Do you need to keep the gas on when carbonating?

[kmind]

Hey all,

New to kegging and am probably asking a stupid question. But, do you need to keep the gas line turned on and connected when carbonating your beer? For instance, if I set the keg to 30psi can I remove the gas line and assume it'll stay at 30psi? Another example is if I am dry hopping in a pressurized vessel, if I set the vessel to 10psi can I take the gas off after the fermenter reads 10psi? Or will it lose some(all) of the CO2?

Thanks!

 

[khannon]

CO2 will dissolve into solution(carbonation).

You need to leave the gas on if you want it to carbonate(introduce bubbles) into solution. If you filled an empty container with CO2, pressurized to 30, it should stay there. If you fill the headspace on a keg of un-carbonated beer with 30psi, it will dissolve into the liquid until it equalizes pressure. This is temp dependent.

When you set the pressure on the CO2 valve it will only add CO2 when the pressure drops below what you have it set for(escapes or dissolve into solution).

Hope this helps.

 

[kmind]

Very nice reply and makes perfect sense. Thank you!

 

[Nokie]

Yes keep it on.
I cold crash the night before I keg. Your beer will carbonate easier when cold.
hook your gas line up and set your gauge at 30. Purge your kegs 2-3 times.
Rack your beer in and keep it set at 30 psi.
Lay your keg on the ground and rock back and forth and count to 200. Put your keg in the fridge and set your gauge to 10 psi.
let it sit for 30 mins. And enjoy.
that’s how I force carb.