Different CO2 Volumes With One Regulator

[Kyle]

Hi, I recently got my keezer built with a 2 tap tower and need some advice on running different beer styles with different CO2 volumes. I currently have an ipa and a hefe fermenting right now and plan on kegging them both. I know they have different recommended co2 volumes, but I only have one regulator with a 2 way manifold I got for christmas. I know having a dual regulator would be the way to go, but is there any other recommendations?

Is there a good balance I can set the regulator at so each one would be decent? Or I was thinking if I just naturally carbed the hefe with priming sugar to 3 volumes and set the psi to 12 to get the ipa in range and left it at 12 for serving, would that work? Or would the hefe have foaming problems and lose carbonation?

 

[jmcd105]

If you have a 2 tap tower, I think your best bet would be to go with a two stage regulator then you can run two different pressures. I'm sure you could split the difference for now but thats beyond my knowledge as to how that will turn out. I'm assuming eventually your co2 volumes will equalize even if you use priming sugar to get one higher to start.

You might be able to add another regulator to the existing one you have but its really only going to save you a few bucks in the end.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

You could always carb both to the lower pressure, then when they are both carbed, remove the lower carb beer from the manifold and push the higher pressure to the higher beer.

In the end I assume you are planning to serve them from a common manifold, so you're going to have to compromise at a pressure that works for them both.

I have a dual regulator with 3 gas lines and 2 serving taps. One gas outlet *could* be set for a higher pressure for burst carbing. However, they all are set at 12PSI for both carbing and serving. I consume my beer at such a low pace that I can easily afford to leave a keg on serving pressure for a month to carb and still have 2 kegs for variety.

 

[chickypad]

I've got 8 taps but only one secondary regulator. The secondary I use for low carbed styles and things going on the stout faucet, while I set everything else to 2.6 vols - pale ales, IPAs, lagers, Belgians, wheats, ciders. It's good enough for me.

 

[day_trippr]

There's no good solution to maintaining a ~2.4 volume pale/ipa and a ~3 volume wheat/belgian/whatever on a single regulator.
Go that route and there will be aggravation...

 

[imasickboy]

You can add on a secondary regulator from kegconnection for around $30. That's your best permanent solution.

The suggestion of naturally carbing the hefe is a good one, but over time, I think the pressures will equalize.

 

[day_trippr]

It will, of course. Unless one brews a beer that defies physics

Most secondaries require a minimum pressure differential of 5psi. So, if the primary is set to a useful pressure, the highest the secondary could reliably be set for would be 5psi lower. In this case, that could actually work.

For example, say the beers are dispensed at 40°F. Referencing our favorite carbonation table, if a hefe is going to be held at 3 volumes, the primary would be set to 18 psi, and for the ipa at 2.4 volumes the secondary would be set for 11 psi. That's a 7 psi differential, so it should work fine.

Alternatively, one can simply add a secondary primary regulator, which provides a bit more flexibility...

Cheers!

 

[hinkensj]

I would definitely go with multiple primaries. No worrying about differentials. I have a northern brewer CO2PO on one tank and a single on another. I run three lines into the kegerator and can split one when needed to run up to four kegs.

 

[hinkensj]

If you are running 18 psi for the hefe, you'll need a longer tap line to prevent foaming.

 

[Kyle]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm running 10' 3/16 ID tubing, but have very limited space in the keezer so i dont think adding another primary would work. I'm going to try and set the regulator to get 2.6 vols and end up getting a secondary at some point