Letting keg sit

Hey guys,
I have a party coming up in about a month and I want to bring a keg which I just finished today, but haven't carbed it or anything. My question is, can I just let it sit around for a couple weeks, or should I throw it in the keggerator on gas for a month? Thanks. Also my regulator is busted and I'm having trouble reading pressures, buy another one or prime with sugar, ideas?

Dan

 

Doesn't sound like you are having much luck. I'd go with priming sugar since you don't have a good idea where your pressure is. Prime it now so that it will be fully carbonated in time.

Here is a useful calculator to help you get the right amount of sugar.

 

At the least, I'd hit it with a burst of co2 and open the release valve on the keg lid while the gas is on so you purge any oxygen in the headspace.

If you have a free gas line, yeah, I'd go ahead and put it at serving temp now, and it'll be perfect in a month. I'd also order a new gauge/regulator ASAP.

 

I posted a bunch of answers to your other post with this question. In short, you'll have to do some systematic troubleshooting to figure out what's wrong with the regulator. Isolate one variable at a time. I'm leaning towards a leak, though, causing all your CO2 to exit the vessel.

I recommend using priming sugar for now. McK's link that he posted is a great resource.

 

I have a packet for priming 5 gallons for bottles, is that equivalent to 5 gallons keg? Also the regulator does regulate how much gas comes out, however I'm getting no reading on the amount in the keg or the pressure.

 

Bottle priming and keg priming are two different animals. I can't explain the physics, but keg priming requires approximately 1/2 the sugar as bottle priming. Use the carbonation calculator in the link I provided to figure out the exact amount you need.

 

Since you are getting no reading on the amount in the CO2 canister, I would be likely to assume that you had a leak, and your tank is empty. Does it feel like it "sloshes" at all?

 

the tank isn't empty. Gas still flows, i just can't tell how much is in it and what the pressure is

 

Don't dick around with a CO2 tank that doesn't have a reliable regulator. You can't serve beer without a decent regulator so I'd replace it immediately.

It's been five days since your initial post so you're already closing in on the window where priming the keg will take too long.

Priming with sugar and moving your keg around isn't a great combo either. Force carb that beer. Chill it as soon as possible to let it clear and serve some nice looking beer at your party.