Force carbing in a couple of minutes!

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gtskinner

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First time kegging. Lots of great info and opinions on how to force carb, I think I'm gonna settle on what seems to be a common method, 30psi, gently roll back and forth 15-20 times and listen for co2 releasing, when it stops repeat for 5-6 min session, place back in keezer and wait for a few hours to test and repeat if I want more carb. Couple of questions I have is 1) with 5' gas lines how do you pull it out of keezer and roll it on your lap or whatever because I'm assuming you leave the co2 connected? 2) I am running a 3 tap system off one 20lb tank through a 3way distribution manifold, I have 3 beers to carb, do I shut the the c02 off to the kegs/ beer not yet being carbed? One more, I've had the beer in keezer at my preferred serving temp for 1 1/2 days do I need to release any oxygen before I start force carbing? Not sure I understand when to or not to on that! :mug:
 
While you can try that, it sounds like a sure way to foamy overcarbed beer.

If you're going to shake (I wouldn't), I'd keep the regulator at 12 psi so that it doesn't overcarb. Having it at 30 psi would be likely to overcarb with shaking.

If you're willing to wait a day or two, you could try what I do when I'm in a huge hurry. Keg the warm beer, and stick it in the kegerator. Set the regulator to 30 psi for 36 hours (24 if you start with cold beer), then purge and reset to 11 psi and keep it there. The beer should be pretty good by 36 hours, and better at 48 hours with no foaming or risk of overcarbing. You could easily do that with all three kegs at the same time.

If you set it up and never move the kegs, when you go to serve you can pour about 3 ounces from each tap and discard the sludge, and then pour pretty clear beer after that. If you shake and move the kegs, it'll be very cloudy and the sediment will be all through it.
 
Yes, guys and gals, like I said, I'm a newbie at kegging. Everything has gone great with the keezer build and the 3 batches of homebrew, mentioned below. As you all know, how much time goes in to this process from brew day to drink day and it would be absolutely heart breaking to dork things up now. I have the discipline to "sit & forget" but I don't have time. Huge crowd coming in 8/28 thru Labor Day and brew has to be ready. Look for pics of keezer, soon to be posted, on "show us your kegorator"!
 
I don't ever do the shake and bake method, but it's my understanding that if you are going to shake you should do so at the serving temperature/pressure that provide your desired volumes of CO2. This way the beer stops taking CO2 at your desired volume. If you're shaking a cold keg at 30 psi for that long it seems highly likely that you'll overcarb it and then you've got a whole new situation on your hands.

Regarding the 5 foot gas lines and shaking I'd say you'll probably need longer gas lines. Also, I realize this isn't what you're asking, but you might consider getting the keg to serving temp, setting to 30psi for 48 hours, then dialing back to serving pressure. This will get you pretty much properly carbed up in a week. Yes, way longer than you're looking for but it solves the the gas line length issue and there's much less risk of overcarbing. Also, a week sitting cold will do a lot for clarity. Just a thought.

Hope this was somehow helpful. Good luck with the beer either way and enjoy.

Edit: Yooper beat me to it.
 
^^^

+1

i do exactly as Yooper does and it works fantastic, creating perfect carb level everytime.
 
Thanks Yooper, I do have a couple of days and now I'm seriously considering that method because I want the least chance of foam and cloudiness! Makes sense, the beer has been setting for 1 1/2 days in keezer at 38 to 40 degrees so muck should be settled, why stir it up. There shouldn't be much because it was poured in primary through 2 strainers and racked from primary to secondary and to kegs.
 
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