force carbination vs. priming sugar

[MedicBrewer46]

Hello,
Brewing my first all grain batch currently and need to decide if i should force carbinate in a 5gal keg or use sugar in a bottle. im unsure of the differences (pros/cons). whats the difference in the end product? do you force carb then bottle? hows this work?

looking for advice
thank you.

 

[Revvy]

You'll find out that just about any question about brewing that can be phrased as a -vs- "argument" the answer is usually, "it doesn't matter, they all work, it's a matter of preference." The pro-con analysis thread is a good indication of it, you can see the reasoning behind it, but in reality, it's all about what will work for you. In brewing we talk about developing your own individual brewing process. You try different things, and figure out what works for you and what doesn't.

They all make beer, none is any better or worse than any other. It's simply a matter of preference. And that ultimately you will have to decide for yourself.

Some folks swear that bottle conditioned beers taste better, some that kegging is the way to go...and people will argue incessantly and pointlessly about both. And finding out conflicting opinions to me has little value. They both work, but only you can decide what you like best.

If it matters really to you, I like bottle carbed beers, and don't have any issue with bottling...but that's me. But I owuldn't kick a kegged beer out of my bed for eating crackers either.....

 

[RickWG]

I'm contemplating this as well. I have a batch that's ready to go into the keg in a couple of weeks. Warm conditioning vs cold and if it's warm conditioning why not just carb in the keg with bottling sugar.

I'm gonna make a gauge that goes on the co2 in lock of the keg and watch the pressure over time so I can monitor the fermentation/co2 production. Just because. Only twenty bucks or something like that.
I've had green beer from the keg and hate it so I'm gonna take all temptation away and warm condition it for 3 weeks or so then put it in the fridge and on the carb.

 

[Changeduser123]

I'm contemplating this as well. I have a batch that's ready to go into the keg in a couple of weeks. Warm conditioning vs cold and if it's warm conditioning why not just carb in the keg with bottling sugar.

I'm gonna make a gauge that goes on the co2 in lock of the keg and watch the pressure over time so I can monitor the fermentation/co2 production. Just because. Only twenty bucks or something like that.
I've had green beer from the keg and hate it so I'm gonna take all temptation away and warm condition it for 3 weeks or so then put it in the fridge and on the carb.

I am doing this as well. I do not have the room to keep everything in the keezer, and some beers just need some time at room temperature to age anyway. So priming in the keg is a good solution.
For the valve, I did exactly this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/my-first-spunding-valve-231048/
It works great, and the adjustable valve lets you set a target pressure. It costs more than $20 though.

 

[RickWG]

I am doing this as well. I do not have the room to keep everything in the keezer, and some beers just need some time at room temperature to age anyway. So priming in the keg is a good solution.
For the valve, I did exactly this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/my-first-spunding-valve-231048/
It works great, and the adjustable valve lets you set a target pressure. It costs more than $20 though.

Ah. so there's a name for it! spunding valve. The pressure relief valve? Where did you get it? How does the carbing in the keg work with that valve?

I have a store near me Beveragefactory.com Going to go look there tomorrow.

 

[RickWG]

pressure guage 9.95
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/regulator/replacement/low_pressure_gauge_right_thread.shtml

ball lock gas in quick connect 8.50
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/couplers/homebrew/BLGI-MFLB.shtml


Think I can just screw the valve into the ball lock or will I need an adapter? I can go to home depot to get it if I have to. Where did you get your pressure vent valve?

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

Do you have the equipment for bottling and kegging?

Both work great, but I like having beer on tap and having to clean 1 keg versus having to open and clean a bunch of bottles.

 

[KevinM]

Bottling from a keg: Sticky: We no need no stinking beer gun...

One known undeniable truth between force carbing and bottling (or keg priming). Bottling/keg priming (using sugar for carbonation) means that there will be yeast in the bottle, or yeast at the bottom of the keg. (least you can just drain the first few ounces from the line out of the keg to get rid of the yeast.)

 

[RickWG]

already kegging. Just don't like the idea of having to waste refer space while beer is conditioning. I would like to have already carbed beer that would chill in a day or so and then be ready to drink. I think that would be cool

 

[D_Nyholm]

For our first beer, we bottled a case and kegged the rest. Both had priming sugar (no force carbing) and it seemed the bottles conditioned faster. The keg was stored in a slightly cooler space than the bottles, but only 2* or so. I'm wondering if it has to do with the volume of the bottles being able to condition faster as opposed to half a keg having to condition. Since it was the first one, the keg was gone by the 3 week mark and was still a little green as the bottles were tasting better the whole way through (up to 3 weeks). Now that it is 4 weeks, the bottles taste MUCH better than the keg, but I have a feeling the keg would have caught up if it was allowed more time to condition.

Now that we have more beers fermenting, bottled, and kegged, we are giving each of them more time to condition, though we are still sneaking a few here and there to learn the process and see how time affects things.

This is obviously just my experience on my first brew as the others are still conditioning. We've done the same with beer 2 (bottled half and kegged half) and i'll see if the observations hold up or if it was just that first brew that acted this way.

 

[vitoma]

If you do prime with sugar, be sure to use kegs that seal up nicely with out a lot of pressure.

I have a keg that needs a decent amount of constant pressure to keep it sealed. I dumped in the sure, and sealed it up with decent pressure, only to find flat beer with no pressure in the keg when I put it in the fridge. I guess enough of the CO2 had dissolved in beer to loosen the seal before the yeast could produce much CO2.

 

[marcycaulkins]

ZOMBIE THREAD!!!

I am trying to get in gear to start kegging, and have been evaluating the difference between priming vs. force carbing. i am leaning toward priming, since i think that would be the easiest way for me to maintain pipeline. so, that being said... is there any disadvantages to priming vs. force carbing?

 

[wildwest450]

Do what's easiest for you and your setup, either way will yield good results.
If you have to store kegs at room temp, I would recommend priming.
_

 

[KevinM]

Check the other threads about this information goes into quite a bit of detail.

Force carb: Less yeast buildup, can shake and quickly carb, can subsequently move keg without disturbing yeast. Uses co2 (have to refill tank more often), can accidentally overcarb.

Priming: More time (3 weeks), yeast at bottom (usually out on the first pour) but can be resuspended if keg moves. Good when you have a keg that'll sit around for a month anyways. Can use different priming sugars for flavoring. Can measure out the sugar for carbonation levels.

Chances are, a combination is best. Force carb when you need the beer quickly, or maybe the first few that will fill your keezer/kegerator. Prime the others that will sit there for a few months because you're consuming the first set of beers. Then when the primed ones are in, and the kegs are freed up, you can drink the first set of primed kegs, let the next set prime, and so on. (and various similar rotations).

I primed most of my kegs, but the last one, I force carbed because I wanted it for a summer beer (coriander/orange ale), rather than waiting.

 

[unionrdr]

We've been discussing this sort of thing in the "tired of waiting" thread. You have to remember that kegging isn't going to get you great beer faster. It isn't just carbonating in the bottle,it's aging as well. It is better referred to as conditioning,imo. You can't rush goodness in this instance.
I feel a lot of folks think it'll get them drinking their beer faster if they keg it. Some even after trying to rush the primary/secondary processes. I see some cloudy beers that would be crystal clear if they wouldn't be rushed in whatever way is felt to be possible. Once again,patience!

 

[KevinM]

agreed, patience and try to wait. However, rushing may not be as great, but it'll be drinkable and still decent. That's what I was going for for the one I forced. The only other beers I have (which spend a full month minimum priming and aging) are all heavier beers.

When priming, you *have* to wait too, otherwise you get green beer due to the renewed fermentation, hence the mandatory 3+weeks.

 

[krenshaw]

does anybody have any step by step instructions or a good diy for building a gauge on the gas inlet of the keg to see how the carbonation is building in the keg? and if you make something like that can you tell when it is ready to drink by what the psi in the keg is?

 

[Changeduser123]

does anybody have any step by step instructions or a good diy for building a gauge on the gas inlet of the keg to see how the carbonation is building in the keg? and if you make something like that can you tell when it is ready to drink by what the psi in the keg is?

See post #4 of this thread.