DIY Quick Carb

[JCD127]

Put together this quick carb system for a third of the price of The Blichmann one. Works flawlessly and properly carbs my beer in an hour.

 

[Lefou]

So how do you estimate or monitor the pressure level?

 

[Smellyglove]

So how do you estimate or monitor the pressure level?

I'm guessing with a regulator the loose hose attaches to.

 

[Mark Buster]

Haven't seen that before. Does it basically just pump the beer in circulation while injecting CO2? Awesome!

 

[JCD127]

I'm guessing with a regulator the loose hose attaches to.

Regulator!

 

[JCD127]

Haven't seen that before. Does it basically just pump the beer in circulation while injecting CO2? Awesome!

Yup! Cold crash it to temp for beer style. Set the regulator accordingly and let it cycle until it reaches equalization. About 45-1hr. Works perfectly.

 

[JCD127]

So how do you estimate or monitor the pressure level?

I cold crash it to temp based on style and set regulator accordingly to style/carbonation chart and let it go until co2 no longer is flowing. Works perfectly.

 

[Staticsouls]

Nice that looks like a relatively simple diy. Good job

 

[ba-brewer]

Yup! Cold crash it to temp for beer style. Set the regulator accordingly and let it cycle until it reaches equalization. About 45-1hr. Works perfectly.

Do you purging the head space before you start, or is the keg pressurized somehow?
Did you do something to the gas post to get the beer to return below the surface?

 

[JCD127]

Do you purging the head space before you start, or is the keg pressurized somehow?
Did you do something to the gas post to get the beer to return below the surface?

I purge headspace when I cold crash it and again before I start the quick carb. About 20 PSI. The beer is cycled from the “beer out” line and into the “air in” line on the keg. The air tube inside the keg in is only about 1” long so, the beer draws from bottom (beer out)and is deposited on top (air in). No oxygen is in the keg so theres no chance of oxidation.

 

[angry_gopher]

Looks pretty straightforward, what's the specifications on the circulating pump?

 

[Wreck99]

Nice simple DIY solution. Very cool!

 

[JCD127]

Looks pretty straightforward, what's the specifications on the circulating pump?

12V DC, self priming with 35psi pressure switch. 1.1 GPM. Very inexpensive setup.

 

[Jayjay1976]

12V DC, self priming with 35psi pressure switch. 1.1 GPM. Very inexpensive setup.

Link to pump? Amazon? Ebay?

 

[Staticsouls]

Parts list? Are you using a air stone in the T fitting?

 

[JCD127]

Parts list? Are you using a air stone in the T fitting?

2 micron stone. All parts purchased off Amazon.

 

[JCD127]

Link to pump? Amazon? Ebay?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WYMC492/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Jeremy Omnet]

Starting this build myself, got the same pump. What did you use for a power source , having some issues there .

Thanks

 

[ArmOnFire]

If you look at the motor on the pump it states 12VDC at 3.5Amps, found this on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009ZZPOCK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[sensei247]

Put together this quick carb system for a third of the price of The Blichmann one. Works flawlessly and properly carbs my beer in an hour. View attachment 566168

Good stuff! I recently purchased the genuine quick carb. Question for you- is 20psi your standard pressure using your diy device? What temp beer are you carbing?

 

[NGD]

Question: if the level of your beer is below the gas in tube, wouldn't the agitation cause it to foam in the keg or is the pressure in the headspace enough to counteract that? Looks like a sweet setup either way.

 

[sensei247]

Question: if the level of your beer is below the gas in tube, wouldn't the agitation cause it to foam in the keg or is the pressure in the headspace enough to counteract that? Looks like a sweet setup either way.

First time using this today so take my advice as you wish....I think it would be fine. I don’t see how gas in the co2 line would affect this. I have read about other posters burping their kegs however

 

[JAReeves]

Love this idea. I have a carbonation lid, how does this compare? Would they complement each other if used together? Could you take more pictures or draw a diagram for us?

 

[jonofthedead]

Hey sorry to necro this thread but thinking about throwing this together this weekend. Any reason why there needs to be so much excess tubing? Was thinking all the components could fit in a small project box with the ports and switch on the outside to make it very “clean” and to allow it to fit and run inside my fridge to help maintain temp but was worried the actually length of tubing is part of the engineering helping the gas absorb? Any thoughts? Awesome work on this thing!

 

[sensei247]

Hey sorry to necro this thread but thinking about throwing this together this weekend. Any reason why there needs to be so much excess tubing? Was thinking all the components could fit in a small project box with the ports and switch on the outside to make it very “clean” and to allow it to fit and run inside my fridge to help maintain temp but was worried the actually length of tubing is part of the engineering helping the gas absorb? Any thoughts? Awesome work on this thing!

Not sure on excess tubing. I tried to replicate Blichmann's as closely as possible. If I remember correctly I thought there was a reason for 3 ft beer line on the beer out end (after passing through the "T". One thing I would do is to build this with a checkvalve at the gas port. I had a mess after gas reached equilibrium in the keg and beer back flowed into CO2 line (can be easily done by purchasing a check valve integrated ball lock gas port)