Newbie Kegger

[JRHDBrew]

I have recently abandoned bottles for a keg. I have a 3 gallon corny. I set up my own kegerator with a KegCo kit. My fermentation fridge is also now my kegerator. I know. I do 3 gallons at a time and don’t need to pop one keg and immediately have another. Joy of a good friend keep my fridge stocked with beer from the brewery where he is COO. I digress. I have a Pilsner that has been conditioning for 6 weeks. We have company coming. Was thinking Saturday but now, not a bad thing, arriving Wednesday. Before learning of this, I hooked up gas yesterday at 10 psi at 38 degrees. With intent of set and leave it. I am now wondering how long I should force carb this batch. Should I toss it up to 30 psi for 24 hours, or longer, and then bring it back to 10 PSI until Wednesday afternoon? And before cranking down to serving pressure do I bleed the pressure?I’ve watched videos but not really following the best method.

 

[Broken Crow]

That's really short notice for a force-carb... my understanding is that it usually takes 2-3 weeks for most brews unless you do the 'high-pressure shake-it-up thing'. I usually use a QuickCarb unit (because I am impatient), but even with that, though others can drink right away, for me it still takes 2-3 more days before it's properly stable.
Do a search on 'force-carb'ing,.. I've seen this come up a lot so there are a lot of answers and possible solutions, and while I hate to sound 'absolutist', I've personally never seen or heard of a beer just sitting on CO2 and achieving a good consistant carb in such a short space of time with out some more esoteric intervention.

 

[day_trippr]

Assuming the keg is chilled, set the pressure on it to 30 psi for 24 hours. Then dial it down to "chart pressure" (reference our favorite carbonation table) for the rest of its days...

Cheers!

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I am now wondering how long I should force carb this batch.

What did you end up doing? I find that my 2.5 gallon kegs will carbonate to a decent level with the "set and forget" in 5-7 days. If I want to speed up the process I will just boost up to 25 PSI for around 24 hours then set it back to 12 PSI to finish.

 

[JRHDBrew]

I ended up doing 30 PSI for 24 hours and then back to 10PSI. Guests arrive tomorrow so I will pour the first tomorrow evening. Fingers crossed I didn’t over carb with the 30 PSI.

 

[wepeeler]

You can carb up pretty good in a few days. I go 30 PSI 24 hours, 20 PSI 24 hours, then to serving, around 10-12 PSI depending on length of liquid line. Adjust accordingly for pours.

 

[AlexKay]

I set and forget at ~12 psi, and while it's not fully carbonated in two days, it's usually at an enjoyable-to-drink level. Maybe this is faster than some are reporting here because I'm using smaller (1.75 and 3-gallon) kegs? (Surface-area-to-volume ratio will be larger, but I wouldn't have thought that was the limiting factor...)

 

[redrocker652002]

I've done both. I have done the 30psi for a day or two,, then dialed it back. I have done the set and forget at about 12psi too. Both worked out great, and even the set and forget was ready in a few days if I remember correctly. Usually I keg it and set pressure before my work week starts, then, in 3 or 4 days, the first draft comes out. Usually a bit foamy, but that''s ok. If it needs to go a day or two more, so be it. I always have a backup of bottles in my fridge. My plan going forward is to have a batch fermenting every few weeks. If the keg isn't dry, they will go into bottles

 

[BongoYodeler]

You can carb up pretty good in a few days. I go 30 PSI 24 hours, 20 PSI 24 hours, then to serving, around 10-12 PSI depending on length of liquid line. Adjust accordingly for pours.

Same here.

 

[day_trippr]

even the set and forget was ready in a few days if I remember correctly.

You aren't - unless you weren't actually using chart pressure.
Left on its own it takes a bit over 2 weeks at chart pressure for a full 5 gallons in a corny keg to reach equilibrium...

Cheers!

 

[redrocker652002]

You aren't - unless you weren't actually using chart pressure.
Left on its own it takes a bit over 2 weeks at chart pressure for a full 5 gallons in a corny keg to reach equilibrium...

Cheers!

Well thanks for the info. But I can pretty much guarantee that I tapped into it prior to two weeks and it was carbed up. But I appreciate the info. I'll pay closer attention next time.

Sorry to the OP for posting what seems to be erroneous info.

Rock on!!!!

 

[day_trippr]

"Carbed up" is a subjective characterisation and may be off of actual equilibrium by quite a bit.
Also, FG matters wrt time-to-equilibrium, with big beers taking as much as twice as long as lawnmower beers

Cheers!

 

[redrocker652002]

"Carbed up" is a subjective characterisation and may be off of actual equilibrium by quite a bit.
Also, FG matters wrt time-to-equilibrium, with big beers taking as much as twice as long as lawnmower beers

Cheers!

I get it. I'm just a newbie. You are right. I am wrong. Moving on please.

 

[AlexKay]

I get it. I'm just a newbie. You are right. I am wrong. Moving on please.

Let me rephrase. If you're serving beer to company, then you're right, it may well be carbonated to the point that it is enjoyable to drink after a few days -- this is certainly my experience with small kegs. It will probably get a little more carbonated over the next week or two, if you're concerned or interested.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Well thanks for the info. But I can pretty much guarantee that I tapped into it prior to two weeks and it was carbed up. But I appreciate the info. I'll pay closer attention next time.

In my experience, my 2.5 gallon batches are nicely carbonated in 5-7 days and my 5 gallon batches are nicely carbonated in 7-10 days. Usually after a few days they are at a decent level of carbonation that I might pour a full pint. My fridge is around 38F and my regulator reads 12 PSI. The often quoted "2-3 weeks" does not match up with my experience...or yours it seems.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, there's an extensive discussion regarding carbonation techniques here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/keg-force-carbing-methods-illustrated.73328/

Cheers!

 

[redrocker652002]

In my experience, my 2.5 gallon batches are nicely carbonated in 5-7 days and my 5 gallon batches are nicely carbonated in 7-10 days. Usually after a few days they are at a decent level of carbonation that I might pour a full pint. My fridge is around 38F and my regulator reads 12 PSI. The often quoted "2-3 weeks" does not match up with my experience...or yours it seems.

Thank you for saying that. I thought I was doing something wrong, as usual. LOL. Your settings and mine are almost exactly the same. I think my fridge might be a slight bit colder at about 35 to 36, but I cannot remember right now.

 

[redrocker652002]

Let me rephrase. If you're serving beer to company, then you're right, it may well be carbonated to the point that it is enjoyable to drink after a few days -- this is certainly my experience with small kegs. It will probably get a little more carbonated over the next week or two, if you're concerned or interested.

I certainly am. Thank you for that. I have had that happen where I go to pour a glass after a week or two and it seems to have more foam to it. At least the first one does. After that, the next pours seem better. I just thought that was how it was supposed to be. Thank you for the info.