Best method of running CO2?

[OkanaganMike]

I have recently purchased a single tap kegerator made from a full size fridge -freezer combo. I have 2 kegs but really want to expand to a 4 tap system despite the fact I haven't yet kegged a batch yet. I have a 20#CO2 bottle and a single regulator.

Whats my next move? Should I be looking at a 4 pipe manifold system or a quad regulator set up? I don't want to break the bank and likely will be carbing all my beer the same so wondering if I can just get a second regulator. One dialed for serving pressure to a 4 pipe manifold to the kegs and the other for carbing?

Does that make sense?

 

[day_trippr]

If you already have the cylinder and single reg, I'd get a four port manifold with shut-offs equipped with check-valves.
Something like this.

Until you have four kegs, you can carb a stand-by keg on one of the four drops.
If you feel the need, you could eventually invest in a secondary regulator for the dispensing side, stick a wye in between the two regs, and set your trusty primary to, say, 30psi, if you get the urge to burst-carb a keg on the other leg of the wye...

Cheers!

 

[OkanaganMike]

If you already have the cylinder and single reg, I'd get a four port manifold with shut-offs equipped with check-valves.
Something like this.

Until you have four kegs, you can carb a stand-by keg on one of the four drops.
If you feel the need, you could eventually invest in a secondary regulator for the dispensing side, stick a wye in between the two regs, and set your trusty primary to, say, 30psi, if you get the urge to burst-carb a keg on the other leg of the wye...

Cheers!

Thanks. If I'm carbing a beer and dispensing the other, how can I adjust for the correct pressure without a secondary reg? Would you set the reg to the 30psi for carb'ing and and then eyeball the valve to the serving keg to 5-10psi?

 

[Phischy]

You'd carbonate at serving pressure. This is the set-it-and-forget-it method. It'll take a week to carb up, or faster if you shake the keg while it's connected to gas At serving pressure. This way you won't over carb the keg.

The other method would be to "blast" it. Turn the valve Off to the keg already on tap. Open the valve to the cold (key, beer has to be cold), flat keg, crank PSI to 30. And then shake. You can over carb and there's no set method. After doing this, let the keg sit before tapping or tasting it to see how far along its kegged.

Turn the valve Off to the new keg, then turn the regulator down. As a good practice, always purge a keg via the relief valve before opening the gas manifold valve. This will help I sure if you somehow have an over pressurized keg you don't blow beer back into your gas line. If you do blast a keg, let it sit a bit to settle down, then purge it, turn gas flow on, then taste it.

 

[UndeadFred]

Best method is separate regulators. That is expensive. Otherwise any sort of manifold or even Tee system works okay at one pressure.

 

[iijakii]

I currently only have a single reg and 4-way manifold. Will eventually invest in some secondary regs when I get a larger fridge or freezer, but for now just manipulating the primary works.

What I do when I put a new keg in is turn off the valves to the current kegs and raise the PSI to 40. I let that sit for a day and a half or so and then turn it back down to serving pressure and open up the other manifold ports. Works fine. If I pour a few beers from a keg while doing that I'll just hit it with CO2 for a split second to replace the volume.

 

[OkanaganMike]

Thanks guys! I think I like the set and forget method as I'd like the beer to mature a bit beforehand. That said I've been also talking about green IPA's on a different thread and it seems a lot of guys like to drink it as soon as they can. I think I can wait 2 1/2 - 3weeks though to make sure taste is there.

For the set and forget method, what psi are you running?

Also @ iijakii - hitting it with 40psi for a day or so and back down to serving psi, how much time does this shave off the time to hit "drinking day"?

 

[Moose_MI]

A hose....deffinetly a hose..probably a red one. I know those empty tubes of paper towels look like a good idea but don't...just don't.

 

[iijakii]

Also @ iijakii - hitting it with 40psi for a day or so and back down to serving psi, how much time does this shave off the time to hit "drinking day"?

I usually am drinking on day 3.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

Thanks guys! I think I like the set and forget method as I'd like the beer to mature a bit beforehand. That said I've been also talking about green IPA's on a different thread and it seems a lot of guys like to drink it as soon as they can. I think I can wait 2 1/2 - 3weeks though to make sure taste is there.

For the set and forget method, what psi are you running?

Also @ iijakii - hitting it with 40psi for a day or so and back down to serving psi, how much time does this shave off the time to hit "drinking day"?

Thats usually only because of dry hops to drink it as soon as possible.

Just dont dry hop the keg until you know your almost ready for it. Drop hops in keg in bag and seal it back up!

 

[Double_D]

You'd carbonate at serving pressure. This is the set-it-and-forget-it method. It'll take a week to carb up, or faster if you shake the keg while it's connected to gas At serving pressure. This way you won't over carb the keg.

The other method would be to "blast" it. Turn the valve Off to the keg already on tap. Open the valve to the cold (key, beer has to be cold), flat keg, crank PSI to 30. And then shake. You can over carb and there's no set method. After doing this, let the keg sit before tapping or tasting it to see how far along its kegged.

Turn the valve Off to the new keg, then turn the regulator down. As a good practice, always purge a keg via the relief valve before opening the gas manifold valve. This will help I sure if you somehow have an over pressurized keg you don't blow beer back into your gas line. If you do blast a keg, let it sit a bit to settle down, then purge it, turn gas flow on, then taste it.

First, Shaking or rolling the keg is a lot of work for a little return.

Second, the beer doesn't have to be cold. Co2 is more soluble at colder temperatures. It carbs faster if it's cold that's it. If the beer had to be cold to carbonate then bottle conditioning wouldn't work. It would take days to over carbonate with the high pressure method. There is a set method and it's 24-36 hours at 30 - 40psi. There's a variance it time/pressure because everybody uses a different working pressure on different temp beer as dictated by personal preference. I keg after crash cooling sometimes, other beers go straight from fermenter to force carbonation in my keezer.

Third, you can only blow liquid back into your gas line if you have overfilled your keg. Releasing pressure is a good idea, but it's not something mandatory. Your regulators will equalize pressure to where you set them. Meaning they release excess pressure inside after using the high pressure method or maintain pressure for the set and forget method.

FWIW, I've been using high pressure for years. The carbonation isn't ever quite where it should be, it just gets you there days faster then the set and forget.

 

[Sailingeric]

I got a 4 regulator Taprite set up. Got it on sale for $110 and has worked like a charm. I can run different styles of beer or have a keg or two turned up to carb quicker

 

[OkanaganMike]

I got a 4 regulator Taprite set up. Got it on sale for $110 and has worked like a charm. I can run different styles of beer or have a keg or two turned up to carb quicker

That seems like a deal and half. I'd definitly go that way but cheapest I can find in Canada is over $240 plus. Thinking of going the manifold way first after hitting Princess auto to see what they have. I can get a 4port manifold from my LHBS for $50 which in itself aint so bad.