New to kegging - psi advice (room temp)

[gravityspiral]

So I got a really good deal on a keg setup last weekend, unfortunately I don't have any plans to build my keezer until probably October. No worries there though because a friend of mine is going to lend me his jockey box for the random occasion that I would want to serve out of my keg.

That's not the main issue though: I put a 5 gallon batch into my corny keg on Saturday, set the regulator to 25psi (which is where the pressure chart recommended for the room-temperature of my basement) and let it sit. I've shaken it up a bit every now and then. I noticed though that every day when I come back to check on it, the PSI on the regulator gauge has dropped down to 20-22ish. So I open the regulator up a little more to get it back to 25, listen to the bubbles flowing up (I've got it on the Out end). Next day, same thing. Finally now 4 days later it has equalized at about 24-25 and hasn't gone down anymore.

Is this just a new regulator getting adjusted? Should I not have continued to increase the pressure back to 25 after it went down on it's own?

Bonus points: should I leave it at that same pressure for serving out of the jockey box, assuming the keg will still be around the same room temperature?

 

[Hello]

Aren't you just wasting CO2 by trying to carbonate warm beer?

 

[theck]

I just leave mine at a set pressure (11psi) depending on temp (38 degrees) for 1 to 2 weeks... no shaking or messing with it. Maybe it's trying to adjust after you shake it? Maybe leave it alone for a while and then set the pressure back up.

 

[gravityspiral]

Aren't you just wasting CO2 by trying to carbonate warm beer?

No, because I'm going to be serving it at the same temperature, through a jockey box.

 

[Hello]

Okay got it. I've never used a jockey box but usually I see them and the kegs are on ice. Anyway, it could be adjusting like theck said.

 

[theck]

Oh now that I think about it, wondering if the yeast is adding pressure as well... since your doing it at room temp they might be still active and when you shake it gets them going further?

 

[brokebucket]

The yeast would not be adding pressurejust because they are at room temperature....assuming the beer is fully attenuated.

Sounds to me your regulator is sticky and not maintaining as it should. Nothing to worry about really, this isnt space program stuff we are dealing with.

As far as the bonus question, I am interested to hear a good response for that one. At 25#, I would think you are going to get a glass of foam. That being said, never messed with a jockey box.


Best of luck!

 

[seckert]

As far as the bonus question, I am interested to hear a good response for that one. At 25#, I would think you are going to get a glass of foam. That being said, never messed with a jockey box.


Best of luck!

I think if his lines are long enough 1FT=1 PSI it will be fine, but If he only has 10' lines then he will end up with foam. However if he lowers it to serving PSI (10ish) he is going to loose carbonation due to the temperature difference. Jocky boxes are designed to cool beer that is carbed up for some kind of event/party. Therefore using them for the long term would be a huge PITA in my opinion. However this is all in theory as i have never used a jockey box for longer than 3-4 hours.

 

[hunter_le five]

Never heard of that issue. I've had the regulator dip a few points when I put the tank in my chest freezer due to the temp change, but never sitting at room temperature.

: should I leave it at that same pressure for serving out of the jockey box, assuming the keg will still be around the same room temperature?

Probably going to depend on your line-length, I would imagine. You may have to turn the pressure down to serve if the line length is short and it comes out foamy.

Aren't you just wasting CO2 by trying to carbonate warm beer?

Carbonating warm beer does not require more CO2, just more pressure to get it in solution. 2.4 volumes is 2.4 volumes, regardless of what temp/pressure combo you are using to get there.