Tapped while conditioning/carbonating?

[FarSide792]

Does it *hurt* to have the faucet/tap hooked up while the beer is conditioning/carbing in the fridge? I didn't really think abt it hooking everything up for the first round of kegging....

 

[JoeyChopps]

How much pressure do u have on the keg?

 

[FarSide792]

ATM, 12psi. I kegged the beer Sat, and put 30psi on it, but unhooked the pressure line and let it sit room temp overnight (not sure my thinking behind that at the time...I blame the damn Skeeter Pee). The next day I put it in the fridge and hooked it up to 11psi. Went down to test it out last night, and it pours just fine, but NO head whatsoever and minimal carbonation....

 

[stratslinger]

Thus far, it hasn't hurt my results any... 12PSI pressure, set-and-forget method, with the keg hooked up to the tap so I can check samples as I go, and my brews have been well carbonated in only 1-2 weeks.

EDIT: Definitely have to wait longer than 3 days for good carbonation. If you want to go the quick route, for one, leave it in the fridge. CO2 dissolves much better in cold liquid. Two, leave it connected and under 30psi for a full day, then purge and step down, rinse and repeat. Hitting it with 30PSI then disconnecting it - even in the cold - will cause just the gas you squeezed into the keg to dissolve, which will not be enough to make any real impact on carbonation levels.

 

[FarSide792]

...with the keg hooked up to the tap so I can check samples as I go...

Exactly...samples FTW.

 

[JoeyChopps]

Yeah at low pressure like under 15 u should be fine but I found that hooking.it up at 30 psi can cause the beverage lines to leak if they don't have worm clamps on the connection points I was really lucky I figured this out when I was still using picnic taps and went to grab a brew out of the other keg and I noticed the one carbonating line had beer in it and was trickling from around the picnic tab where it connects

 

[FarSide792]

Hmm...just came home and tried the beer....it has a few little bubbles (and by little i mean little), but absolutely ZERO head, even if you pour it straight to the bottom of the glass. I know it's only been 3 days, but shouldn't there be *something* ?

 

[shortyjacobs]

You're fine. It takes a while to get to the level of what you perceive as carbonation.

Also, I've had soda on tap at 35 PSI with no troubles...though hose clamps, or zip ties are a nice bit of insurance.

 

[flabyboy]

Hmm...just came home and tried the beer....it has a few little bubbles (and by little i mean little), but absolutely ZERO head, even if you pour it straight to the bottom of the glass. I know it's only been 3 days, but shouldn't there be *something* ?

Give it 2 weeks 10-12 psi with the sit and forget method. Patience. Brew more beer