I had the bottle priming down to perfection but who wants to clean all of those bottles all the time? So....I started kegging. The first Keg I did the 30 psi "hurry up" method and then put it on 12 psi. It was a cream ale that I did for a friend and it tasted very weird. I don't really like cream ale so I didn't know if it was the taste I didn't like or if something was wrong with the beer or carbonation. So when I did my 2nd keg I did the same method. It tasted good after the first day but then got overcarbed. I realized then that the acidic taste in overcarbing was the taste I tasted in the cream ale. I then bled it off and got it tasting good. So this had me wondering if the cream ale I made was actually good? haha So then on the 3rd and 4th kegs I carbed I had some extra time so I decided to do the set and forget method. They have both carbed at 12 psi for 10 days now and they both appear to be overcarbed! However, they pour fine with no extreme head so now I am confused as to if they might be undercarbed? What is the best way to tell if the beer is under or over carbed? There is a fairly decent head on the beer but very few bubbles in the glass (but its a darker brown ale so you cant really see) but the taste is just not there, I just can't tell which way to go....up or down? Thanks.
Confused about carbonation
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ColoHox
Compulsive Hand Washer
I get the impression that you are probably trying to push it through carbonation too quickly. You are probably just sampling young beer with unstable carbonation.
After a few attempts of the 30psi speed carb, and less than great results, I always do 10-12psi set and forget for a good 2 weeks. That gives the CO2 enough time to get into solution, and be stable.
If you get a large head, but nearly flat beer, the CO2 is not stable in solution, you need more time. If you pour all head, it is over carbed, obviously. The guidelines listed for carbonation setting are very good. If you are looking for a particular volume of CO2 in solution, say 2.5 vols, you need to set the appropriate psi and give it time to work.
How does it appear over-carbed at 12psi if it pours fine?
After a few attempts of the 30psi speed carb, and less than great results, I always do 10-12psi set and forget for a good 2 weeks. That gives the CO2 enough time to get into solution, and be stable.
If you get a large head, but nearly flat beer, the CO2 is not stable in solution, you need more time. If you pour all head, it is over carbed, obviously. The guidelines listed for carbonation setting are very good. If you are looking for a particular volume of CO2 in solution, say 2.5 vols, you need to set the appropriate psi and give it time to work.
How does it appear over-carbed at 12psi if it pours fine?
I wonder if the reason it seems overcarbed is because the lines are too short? It sounds like that could be the case, if a 12 psi beer at fridge temps seems overcarbed at 10 days.
Many set ups come with 5-6' of line, but I've found that to be inadequate to pour in most kegging setups at 40 degrees and 12 psi. I went to 10' lines, and it's better but if I had it to do over I would start at 12' (1 foot for every 1psi).
Many set ups come with 5-6' of line, but I've found that to be inadequate to pour in most kegging setups at 40 degrees and 12 psi. I went to 10' lines, and it's better but if I had it to do over I would start at 12' (1 foot for every 1psi).
Too much foam does not equal over-carbed. It may be that 12psi is too high for your setup and leading to excess foam.
How long are your lines? I'm running mine at 9-10psi since I've got 5ft lines. I'm considering lengthening to 10ft.
Two weeks at serving pressure works just fine for carbing.
(edit- make that 12ft lines since reading Yooper's post)
How long are your lines? I'm running mine at 9-10psi since I've got 5ft lines. I'm considering lengthening to 10ft.
Two weeks at serving pressure works just fine for carbing.
(edit- make that 12ft lines since reading Yooper's post)
MuddyCreek
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Help us Yooper Kenobi. You're our only hope!
TheSmithsEra
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MuddyCreek
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P.S. This entire problem is solved by having 2 or 3 kegs in your keezer/kegerator. Assuming you aren't a beer-drinking machine, it should take you at least a couple weeks to get through a keg. By then your second keg is carbed and ready. And if you take longer than 2 weeks to kill a keg, well, you have 2 beers you can drink.
Course, then your friends come over and while watching Sharknado you go all binge on it and in the morning discover you not only wasted 2 hours of your life on a movie featuring flying sharks, you also depleted both your kegs and have to wait 2 weeks for your waiting batch to carb up.
Ah... this is where the hidden stash of bottled beer comes in handy... To the BeerCave!
Course, then your friends come over and while watching Sharknado you go all binge on it and in the morning discover you not only wasted 2 hours of your life on a movie featuring flying sharks, you also depleted both your kegs and have to wait 2 weeks for your waiting batch to carb up.
Ah... this is where the hidden stash of bottled beer comes in handy... To the BeerCave!
spaceyaquarius
Well-Known Member
Exact same thing is happening to me. Acidic aftertaste with set it and forget it method. 10 foot long, 3/16" inner diameter lines, 38 F at 12 PSI for 3 full weeks with Belgian Wits. Overcarbing taste with 4 kegs. No overly foamed glasses, nice pour but bad aftertaste.
I'm considering it could be a faulty gauge, could be your problem too. Why not try 7 PSI next time and see what happens?
