Don’t Think This is Carbonated

[A1sportsdad]

So I have my first three kegs in my kegerator. I have had them sitting at 12 PSIG for at least a week and a half. I have sampled all three, and I would not really consider any of them carbonated. They certainly produce some foam when I pour them, and they taste good, but they don’t have that carbonated feel. and I certainly don’t see bubbles percolating up through them. So my question is, is this just that I have to wait longer for it to get carbonated, or should I be increasing the pressure. I am at 42°F and 12 PSIG which should give me in the ballpark of 2.4 volumes of CO2. Appreciate any input. Thanks.

 

[day_trippr]

In my extensive experience it will take a little over two weeks for a full 5 gallon Cornelius style keg to reach equilibrium using "chart pressure". In spite of that, I almost always use that technique...

Cheers!

 

[MicroMickey]

I usually pressurize a keg to about 35 psi before putting in the chill chest. After it gets cold, I pull it out, hook up the CO2, and rock it back and forth for 15 minutes or so. You can hear the gas flowing when the beer is being agitated. The alternative is waiting much longer for the saturation to occur.

 

[Neldog0]

So I have my first three kegs in my kegerator. I have had them sitting at 12 PSIG for at least a week and a half. I have sampled all three, and I would not really consider any of them carbonated. They certainly produce some foam when I pour them, and they taste good, but they don’t have that carbonated feel. and I certainly don’t see bubbles percolating up through them. So my question is, is this just that I have to wait longer for it to get carbonated, or should I be increasing the pressure. I am at 42°F and 12 PSIG which should give me in the ballpark of 2.4 volumes of CO2. Appreciate any input. Thanks.

I use a kegerator set to 36f @ 12PSI. for a week. I get between 2.4 to 2.7 volume of CO2. The lower your temp the faster CO2 dissolves. The other thing that I do is fit all my corny kegs with a carbonation stone. You take the appropriate size silicon tube, attach it to the in post, place the stone on the end of the tube. This method forces C02 through the base of the bear to the top. This encourages the equalization of the CO2 at a better rate.

This has been the most consistent method I have ever found.

 

[Bobby_M]

The lower your temp the faster CO2 dissolves.

I'm sure what you're doing works great for you but the one misnomer is that CO2 dissolves faster colder. The only thing colder gets you is the same volumes at a lower pressure.

Certainly the carb stones speed up the carbonation rate. No question there.

 

[Bobby_M]

So I have my first three kegs in my kegerator. I have had them sitting at 12 PSIG for at least a week and a half. I have sampled all three, and I would not really consider any of them carbonated. They certainly produce some foam when I pour them, and they taste good, but they don’t have that carbonated feel. and I certainly don’t see bubbles percolating up through them. So my question is, is this just that I have to wait longer for it to get carbonated, or should I be increasing the pressure. I am at 42°F and 12 PSIG which should give me in the ballpark of 2.4 volumes of CO2. Appreciate any input. Thanks.

At the chart pressure, without any other speed tricks like diffusion stones or physically agitating the kegs to make small CO2 bubbles, it will take a bit more than 1.5 weeks. You can raise the pressure a few extra PSI to accelerate the process, but you do need to check on it daily before you go too far.

 

[BeerHolic]

I only started kegging recently.
38F at 12psi for one week.
After tasting the first ever keg I thought it was under carbonated.
Wife tasted and her comments "it's so smooth, I love it"
After several people tasted they were quite happy with the beer.
After some research it turns out that kegged beer is a lot smoother than bottled beer.
In my case it seems I was interpreting the smoothness as under carbonated, especially after drinking bottles beer for many years,

 

[A1sportsdad]

I only started kegging recently.
38F at 12psi for one week.
After tasting the first ever keg I thought it was under carbonated.
Wife tasted and her comments "it's so smooth, I love it"
After several people tasted they were quite happy with the beer.
After some research it turns out that kegged beer is a lot smoother than bottled beer.
In my case it seems I was interpreting the smoothness as under carbonated, especially after drinking bottles beer for many years,

It's possible that I have the same issue here. My wife thinks it's great. I think it's under carbonated, but really good. Might just be my perception compared to what I am used to with bottled beer.

 

[mac_1103]

My wife thinks it's great. I think it's under carbonated

You might have to start splitting your batches into two kegs set at different PSI. I mean yeah, sure, happy wife happy life and all that, but drinking my beer the way I like it is one line that will not be crossed.