Adjusting psi after force carbing

[olotti]

So I just kegged a neipa, I’m new to kegging and this is my 4th kegged batch with my 2 tap keezer. So I pressure transferred from carboy to keg and the connected gas to keg and used 20 psi into the out post rocking it gently for 5 min. Disconnected and put into keezer for 4 hrs. Hooked up gas to serving pressure of 10psi and the first pours while tasting good and like there is some carbonation had no head and no little carbonation bubbles. So I cranked the psi up to 20 thinking I’ll push more gas into this while it’s hooked up and see what happens. An hour later there’s now little bubbles streaming up and minor head. So is this just a time thing for the beer to fully carb I was just under the impression again being new that with force carbing that after a few hours the beer would be duly carbed and ready. Side note the last beer I kegged I forced at 30psi and rolled it for 5 min and did the same set at 10psi and it was overcarbonation and it took days of bleeding off and dropping the psi till it came out perfect and lost that force carbing bite to it. So basically I’m asking if I set it 20 for tonight and lower it to 10psi Tomm morning will it carb or do I have the wrong thinking that force carb will yield a perfect pour in a few hours. Sorry long post

 

[grampamark]

A brief force carb will not result in perfectly carbed beer.

You can consult a carbonation chart, find the temperature of your beer, and follow that row to the right until you find your desired level of carbonation (in volumes of C02, say, 2.5). Follow that column to the top of the chart to find the equilibrium pressure. Set your regulator to that pressure and walk away. In about 10 days your beer will be carbonated.

If you want to speed the process up you can set the regulator to 30 psi for 24 hours, then turn off the gas to that keg and let the beer absorb the gas out of the headspace (you should have the gas line connected to the gas in post when you pressurize). In a couple of days, turn the gas back on with the regulator set to the desired equilibrium pressure. The beer won’t be fully carbed, but it will be close. Another couple of days and it will be carbed to the desired level.

So, you can “set and forget” and wait the better part of two weeks or burst carb for a day, wait a few days, and cut that time in half. There really is no instant gratification. As with everything else in brewing, patience is a virtue.

 

[doug293cz]

The safest way to do a super quick carb (a few hours) is to set the pressure based on the chart value for the current beer temp and desired level of carbonation. Then agitate the keg vigorously until you don't hear any more CO2 flowing. Repeat every 10 minutes, or so, until the beer tastes properly carbed. By not using excess pressure, you eliminate the possibility of overcarbing the beer.

To carb in a few days, I apply 30 psi to the chilled beer for 36 hours, with no agitation. Then after 36 hours, I reduce the pressure to the chart value. If you forget to turn the pressure down at the proper time, you can overcarb with this method.

Using excess pressure and agitating is a fundamentally uncontrollable process. You can easily overcarb, as you found out.

Brew on

 

[IslandLizard]

Here's what I've been doing for years. Even as chancy as carbonating right before an event, with great success:

1. First of all, your beer should be cold, say 32-40F to force/burst carbonate.
2. Roll the keg for 7-10' at 30 psi on a towel, no longer. It's rocking rather, between about 60° and -60° with the gas post in top position being 0°.
3. Stop when you can't hear much gas streaming in anymore; hissing stops, the regulator stops groaning.
4. Bleed off the extra pressure and put the keg back in keezer under 10-12 psi. You can tap it right then and it will be a bit too foamy, but manageable. Over the next few hours bleed off a few more times and let it be. Pours are getting better with time. Bleed off when needed. Next day, bleed again, and it's pretty much perfect.

 

[coonmanx]

You might consider priming a keg instead of force carbonation. I do it that way and like the results and I sure get a lot more consistent carbonation. I prime with 5/8 cup of light dry malt extract dissolved in a cup of water and then brought to a boil. Just a suggestion in case you get tired of force carbonation.

Otherwise when I did it my keg had a carbonation stone and I think that helps a lot because it breaks the CO2 up into very tiny bubbles. I would start at 5 psi when the keg was not yet cold. Then after cooling it down i would bump the CO2 up about once every hour by a few psi until I got to about 25 or so. Alternatively you can simply put it on 30 psi for a bit and then wait. But there is a difference in how a keg carbonates when using a stone. Do some Googling....

 

[coonmanx]

Instructions on using a carbonation stone. You can carbonate an entire keg in an hour....

https://www.thebeveragepeople.com/how-to/beer/articles/carbonation-stone-instructions.html

I hope I didn't just accidentally hit "report" instead of edit. LOL.

I have drank beer that was only carbonated for an hour using a stone and it was fine. I believe the guy just cranked it to 30 psi for one hour and we were off and drinking.

 

[Bobby_M]

Carbing a beer fast is varsity level kegging skill and you're still a freshman. It's going to take practice.

 

[gnef]

The method that I have been using for years now, is when the beer is ready to be transferred from the fermenter to the keg, I look at the temperature of the fermenter, and then reference the chart with the volumes and psi. I set the regulator to that pressure, and then put the keg on its side and roll it around for a long while. When I am satisfied, I bring it to the walk-in to cool down, and then check on it a couple days later to see if it needs any additional gas, and that's it.

 

[bracconiere]

Carbing a beer fast is varsity level kegging skill and you're still a freshman. It's going to take practice.

i'd probably do it by weight.....put the keg on a scale and crank it up to 40-50lb's psi, shake, and keep weighing it until it's at my desired carb.....just theoretical though......


edit: now a days, i just wait for my co2 tank to stop losing weight.....