First time CO2 Keg System

[Booyah!]

Hello.

I just joined a few days ago, and I searched for an answer to one of my questions but couldn't find a discussion that quite fit. I am on my 4th brew, 1 week from bottling. I bought this keg system, and I'm hoping to use it next weekend in addition to bottling: https://www.kegsmiths.com/products/8-pint-128-oz-premium-draft-keg-system

The info I've found is a lot on traditional kegging, but this seems different. It came with very minimual instructions, their website doesn't go into using it for home brewing, and I couldn't find anything instructional on YouTube. Can anyone help me with some tips? Do I fill it on bottling day after adding priming sugar just like bottling? In addition to the tap apparatus, it comes with a screw top cap. I was thinking I'd fill it just like the bottles, screw on the cap, and let it sit for a few weeks like the bottles. Then I'd chill it and swap out the cap for the tap system when I want to use it. Does this sound right?

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance for your shared expertice!

 

[Snuffy]

 

[McKnuckle]

Unlike a regular corny keg, this little guy doesn't provide a convenient way to force carbonate. The CO2 connection and regulator are meant for dispensing carbonated beer, not for force carbing. So you have to prime it with sugar using a calculator that considers beer volume, temperature, and desired carbonation level. Treat it as a big bottle.

After racking your finished flat beer on top of the priming sugar, close it up with the assembled tap apparatus. Watch the video on the product page, as it shows you how to do this.

Don't cap it, carbonate, then swap the cap for the tap as you suggested. That's an unnecessary hassle. Once sealed, you don't want to open it again until it's empty.

Once the beer has sat carbing in warm temps for 2 weeks, move it to its cold serving space. It needs to sit in the cold to fully absorb the CO2 and condition. Two weeks of that should be plenty. Finally, attach the CO2 cartridge and adjust the regulator to a minimal setting in order to serve.

 

[Snuffy]

Oh. Well. That's very different then, isn't it?

Yeah, that little keg is intended as just a liquid dispenser. You might be able to dump like 5 or 6 co2 cartridges into it and then roll it around a while and see if that works. I bet somebody has done it. Google it.

 

[McKnuckle]

I'm sure it is possible to force carbonate this small 1 gal. keg with a cartridge. The Tap-A-Draft system had a little more volume, and one 16g cartridge could force carb the beer, so this one should work too. You'll need another cartridge to dispense, and it's going to be a bit fiddly to get the pressure right... so try it both ways and see what you prefer.

 

[Booyah!]

Wow. I'm afraid I've wound up in this advanced class, but I need to find Brewing for Dummies. At this point , I just want to follow directions someone else has blazed. I'm a better following someone else's directions.

 

[Jag75]

Wow. I'm afraid I've wound up in this advanced class, but I need to find Brewing for Dummies. At this point , I just want to follow directions someone else has blazed. I'm a better following someone else's directions.

Do what Mcknuckle said . Add your priming solution to your bottle bucket then rack your beer ontop. Fill up your keg smith and bottles then put on the tap handle serving cap not the little round cap. Keep it somewhere at 70f for a couple weeks then move it to the fridge for a few days before you plan on tapping.

 

[Booyah!]

@Jag75 Okay! I can do that! I love the process of brewing. I used to be more into cooking, but life got too busy. Getting back into this is like cooking but the pay off is so much better than one good meal! The hard part is waiting all the time it takes to ferment only then to find you've done something wrong. Fun and enjoyable, nonetheless!