Adding gas to the ale

[chrisdove93]

Hi, i have barrelled my beer which comes with a CO2 pump.

Do i constantly leave the pump on for gas to go into the beer or near the time when the beer is ready?

tHANKS

 

[JLP]

When you say "barrelled" do you mean keg?

 

[grittanomyces]

Let the yeast finish their work, then once it's "ready" after proper amount of conditioning time, then you chill and carb it.

You can keg it before it's ready, but then it's just acting as a carboy, as you will purge the O2 by venting, then unhooking the CO2 and leaving the keg at room temp to finish conditioning.

As for carbonating, it seems like everyone has their own method (there are methods to force carb and speed up the process), but the easiest is to again vent any O2 out and replace with CO2, keep it hooked up and set it to your desired PSI and give it a week.

For more info, google is your friend. Type "homebrew carbonating cornelius keg" and you'll see that there are many many differing opinions and techniques.

 

[cheezydemon3]

What?

 

[barnaclebob]

I assume you mean regulator and not pump. Basically you look up what pressure you need to set it at for the temperature you will be carbonating at and then leave the pressure on for a week or two. If you shake it at higher pressures you can speed things up but do more research before trying that

 

[chudasama]

Hi guys. I am struggling, I carbonate my beer in a corny keg, I connect the gas to the gas in post on the keg. Turn the gas on and adjust to corrects PSI.

However, I read several places that you should connect the gas in to the liquid out post. I can imagine this is because the gas then would go straight into the liquid and perhaps speed up the process. Anyway, the gas will eventually dissolve into the liquid either way right?

Thanks!

 

[JLP]

Hi guys. I am struggling, I carbonate my beer in a corny keg, I connect the gas to the gas in post on the keg. Turn the gas on and adjust to corrects PSI.

However, I read several places that you should connect the gas in to the liquid out post. I can imagine this is because the gas then would go straight into the liquid and perhaps speed up the process. Anyway, the gas will eventually dissolve into the liquid either way right?

Thanks!

From the sounds of it you kegged your beer, put it in the fridge, and then set the CO2 regulator to your desired serving then let it be? From there you are asking should you leave it, or switch the connections to speed up the carbonation? If this is correct then it will take a few weeks to carbonate. Which is just fine. The majority of us force carbonate in the fridge by attaching the lines correctly, setting the regulator to somewhere around 30 psi, and then waiting for 1 to 2 days before bringing the keg and regulator down to serving pressure. It will still take the beer 1 to 2 weeks to completely adjust to the new conditions, but it is fully carbonated. If I am off base with your question just let me know. I am on a couple hour drive to an Oktoberfest so I can get back to you quickly.

 

[chickypad]

Hi guys. I am struggling, I carbonate my beer in a corny keg, I connect the gas to the gas in post on the keg. Turn the gas on and adjust to corrects PSI.

However, I read several places that you should connect the gas in to the liquid out post. I can imagine this is because the gas then would go straight into the liquid and perhaps speed up the process. Anyway, the gas will eventually dissolve into the liquid either way right?

Thanks!

Correct, you don't need to attach the gas to the liquid post it will carb just fine the regular way. Then you won't need to worry about messing with different disconnects either as the gas and liquid don't fit well on the opposite sides.

BTW next time you might want to just start your own thread. You resurrected a thread I think from someone who is using a pressure barrel, probably from the UK, and doesn't really apply to your question. Looks like the poor OP didn't get an answer.

 

[chudasama]

Thank you for your quick reply. I will start a new thread next time. I'm new to the forum but I love it that there is always an answer I'm here.

JLP, you are almost correct, maybe I misunderstood your reply. Hope the Oktoberfest will please your beer likings!!!

Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of a fridge to my keg yet. So the keg is @ 60 degrees. From the kegerator carbonation chart I chose 2,4 volumes of CO2 as my level, which translates to about 21 psi. So I connected the gas to the correct post and now it's just sitting there.

I have about one week before I want to serve it, is this gonna be carbonated enough? And at serving I was planning to use between 5-10 psi, I'm actually not really serving as I will bottle with a beer gun.

 

[JLP]

It sounds as though you are setting it up for the force carbonation, so you will be good in a week potentially. Just give it a try, and confirm that is where you want it. I would shoot for 5 or so psi to bottle. It can get really foamy if too high!

Thanks, we just arrived. We made it in time for the tapping of the keg!!!

 

[chickypad]

Unfortunately I don't have the luxury of a fridge to my keg yet. So the keg is @ 60 degrees. From the kegerator carbonation chart I chose 2,4 volumes of CO2 as my level, which translates to about 21 psi. So I connected the gas to the correct post and now it's just sitting there.

I have about one week before I want to serve it, is this gonna be carbonated enough? And at serving I was planning to use between 5-10 psi, I'm actually not really serving as I will bottle with a beer gun.

I'd give it a good 2 wks before bottling. At 1 wk I'm often drinking my kegs but I think they do pick up a bit more carbonation in that second week, and you always lose just a little carb to bottling. You may want to cool the keg down on ice before bottling. I've never tried bottling at room temp but I would expect much more foaming, which is exactly what you don't want for preserving carbonation to the bottle. So the steps would be at the 2 wks disconnect the gas but don't purge, put it on ice for a good 24 hrs, then release pressure right before bottling and reset to 4-5 psi for the beer gun.

 

[chudasama]

I see. Well I'll wait as long as needed then. Might try one on a week to check the carbonation levels, if not then let it sit.

I will chill both keg and bottles before bottling. I'm in Norway so outside temp is close to freezing point.

But chickypad, would it help if I increase the psi, will it be ready in less amount of time?

This is an IPA with Amarillo and centennial, should I let the beer sit in the bottle or is it good to go right away?

Drink responsibly JLP!

 

[chickypad]

Yes, carbing at higher pressure than your target equilibrium pressure is known as burst carbing, and can get you there faster. For example people will burst carb for a day at 30 psi at fridge temps, then bring it back down to the usual 12-13 psi equilibrium/serving pressure. The risk you run is overshooting. I have no idea what the regimen would be at room temp. An IPA should be ready to go young if you had a good healthy fermentation.