About to tap my first keg of homebrew...

[_JP_]

I kegged an ale that was supposed to be a Stone AB clone, but way overshot my OG - I think it was around 1.080. 5 gal.

6/26 - racked to keg, primed with 1/3c corn sugar. 78°-80°F ambient.
7/13 - moved to 45°F kegerator (I know I know, not quite 3 weeks, but I was hoping to bottle some from the keg and take home for this weekend).


Questions:

I don't want foam flowing into my regulator (at 12psi) from the keg (>12 psi?). After a day or 2 in the fridge, shouldn't I purge the excess pressure before hooking up the CO2 regulator?

Is it possible to get a few pints bottled tomorrow, or am I pushing it?

 

[malkore]

Yeah, vent the excess pressure, then hookup CO2 and set to 12psi.
Expect the first pours to be yeasty.

IF its carb'd well, crank down PSI to a trickle and fill your travel bottles. My guess is it's decently carbed, hopefully uniformly (it takes a good 48 hours at fridge temp for all the CO2 to fully absorb and stabilize in solution)

 

[_JP_]

Sounds good. I'm planning on bottling at 5psi, and with my .170"ID lines, I shouldn't get much foam.

I'm going to crank the kegerator down to 32° when I get home today, and will draw the first pint tomorrow afternoon. If it's not carb'd right, I'll hook up the regulator and let it sit over the weekend at 12 psi.

 

[EdWort]

I would let it chill for at least another day before venting and hooking up. Just my two cents.

 

[_JP_]

I vented yesterday - barely any pressure. (???)

Hooked up the lines and poured a tall one. Severely undercarbed, but I drank it anyway. I left it sitting on 12psi at 32°F and will try again next week.

 

[beaksnbeer]

I would make sure the keg is sealing. That's why I always hit it with 20-30 psi to set and check for leaks first.....my.02