My goal is the keg my first beer then force carbonate and then dispense. My issue is the beer recommends 1.8 volume co2 and that is leaving me with a low psi. The table says I should set my regulator to 4 psi to achieve that carbonation. Now it makes no sense to me to carb then turn up to dispense which would eventually over carb.( since I leave it hooked up until keg is empty) So should I leave it at 4 psi ( is this even possible to dispense at this psi? 3/16 ID currently) and shorten my line to balance it? ( but this leaves my line really really short, too short) Or do I increase ID so I can lengthen the line? Do I turn up kegerator temp so I can carb at a dispensing pressure ( roughly 12 psi)? Although I like to keep it 40 or below. I think you would want to carb at the serving temp. But I could be missing something since this is my first go at it. I thank you for your inputs in advance.
Force carb then dispense
- Thread starter farmskis
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
I think you have all the factors accounted for, at least in theory. The only thing not stated is what is the minimum beer line length that will reach from keg to faucet. That could affect what your options actually are.
I also wouldn't want to warm up the beer to hit the pressure vs temperature curve at a higher pressure; and dispensing at a more "normal" pressure (10-12psi) at your 40°F will indeed jack up the carb level, which would pretty much defeat the original low-carb goal.
I think I'd give your existing line a try, dispensing at 40°F and 5 psi (this chart shows that combination yielding 1.83 volumes - close enough imo - and every psi will help). The resistance versus line diameter & length isn't a linear function - and at some point (short of ridiculously long) the pour rate isn't going to change much with the line length, so you may get acceptable pours with your longer lines. If not, you can do something about it then...
Cheers!
[edit/ps]If you haven't found this page yet, there's a fabulous Line Length Calculator there that is the only one I've found that Actually Gets It. You can play with the numbers and see what effect different lengths/IDs will produce acceptable pours.
I also wouldn't want to warm up the beer to hit the pressure vs temperature curve at a higher pressure; and dispensing at a more "normal" pressure (10-12psi) at your 40°F will indeed jack up the carb level, which would pretty much defeat the original low-carb goal.
I think I'd give your existing line a try, dispensing at 40°F and 5 psi (this chart shows that combination yielding 1.83 volumes - close enough imo - and every psi will help). The resistance versus line diameter & length isn't a linear function - and at some point (short of ridiculously long) the pour rate isn't going to change much with the line length, so you may get acceptable pours with your longer lines. If not, you can do something about it then...
Cheers!
[edit/ps]If you haven't found this page yet, there's a fabulous Line Length Calculator there that is the only one I've found that Actually Gets It. You can play with the numbers and see what effect different lengths/IDs will produce acceptable pours.
tektonjp
Well-Known Member
I imagine you'll just end up with a very slow pour. BTW, I calculate 5 psi, but that's nitpicking.
OP
OP
farmskis
Well-Known Member
So far it seems that carbing and dispensing should be the same just like I thought in theory. It also seems that dispensing at low psi is possible. Just might be a slow pour rate. But as long as it pours a pint I am ok with slow.
dyqik
Well-Known Member
I can easily dispense at 5psi from my mini-fridge kegerator, with 5 foot 1/4" lines and the tap just above the top of the keg.
From the line length calculator above, this gives 1 pint in 6 seconds with a 2.5 ft rise (mine is actually a bit lower than this, maybe 24" at the bottom of the keg). Which is plenty fast enough, as any faster will splash and foam a bit. However, it's about 13 seconds a pint with 5 foot of 3/16" line. That doesn't seem too long.
I guess you could get a short length of 1/4" hose for low carbed beers, so you can use a lower dispense pressure and still get the higher pour rate.
From the line length calculator above, this gives 1 pint in 6 seconds with a 2.5 ft rise (mine is actually a bit lower than this, maybe 24" at the bottom of the keg). Which is plenty fast enough, as any faster will splash and foam a bit. However, it's about 13 seconds a pint with 5 foot of 3/16" line. That doesn't seem too long.
I guess you could get a short length of 1/4" hose for low carbed beers, so you can use a lower dispense pressure and still get the higher pour rate.
