Can't seem to get keg pressure right for carbonation in beer.

[DJL531]

Looking for advice and recommendations.

I have 3 gallon kegs. I typically brew a 2.5 to 2.75 gallon batch so I get at most 2.5 gallons in the kegs. so...

Ok, I tried the quick carb, pressure and shake method, and I am currently trying the set the CO2 and forget it for 2 weeks method (again). I can't seem to get the fizzy mouthfeel I get from bottle conditioned beers I have made in the past, or the carbonation you get from a commercial brew.

My fridge is about 38-40 degrees and I have the pressure set at 12 or 13 PSI. I mostly make Pale Ale and IPAs. According to the charts I read, this should do it. Recommendations?

I've also been told by the local homebrew shop to have over 4 or 5 feet of hose on my picknic tap. I'm not sure how this would affect the carbonation in my glass. Opinions?

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I've also been told by the local homebrew shop to have over 4 or 5 feet of hose on my picknic tap. I'm not sure how this would affect the carbonation in my glass. Opinions?

The shorter the line the faster your pour. If your pour is too fast it will knock co2 of suspension and result in a mostly glass of foam that will quickly dissipate and leave you with a half glass of flat beer.

 

[balrog]

Is the CO2 always connected to the keg? How is the pour; how much foam head?

 

[DJL531]

The shorter the line the faster your pour. If your pour is too fast it will knock co2 of suspension and result in a mostly glass of foam that will quickly dissipate and leave you with a half glass of flat beer.

I have 2 of those taps and I can shorten one and see if I get better results.

 

[DJL531]

Is the CO2 always connected to the keg? How is the pour; how much foam head?

Not always connected due to room in the fridge. I will connect when pouring and I do tend to get a lot of foam. I've tried experimenting with lower PSI to serve but never seem to be consistent. Next weekend I plan to bring the keg out to the soccer fields and share with the team so I'm trying to get my stuff together.

 

[camonick]

I have 2 of those taps and I can shorten one and see if I get better results.

It’s best to keep the CO2 connected all the time if you can. Shorter lines is going the wrong way. A good rule of thumb for 3/16” liquid lines is about 1 foot of tubing per psi. This slows the pour, reduces foaming and keeps the carbonation in the beer where it belongs.

 

[balrog]

"set and forget" method only works if you have constant 10-12psi on the keg.
Regulator could be a little off, giving you more pressure than you think.
But if you're at 38-40 and want 2.5 vol CO2, 10-12psi is right.
If you release most keg pressure with the PRV, and then pour, applying only enough CO2 pressure from the CO2 tank to barely push the beer out, you will have the least CO2 knocked out during the pour. If it comes out foam then, then you have overcarbed the beer and need to take keg out of kegerator, release all pressure, let it warm up overnight, release more pressure, put it back in kegerator, hook up 6-8psi and try again.

If you want to carb at 10psi without keeping tank connected all the time, you need to hook up the tank and "bump" the keg a few times a day for a week. In short, if beer is at desired serving temp, and CO2 regulator is correct, and you hook up 10psi to the keg, no gas will flow into the keg if it's reached equilibrium. If it takes gas, it's not carbed the way you want it carbed yet.

 

[tracer bullet]

I often do similar sizes in similar kegs. I roll the keg on the floor about 10 minutes at 12 psi until I stop hearing gas go through the regulator. Then it's into the frig and sits on 12 psi after that. It's quite close to perfect for me. If nothing else I'm saying you should be close with your method. Certainly by a week or two.

I run through about 10' of 5mm ID EVAbarrier line. A pint glass pours in something like 20 seconds. Carbonation is perfect and sticks around.

Just for a comparison point if nothing else.

 

[Bobby_M]

Set and Forget takes 2 weeks minimum with the CO2 connected 24/7.
If you get a lot of foam in the pour, you are losing carbonation. The fix for that is LONGER serving lines. You can build picnic lines with 4mm ID EVA barrier tubing and get away with 5.5 feet.

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