Force carbing is slooooow...

[blackbear219]

I've had an IPA and Hefe in kegs for 10 days now. These are the first two batches I have ever kegged. They have been at 12psi and 40F the entire time. When I make a pour, I get about an inch of head that has very little retention. There are some tiny bubbles in suspension but nothing special and no noticeable carbonation via taste.

I don't have any desire to shake the keg, I'd just prefer to not do that...but at the same time I would expect the beer to at least have a noticeable amount of carbonation by now.

Any ideas? Just needs more time? Obviously that is probably the answer but I just expected more after reading so many people saying 7-10 days at serving pressure. I have checked for leaks and my kegs are holding pressure fine.

 

[day_trippr]

Patience, grasshopper. Another week or so and you'll be reveling in the heady goodness that only time can provide...

Cheers!

 

[Golddiggie]

You can also try the method from the Sticky (by Bobby_M)... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/keg-force-carbing-methods-illustrated-73328/

 

[blackbear219]

Now that they are on their way, I will just be patient. I think I'll give Bobbys method a try on my next fresh keg.

 

[blackbear219]

For the record...pulling a pint here and there doesn't slow down the carbonation process, correct?

 

[bigbeergeek]

For the record...pulling a pint here and there doesn't slow down the carbonation process, correct?

No. Even as you pull an (impatient!) pint, the pressure inside the keg is maintained at a constant psi. The regulator feeds gas pressure into the keg at virtually the same rate as it is released by the faucet.

 

[blackbear219]

No. Even as you pull an (impatient!) pint, the pressure inside the keg is maintained at a constant psi. The regulator feeds gas pressure into the keg at virtually the same rate as it is released by the faucet.

I blame SWMBO. She's an insatiable beast. Luckily, she's also a lightweight so as long as she's not hindering my carbing process I'll let her have her fun

 

[JKoravos]

I'm part of the low and slow crowd. I find it strange that people say they get the beer carbonated in a week. I find it almost always takes at least 2 weeks to get stable carbonation. It's drinkable after a week, bu it really takes two weeks to get there all the way.

If you do some rocking up front, say 5-10 min at serving pressure and temp, you may shorten it to a week. I usually don't bother unless I'm planning on bringing it somewhere in less than 2 weeks.

 

[kmat123]

I usually leave mine at 30 PSI for 24 hours and then turn it down to serving pressure for 6 days and after a week the carbonation level is pretty close.

 

[wildwest450]

Fwiw, an inch of head is about prefect. Head retention has more to do with your brewing process and clean glasses.

_

 

[Homercidal]

Takes me about a week. But it's best about 2 weeks.

I've also done the shake and 30 PSI and it's worked, but also over carbed. Unless I HAVE to have it ready right away, a weeks is good enough.

 

[blackbear219]

Takes me about a week. But it's best about 2 weeks.

I've also done the shake and 30 PSI and it's worked, but also over carbed. Unless I HAVE to have it ready right away, a weeks is good enough.

Ya, I am pushing 2 weeks now and it's getting pretty good. I am going to try the "30psi for 48 hours then down to serving pressure for 5 days" method with my next keg. If I can get to a decent carbonation level in a week that way, I would be perfectly happy with that.

 

[eltorrente]

2 weeks to carbonate? Wow seriously?

I cool my keg down, turn up the pressure to what is required, then shake the keg until I hear no more co2 entering the keg. I put it back in the fridge, and after several hours it's ready to drink and perfectly carbed.

I've never understood why shaking is a bad thing (?).

 

[IffyG]

2 weeks to carbonate? Wow seriously?

I cool my keg down, turn up the pressure to what is required, then shake the keg until I hear no more co2 entering the keg. I put it back in the fridge, and after several hours it's ready to drink and perfectly carbed.

I've never understood why shaking is a bad thing (?).

It's not a bad thing. It accomplishes what you want at the expense of your extra effort and some conditioning time. Lot's of us are lazy and would prefer to pop the keg in the keezer and let it be until it's ready. I can't speak for everyone, but when you have several beers on tap, waiting isn't all that bad.

 

[brew2enjoy]

I think giving the beer a few weeks to cold condition makes it much better anyway. I learned this firsthand with my first kegged batch. It was carbed perfectly by 1 week by doing 30psi for 24 hrs and then 12 for 5 days. It was drinkable at 1 week but I noticed it kept getting better and better as time went on. 3 weeks later I pulled the last pint and it was the best one from the keg. Lesson learned.

 

[eltorrente]

It's not a bad thing. It accomplishes what you want at the expense of your extra effort and some conditioning time. Lot's of us are lazy and would prefer to pop the keg in the keezer and let it be until it's ready. I can't speak for everyone, but when you have several beers on tap, waiting isn't all that bad.

Ahhh o.k., I can understand that. I was thinking some people were concerned that shaking the beer would affect it somehow - like sediment or whatever. I can certainly understand wanting to just pop it in the kegerator and let it's do it's thing without shaking, though.

 

[ChshreCat]

If you can get your pipeline filled, you can look into natural carbing in the keg. Just prepare priming solution like you would for bottling, using a little less sugar than you would bottle with though (maybe someone else can fill in the details on how much to use) and add it to the keg. Then you hit it with just enough pressure to get the lid to seal and set it aside to carb and condition warm. Then, when you kick the keg you're drinking the one you primed a couple weeks earlier will be carbonated without having to use any of your CO2 from your tank. Easy, hands-off carbonation and your tank refills last longer. Plus, some folks think beer from naturally carbed kegs taste better.