2 kegs, 1 5lb c02 tank, 1 regulator

[Mike the IIPA]

New to kegging. Hopefully getting away from bottles. I brew only IPA's.
I need some help here understanding what I can do with 2 kegs 1 regulator and one tank.
I do Not want to get a manifold or a dual regulator. But do want to have another keg ready for when 1 is close to empty.

Please Tell me if this, or some form of this example below is possible?

Example:
I envision that I have one keg in fridge carbonated and delicious and sitting at serving temperature and pressure with the CO2 tank hooked up. (this is a for sure)

Then i have a new batch of brew done fermenting and done dry hopping,
I now fill the 2nd keg with the new batch and have to pull off the C02 from 1st keg and fill 2nd keg with 30 psi and purge 3 Times. Then fill 4th time to 30 psi and leave in the fridge for 2 days at 36 degrees, with C02 disconnected as i need to serve keg #1.
but ON keg #2 i must make sure I top it off to 30 psi until it's time to move in to service?
Then purge and pressurized to servicing psi?
-----------
Or would keg #2 be stored at room temperature with 30 psi until it's time to carb it and chill it?

 

[bpgreen]

I generally hit a keg with fairly high pressure to set the lid and purge it, then dial it down to carbonate, but I give it quite a while to carbonate. The beer will absorb more CO2 at lower temperatures, so if your second beer is at room temperature, you'll need to have the pressure higher to carbonate to a given amount than if it's refrigerated.

I've got a spare C02 cylinder, so I use one for the keg (soon to be kegs, since I recently bought a dual tap tower) in the fridge and one for carbonating kegs outside the fridge. I keep this one set to a higher PSI, but it's usually turned off and disconnected. I periodically hook it up to the kegs that are "on deck" to get them pressurized. I've got several kegs, so if it takes a few weeks to carbonate, I'm not concerned.

I think that if I were in your shoes, I'd have the CO2 connected to the keg outside of the kegerator during the day and overnight. I'd switch it to the one in the kegerator as needed to serve.

 

[TheHopfather]

I think the easiest solution to your problem would be to buy a $5 Y-splitter for your regulator so you've got 2 gas lines coming off of it. Once you've got beer in keg #2 you can simply put it in the fridge with keg #1, hook it up to gas and leave it. That is the good old "set and forget" method of carbonation, leave keg #2 hooked up at serving pressure for 2 weeks and it'll be ready to go.

The 30 psi setting is for burst carbing. If you need a beer carbonated in a day or two you can set it to 30 psi, vent pressure and then hook it back up to serving pressure. If you aren't in a big rush I'd just do the set and forget method.

To answer your actual questions - do not maintain 30 psi on keg #2 for much longer than 24 hours. You will end up with an over carbonated beer that pours a lot of foam and not much else. You want to balance your draft system so you can pour a perfect pint with the proper level of carbonation without messing around with CO2 pressure, typically serving pressure is 10 ~ 12 psi.

Note: this is all dependent on you having keg #2 cold in a fridge. Pressures all change the warmer a beer is.

 

[Amadeo38]

Agreed with theHopFather. I have a single line running off my regulator to a T-splitter with lines on each output of the T. Downside is both kegs have to be at same serving pressure, which is an issue for me right now with a milk stout and Gose kegged. One I want to serve at 10psi and another at 14 so I have to compromise and split the difference.

 

[cegan09]

add another vote to the above.

For the burst carbonation to work you need a constant supply of CO2 pressure while it is absorbed into the beer. If you're trying to keep your system in a configuration that it can only ever be hooked to one keg at a time it means your on tap keg won't be able to push while you force carb the second. Adding 30psi to the second keg and then disconnecting will not really work as the pressure will drop as the CO2 is absorbed.

My system makes use of a Y splitter like others have mentioned. brew a new beer, keg, clip into the system on the second line, and then after a week or so of carbing hook that keg to the second tap.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

Not what you asked for, but after about 8 months of fiddling and swapping, I broke down and just bought a two-body primary regulator. It wasn't worth the hassle any more - now I can force-carb and adjust serving pressure independently and without problems. If/when I go from a kegerator to a larger keezer, I would go with a single primary and then a gang secondary with one for each keg.

 

[beerlover77]

I have a dual body reg and triple manifold... I still want more outlets and this is only for a triple tap! lol. Why? at least 2 if not 3 kegs off the manifold, one force carbing or carbing at a different level and one to purge bottles/growlers before filling.

 

[jlinz]

I didn't want to get a manifold either for my two keg setup. I was nervous about putting it together, etc. I went ahead and did it, it was cheap, and it was really easy to put together. Glad I did.

 

[SleepyCreekBrews]

If you've got room in the fridge, why not spend a little bit more on a T-splitter, and keg coupler(s) and be able to carbonate and serve from 2 kegs at the same time?

I can almost guarantee you'll get tired of fiddling around with switching couplers and dealing with under, or over carbonated beer with your present plan.

 

[Carolina_Matt]

One option is to do the quick Force Carb like at the link below. He sets it at 20 psi and only carbs for 15 minutes while rocking it back and forth, and connecting to the 'liquid out' connector. Then after letting it sit for an hour, he sets it to serving psi. I think it still makes sense to get the Y-splitter so that both kegs can have co2 hooked up at the same time, but my co-worker doesn't do that and his beer turns out fine. He just connects it to whichever keg he wants to serve from.

https://biabbrewing.com/kegging-bottling/keg-force-carbonation/

 

[Mike the IIPA]

Wow! Thank you all for your detailed input on this subject. This is good information and I have a few more questions.

Fact:
I have a taprite regulator and it has a built in check valve on the outlet valve.
Questions;
1, If I get a 2 port manifold will it phiscially attach to the regulator and the regulator will support its weight?
or does the manifold have to be mounted to something else?
2, will the 2 port manifold have built in check valves?
3, Will the 2 port manifold be installed where the current outlet valve is now?
4, is the manifold better than a T splitter because i can turn off individual kegs?
5, does the threads of the manifold need Teflon tape?
6, are the threads of a regulator standard issue to accommodate any manifold?
7, do you have any links or item numbers or suggestions of manufacturers of a 2 port manifold that will work with my taprite reg?

Thanks again.

 

[TheHopfather]

1. Mounts to something else - inside wall of kegerator for example.
2. It should.
3. No.
4. The splitter should have cut off valves right on the gas lines (example: https://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/Y_Splitter_with_Shut_Offs_p/y-splitter-3-8.htm).
5. The gas connection to the manifold will be barbed. Push a gas line over the barb and secure with a clamp.
6. The regulator and manifold connect via gas line, they aren't threaded together.
7. What country are you in? US - https://www.homebrewing.org/2--Way-Gas-Manifold_p_6640.html, Canada - https://www.ontariobeerkegs.com/Pro...ributor_Manifold_p/pro-grade-2waymanifold.htm

 

[Mike the IIPA]

Thank you for all your help.
I decided to go the manifold route and it works great as i am on 5th day of carbing and the beer tastes great and is getting close to being proper carb at 12psi.
Scored my 2nd torpedo keg a corney type keg and ready for overlapping the beers in the fridge.
Life is good.
.