Force carbonation question

[EMahn]

Hi,

New to kegging. For my first keg, I am letting the carbonation occur slowly with no methods to speed it up. However, I think for the next one I will try to use the shake method to speed things up a little.

I have a few questions about this technique. I understand that you could either: 1) connect the gas to the beer-out connect (with a little muscle and/or lube), or 2) use the gas-in connect. I understand that if I go with #2, I should lay the keg on its side.

My questions are around #2. Why do you lay the keg on its side? Is it to make the CO2 bubbles up through the beer, or does it somehow prevent beer backflow through the regulator? I've read both things. I don't understand how backflow would occur if the keg is upright but not on its side.

Any help is appreciated.

-E

 

[corey1581]

I tried #1 one time. The connect got stuck and almost ruined it before I could get it off. I will never do that again and would try to dissuade others. I've never tried #2, that may work.... Let me know of your results.

 

[tektonjp]

If you are bound and determined to rush it, just connect the gas hose to a black disconnect. Both problems solved! BTW, if you're "shaking" it, best to always disconnect the gas before shaking each time. You don't want beer coming up into your regulator.

 

[LexusChris]

Yes, you want to be sure that the pressure in the keg is not greater than what the CO2 regulator is giving you, if the keg is on its side. It could force beer up the gas tubing, into the regulator and CO2 bottle. Likely to ruin your regulator and a difficult mess to clean and/or sanitize for future batches.

If you want to connect to the beer OUT post, you should use a proper beverage OUT QD. I've also (accidentally) put a gas QD on the OUT post and it was difficult to remove. (Soak the stuck connector in near boiling water for 30 seconds. The plastic will expand and it will pop off without much effort)

Shaking and/or laying on its side exposes more surface area of beer to the CO2 in the headspace, allowing it to absorb quicker into liquid form. Colder tempratures will also help, as will higher pressures.

To force carb quickly, many folks pump the regulator to 30 PSI for the 1st day, then back it down quickly to actual carbing PSI. It is easy to forget and overcarb, which can be a pain. Frequently sloshing the keg while under carb pressure will help it go quickly.

Good luck,
--LexusChris

 

[corey1581]

I know it's been awhile.. But my go-to method goes like this.. (and it helps having an extra keg to have a beer on standby):

Fill the stand-by keg with your beer and put 20PSI into it.
Leave it until its time to change kegs. (I usually have one in standby for at least a couple of weeks if not more)
Relieve all the pressure and THEN put your lines on.
Let the Keg cool down to serving temperature.
Pour and enjoy a perfectly carbonated beer.

I still have not perfected a "I'm in a hurry method"

 

[boasist]

Good question, I wondered the same when I first started, yet I've always just force carbed for a week or so at my proper PSI before enjoying. However, you could do the following as you asked...

Put the quick disconnect on the beer out post - as mentioned, be sure to drain any pressure from the keg prior, and be sure your regulator is at 20 PSI or higher, otherwise beer will shoot up through the lines and ruin your regulator.

Connect through the gas in post and shake - you could, I've never done this, but by doing this your taking the C02 space from just the top head portion to the entire side of the keg to expose the beer to C02 more rapidly. Then with rocking or shaking you'll force more C02 in quicker.

Also though, keep in mind your beer must be cold (below 40), or ideally at serving temp prior to gassing, otherwise you'll waste some gas while the beer chills down. Think of it just like pitching yeast, you'll chill your wort to pitching temp, then pitch the yeast. So chill your beer to serving temp, then gas it up!

 

[derekcw83]

I know it's been awhile.. But my go-to method goes like this.. (and it helps having an extra keg to have a beer on standby):

Fill the stand-by keg with your beer and put 20PSI into it.
Leave it until its time to change kegs. (I usually have one in standby for at least a couple of weeks if not more)
Relieve all the pressure and THEN put your lines on.
Let the Keg cool down to serving temperature.
Pour and enjoy a perfectly carbonated beer.

I still have not perfected a "I'm in a hurry method"

I like this. I've been considering how to quick carb or have kegs ready to serve asap. And it's an excuse to brew more.

 

[h22lude]

As others have said...

1) If you want to connect the gas to the beer dip tube, use a beer out disconnect. Forcing the gas disconnect onto the beer post can be very hard to remove, even with a lot of muscle.

2) Shaking isn't really the best method.

Check out Brulosopher's quick carb method. Works well. I carb at 40 psi the first day and then drop down to 12psi until it is carbed. I find it still takes a couple extra days to carb but quicker than 2 weeks.

http://brulosophy.com/methods/carbonation-methods/

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Want quick beer?

40 psi for 24 hours....done

 

[casualbrewer]

Yep 35-40 psi for 24 hours will get it started. However it will still need a few days at least at serving pressure to get to correct volumes.