? Could I carbonate a keg with a CO2 injector insted of getting a larger CO2 tank and then use a picnic tap to fill the bottels? Am I missing something?

Also anything else worth mentioning that the article didn't say would be helpful.

Feel free to recomend equipment that would do a good job.

Sorry for being such a n00b.

Well, it IS possible to do it that way, but man is it going to be a pain and expensive. I feel that you are better off watching Craigslist and ebay for a good deal on at least a 5# co2 tank. You should be able to find one for under 50 if you are patient.

That is a good article, but if you don't mind me asking, why are you wanting to force carb and bottle? To truly force carb, you need to leave the beer hooked up to the gas for about 7-10 days. At that point, you are going to lose a percentage of your carbonation to the transfer to bottle. I am afraid that it sounds like a good idea but you will be sorely disappointed.

Hmmm.... I see.

I like my stuff sweeter(I make wine and cider) and I haven't been able to get it to where I like it yet. My thought was kill the yeast, sweeten, then force carb it.

you could add lactose - it's an unfermentable sugar. That seems easier unless you're lactose intolerant.

That might be the way to go. How does lactose compare to sugar?

There are plenty of great ways to sweeten without killing yeast. Lactose as stated above, or the use of any number of specialty grains (don't know if you are extract, PM or AG) If you are AG, then try raising your mash temp a few degrees.

Drunkensatyr said:

(don't know if you are extract, PM or AG) If you are AG, then try raising your mash temp a few degrees.

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Sorry I don't know what all this means.

Chibeast said:

That might be the way to go. How does lactose compare to sugar?

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Lactose is a sugar. By taste, it's very similar to table sugar.

Chibeast said:

Sorry I don't know what all this means.

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Extract is either dried powdered malts or liquid syrup malts. PM is Partial Mash and AG is All Grain. I will assume that means you are using extracts. What kind of recipes have you been using? Lactose is a great way to increase the sweetness, but I personally (not stepping on any toes I promise) prefer the use of additional "Steeping Grains" to increase sweetness. It seems to add more overall flavor and some elements to your brew that you cannot achieve from just adding lactose.

I don't make beer, mostly because I've never had a beer that I thought was great. This post is for my cider. I've been useing Apple juice.

ROFL.. That makes a HUGE difference. Yes use either lactose or sweet n low. For more specifics, you might want to post in the cider forum also. I have added about 1/2 cup of sweet n low to cider, but then it had the nutrasweet taste.....so......

Actually my fav is to use Splenda, it tastes just like regular sugar without that sweet and low aftertaste. I like one cup added to 5 gallons of cider.