cool first then charge, or charge then cool

[scottthewelder]

I have everything needed to keg my first lager except experience. I have been bottling beer and wine for years and have had "enough" of beer bottle washing. I just purchased a fridge that can store 2 cornys with the tank of co2. Do I cool the keg after racking before hitting it with co2 or charge it immediately after I rack and then start the cooling process. Do I need to purge the tank and how do I do it?I understand the temp/pressure/volume as described by the posted charts. I just want to correctly get it in the fridge. I work away and the beer has been sitting for 4 weeks now in the carboy and I'll soon be home to get it in the keg, then set up another batch. Also, does it hurt to have the co2 tank stored cool with the keg. Thanks a bunch of beer.

 

[LLBeanJ]

I believe there are lots of way to skin this cat and come up with the same results. Some folks will purge the O2 and then let it cool overnight before putting it on the gas to carb, others like me, will do it while it's still warm.

FWIW, I rack to the keg, hit it with about 20 psi of CO2 to seal the lid, then pull the P-R valve to bleed most of it off. Next, reduce the pressure setting on the regulator to the correct carbing pressure and hit it with CO2 again. Do this a few times. Three or four bleeds is all it takes to purge the O2. Then put the keg in the fridge to cool & carb.

No problem in storing the CO2 tank in the fridge.

 

[copyright1997]

+1. Purge the oxygen by adding co2 and venting a couple times.

My typical routine is to leave the racked beer in a keg under pressure for "awhile" before putting it in my keezer. How long is a function of whether I have space in the keezer. I've been trying to brew lots of batches, so I usually have to wait for a week or two. I keep the new batch in the basement where the temperatures have been in the mid 50's. If the beer calls for dry hopping, I will do the dry hop during this phase. I usually put the batch at 30 psi and then disconnect the co2 and let it sit.

Eventually, I get annoyed that I can't enjoy my new batch and I will bottle the remains of whatever keg(s) are in my keezer to make room for the new batch. Then I put the new keg in the keezer, and let it sit with the desired target psi. As it chills, more co2 will be taken into the solution.

All I can say that the lazier I've gotten (leave batches in the primary longer, leave batches in the keg longer before consuming), the better the beer has gotten. I'm sure there is a limit to this, but going 3 weeks to a month before I can sample the beer has helped, not hurt.

 

[scottthewelder]

Thanks for the replies, trial and error the first couple of times for sure. For my first time does anyone have suggestions whether I should try a 2 week charge at correct pressure or give it an extra shot for 2 days then relieve the pressure to correct psi for the remainder. I will be thirsty and really don't like the beer store prices. Cheers.

 

[copyright1997]

I accidentally over-carbed a beer once doing the shake method. PITA to get it back to the right place. But, doing the 30psi for a day or so and then bringing it back to the the eventual psi works pretty well. Remember, when you are first carbonating it the corny has mostly beer, so there isn't a lot of head space and therefore not all that much co2 to be absorbed into the solution.

 

[brew2enjoy]

I rack to the keg, purge a few times and set the pressure to 30 psi. Then I set the warm keg in the fridge and keep it at that pressure for about 24 hours, then purge and lower the pressure to about 12 psi. My beers are usually perfect a few days later.

 

[Yooper]

I rack to the keg, purge a few times and set the pressure to 30 psi. Then I set the warm keg in the fridge and keep it at that pressure for about 24 hours, then purge and lower the pressure to about 12 psi. My beers are usually perfect a few days later.

That's what I normally do too, when I'm in a hurry!

Since I'm putting the warm keg in the fridge, I usually leave it at 30 psi for 36 hours, and then purge and reset. But 24-36 hours will work and you don't want to go longer than that at 30 psi. After that, I purge and reset it to 12 psi for my system (my kegerator is at 40 degrees).

 

[scottthewelder]

Thanks all. I can see myself picking up another keg soon, I only have 1. More questions to follow I'm sure. If anyone has suggestions for popular kits available, I would like to try some different ones.