Help a kegging N00b!

[woknblues]

I thought I would post my set up so I could get a tailored recommendation.

I got this with a regulator upgrade to the dual body, three dial regulator

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=496

This has 5' hoses with party taps. (Am I screwed?)

I just racked 3 kegs, one an American Orange/honey Wheat, and the other two are BM's Centennial Blonde.

They are "cool" at around 50* at the moment, sitting outside my kegerator set to 40*. I put them on 5lb of pressure and burped them a few times before coming back here and looking around.

I am working the next 5 days, so I am planning on having them ready to go then. Should I force carb all three at 30lb for 24hrs then shake and set to serving PSI (say, 10psi)

Pretty upset that these came with 5' lines after reading that nearly everyone recommends 10'.

Thanks in advance. I am putting the kegs in the kegerator now, for the record.

 

[PJM]

I have my keezer set at 35* but I usually do 30 psi for 36 hrs and then drop it to serving pressure of 10 psi. I do not shake. I think you will be ok with 5 feet of tubing. Good luck

 

[woknblues]

Hmm.. sounds reasonable so far. So I just put the gas on it. That means in 36 hours (when I wake up after sleeping after work (night shift), I'll cut the pressure to 10psi.

I'd love the 5' to work... I have 4 of them!! Plus, it's already spaghetti inside the freezer, and I have to add my bottled varieties to the fray. Kind of wished I'd gone ball lock for narrower, but pin locks were so much cheaper. This is kinda fun actually. All this for some beer!!!

 

[cank]

I just started kegging too. I also set it at 35lbs for 36 hours (no shaking), bleed the pressure and set to serving pressure for the next few days. It is usually decent after 3 or 4 more days but gets better carbonation after about 6 days.
I have them in my fridge this whole time. I'll take a keg out that I've been drinking on if there is not room and make sure my valves are off to the other kegs while I turn up the pressure.

 

[woknblues]

I just started kegging too. I also set it at 35lbs for 36 hours (no shaking), bleed the pressure and set to serving pressure for the next few days. It is usually decent after 3 or 4 more days but gets better carbonation after about 6 days.
I have them in my fridge this whole time. I'll take a keg out that I've been drinking on if there is not room and make sure my valves are off to the other kegs while I turn up the pressure.

Hmm.. Seems like no matter what, you till need time to make good carb... i am lucky I found a large enough chest freezer for my kegs.. I can get 6 in there, plus a 20lb co2 tank and a few cases of bottles. The 4 valve manifold is great. I can already see once I get past this bottle neck of kegging, that in my pipline it will be easy to force carb one keg while holding serving PSI on my other three...

 

[naga77777]

FWIW, I tried the shaking thing with my first beer. Overcarbed.

The last couple batches, I've just set them to serving pressure (which is 14psi for my temps and desired vols co2) and they've been carbed just fine after a week. No screwing with the regulator, aside from using 30psi to seat the keg lid when I first rack it.

Tapped an American Ale that went into the keg exactly 1 week prior last night, and it was purdy dang good.

 

[woknblues]

knocked it down to 10psi. Looking forward to this one. Thanks for the assistance here.

 

[sigmund]

I know with my picnic taps the line was 1/4", not the 3/16" that many recommend and I always had trouble with foam. Good luck.