Carbonating Beer with CO2 cartridges

[azzan.sandy]

Hello,
I have a 3gal keg and was wondering if it is possible to use 74g co2 cartridge ( as seen in the picture) to carbonate a 3gal batch beer? If it is possible:
1. What are the pros?
2 what are cons?

Thanks in advance for the input.

 

[VikeMan]

It's certainly possible. But it would be expensive in the long run. You'd only get roughly two 3 gallon batches carbonated from each cartridge.

 

[McMullan]

Why not naturally carbonate and use the CO2 bulbs to serve? Even better and a bit cheaper, and still fairly compact, use a sodastream canister?

 

[azzan.sandy]

Why not naturally carbonate and use the CO2 bulbs to serve? Even better and a bit cheaper, and still fairly compact, use a sodastream canister?

The reason for this method is that, I do volunteer work over seas, sometimes in remote areas, and I’m looking for a way to carry a light load and not worry about having to find a place to refill a co2 canister…

 

[IslandLizard]

The reason for this method is that, I do volunteer work over seas, sometimes in remote areas, and I’m looking for a way to carry a light load and not worry about having to find a place to refill a co2 canister…

I'd pre-carbonate and pressurize the beer in the keg, either through natural carbonation or using a larger CO2 tank. Burst carbonate when in a hurry or on a deadline to travel. Dispense with the cartridges on-site.

 

[Beermeister32]

I had this photo up yesterday. To do this, you need to pre-carbonate the keg. I do so using corn sugar. I use a standard regulator and 88-95 gram CO2 cartridges. I have not had much luck with other regulators. Very portable and does not leak CO2. Beer stays carbed for months and months.

 

[azzan.sandy]

It's certainly possible. But it would be expensive in the long run. You'd only get roughly two 3 gallon batches carbonated from

I had this photo up yesterday. To do this, you need to pre-carbonate the keg. I do so using corn sugar. I use a standard regulator and 88-95 gram CO2 cartridges. I have not had much luck with other regulators. Very portable and does not leak CO2. Beer stays carbed for months and months.View attachment 779932

This is exactly a design worth imitating! Thank you for this picture.
1. Why did you have to pre-carbonate the keg first with corn sugar before implementing this set up?
2. What kind/brand is that regulator?

 

[VikeMan]

1. Why did you have to pre-carbonate the keg first with corn sugar before implementing this set up?

He didn't really "have to" (from a physics standpoint), but as previously mentioned, the tiny cartridges are an expensive way to carbonate.

 

[Beermeister32]

He didn't really "have to" (from a physics standpoint), but as previously mentioned, the tiny cartridges are an expensive way to carbonate.

Yep agree. Those cartridges are $10, why waste them in carbonating. Plus natural carbonating uptakes any stray O2. Regulator was a China cheapy I bought on eBay.

 

[IslandLizard]

Those cartridges are $10

Yowsers! And that's for 88-95 grams of CO2, ~9 cents a gram. The smaller cartridges are even more pricey per gram of CO2.

I get my 20# tank filled or swapped for $30. That comes out at ~0.33 cents a gram, 27x less than the large cartridge
So yeah, definitely naturally carbonate or burst carbonate the keg from a large tank.

 

[bracconiere]

huh...what about a siphon tank, and a refillable paint ball tank like this?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3742396491...oeiqCG0mMC17MhCcm0fNvwIg==|tkp:Bk9SR5Ker5XhYA
i think you can add a siphon tube to an existing co2 tank?

 

[IslandLizard]

i think you can add a siphon tube to an existing co2 tank?

Or mount it upside down to dispense liquid CO2 instead of gas.

 

[Beermeister32]

Yep, expensive. Maybe more like $7.50-10. Anyway, They are great for portability when you can't drag a #10 tank around.