Serving with CO2 disconnected

So, I've had a kegerator for years and just started homebrewing this year. In years past i would buy a keg, hook up the CO2, set @ 12-14 psi, drink the beer, disconnect, buy new keg, start over....

Now that I am homebrewing, I've still only got the one tap with a CO2 tank & regulator with only one outlet... so I find myself kegging a beer & hooking up to the CO2 to carb while I still have another beer on tap. Normally I disconnect the beer that is carbing from the CO2 when I'm drinking from the active keg. This time around though I found myself accidentally pulling a few pints one night from the keg with the gas still hooked up to the beer that is carbing. The beer poured fine, good head, didnt pour too slow or anything. I'm now on day 5 or so of drinking from this keg with no gas hooked up & the beer still pouring fine (+/- 10 pints so far). I think the keg is just about empty at this point.

Here's my question; As I drink a keg I imagine the head space fills with CO2 as the volume of beer decreases & at this point that head full of CO2 has been responsible for pouring the beer with the CO2 disconnected. Is this correct? If so, is there any reason not to do this as the beer volume decreases? Seems like I'm making use of CO2 that would otherwise just be sitting there in the keg to get bled off when the keg empties.

As that head space increases and the CO2 comes out of solution to reach equilibrium, the result is ever decreasing carbonation in the beer.

If that doesn't bother you, go for it...

Cheers!

The less beer in the keg, the less of an impact pouring from the keg with the gas disconnected will make.

If you try doing this with a nearly full keg, you will quickly realize in the span of 5 pints or less, that the pour is considerably slower.

This has to do with the equilibrium that day_trippr is talking about.

what day_trippr said.

Do yourself a favor and get a tee for the gas line so you can keep both kegs hooked up to the gas :cross:

boogyman said:

what day_trippr said.

Do yourself a favor and get a tee for the gas line so you can keep both kegs hooked up to the gas :cross:

Click to expand...

Yeah, I've been meaning to get a tee and just havnt got around to it... no good excuse I guess. It'll put me one step closer to just setting up another tap too I'm sure the wife will love that one.....

Thanks for the responses.

relax, have a home brew.