First Keg

[Stonecold_OM]

I finally just registered on the forum, but I have been reading for quite a while to figure some things out. But thanks to all the people who post and answer questions on here! The advice is amazing!

I just carbonated my first keg, and irish stout. Been brewing for a while, but always bottled. Finally took the plunge because I absolutely hate washing and sanitizing tons of bottles. Beer ended with an ABV of 4.2 so I force carbonated at 20 PSI for about 2 days, then dropped it down to about 8. Pulled my first draft off it today and other than a little leakage due to a loose connection, it was just about perfect! The flavor and carbonation level ended up great! I am thinking another day at 8 PSI and it will be great.

I found so much advice on here as I was a little unsure on what to do, so thanks again to everyone!

Next beer up is a brown ale!

So a question for you all, if you do force carbonation and have multiple kegs, do you just go the low and slow method or do you have a secondary regulator to be able to fast carb other kegs?

 

[Golddiggie]

Last batch I carbonated in keg, I used the corny keg carbonating lid. 2-3 days (once chilled) and it was carbonated perfectly. Now, I carbonate in conical (at 35-38F) in a few days (well, I let it go 3-5 days since I keg/can on weekends).

I never did the high pressure then low pressure dance. Before the lid, I would do the 2+ weeks at serving temp and pressure levels. That being said, doing it in fermenter is the BALLS!

 

[Velnerj]

Welcome to the world of kegging. Just a word of warning many people think kegging is a time saver, it's been my experience that it's not, it's just different and to be honest very cool!

I have a kegerator that fits two kegs, I run beer from one and soda water from the other. I knew this going in so I have a dual regulator on my co2 tank. It was marginally more expensive than the single and it was way worth it.

 

[Stonecold_OM]

Welcome to the world of kegging. Just a word of warning many people think kegging is a time saver, it's been my experience that it's not, it's just different and to be honest very cool!

I have a kegerator that fits two kegs, I run beer from one and soda water from the other. I knew this going in so I have a dual regulator on my co2 tank. It was marginally more expensive than the single and it was way worth it.

It's a time saver in that I don't have to clean and sanitize 48+ bottles for each batch, and filling the keg is much faster than each bottle.

I may have to look into a dual regulator. I am running a keezer at the moment but as I only have one keg, I have a single regulator directly connected. I do have a 4 valve manifold for when I do expand to 2 or 3 kegs. My Keezer will only be able to fit 3 kegs max.

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

I've carbonated both ways in a keg, and I honestly prefer the low and slow method. It sucks waiting the 2 weeks but in my opinion it just seems to work better for me and gives more consistent results. YMMV.

Keep an eye out in the 'For Sale' forum on here. Fairly regularly there are dual body regulators that come up for sale (but usually sell quickly...as do stir plates). With that being said, I may be putting mine up for sale in the next month or two, along with my faucets and shanks if I can't find a local buyer.

Edit: welcome to kegging! I don't care what the nay-sayers say. Bottling is AWFUL! I would recommend holding on to enough bombers for a full batch for when you brew a RIS or something you'd like to age, or not drink really quickly.

 

[Golddiggie]

I do still have some bottles for batches that warrant it. Like the old ale that's currently aging on some oak. The plan, for that batch, is to fill a 2.5 gallon keg, then bottle/can the rest. I need to see how many bottles I have on hand and then decide what option I'll use. Since I have the Tapcooler setup (defaults to being setup for cans) I can counter pressure fill what it's going into. IF I bottle, I'll use the Belgian bottles I've been holding onto. I have the corks and cages to seal them up.

My keezer can hold 8 kegs in the main section plus another two (up to 3 gallon sized) on the hump. I've had both 5 and 6 gallon kegs in the main section before. But, I'm filling 2.5 and 3 gallon kegs exclusively now. After filling one keg, the rest gets put into cans (or bottles if I decide) on the same day.

Filling the keg, with my setup, doesn't take all that long with a closed pressure transfer method. It's about as easy as you can get for filling kegs.

 

[slurms]

I've always done 'low and slow' because it's easy and one less thing to worry about. But for me, even though the beers seem to be carbed after a week, they really start hitting their stride after 2+ weeks of conditioning. So I really don't mind waiting for the keg to carb at 11psi. I'd rather it taste as it should than carb fast and taste green-ish

 

[bracconiere]

So a question for you all, if you do force carbonation and have multiple kegs, do you just go the low and slow method or do you have a secondary regulator to be able to fast carb other kegs?

i use a dual body regulator...one set at 45psi, the other at 10psi...when my beer/ciderwtfever is done fermenting, i toss the fermentor in the fridge to get it down to 40f, keg it and shake the keg(s) until it abosorbes about 1.2oz's co2....if i'm in a hurry, can have it on tap in an hour or so that way.....but shaking is a PITA, so being i do 10 gallon batches..i might just burst carb one keg to get it on tap, and let the other sit.....

And Welcome! i just goof off around here!

 

[MikeCo]

I have a dual regulator and burst carb at 40 psi for 24 hours for initial carbonation. You can do this with a single regulator; just disconnect the other keg CO2 lines during the burst carb period.

 

[Stonecold_OM]

I have a dual regulator and burst carb at 40 psi for 24 hours for initial carbonation. You can do this with a single regulator; just disconnect the other keg CO2 lines during the burst carb period.

That is a good idea...I just have to go without drafting from another keg for 24 hours lol.

 

[MikeCo]

There will be enough pressure in the kegs to dispense at least a pint.

 

[Knightshade]

I usually go low and slow as well, but when I'm feeling particularly impatient, I'll run a second line into my kegerator which I keep set at 32 and set it at 35 PSI for days. Usually works out pretty well?

This is the setup. Last regulator down at the bottom which doesn't have a knob connected to it is the higher pressure one. I'll feed the line that is currently wrapped around the CO2 tank, into where that Orange carbonation cap is.

 

[spittiz]

I usually do a pseudo burst carb, when the beer is kegged I add 2.4 bar of pressure to it, shake it for awhile and then leave it disconnected with that pressure for 12-24 hours in my keezer. Then I dump the pressure through the prv and attach it to normal pressure.

The beer is decently carbonated within a few days, but waiting 1-2 weeks on top of that always improves things. I don't seriously evaluate the batch until it has been sitting in the keezer for 2-3 weeks minimum.

 

[Stonecold_OM]

Thank you all for the responses and advice. Once I get a good rotation going I may burst carb for 24 hours then go back to normal pressure. At the moment I will have this keg gone before the next batch is done brewing. I have been buying in slowly so as not to spend too much money.