Hi and a little advice.

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Billathome65

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Hi am new to the forum.

I've been brewing on and off for years but tend to use brew kits then bottle and hope nothing went wrong :)

Anyway as I'm short on space the wife bought me a couple of standard larger and bitter and a keg to put my beer into

When she bought it the shop owner told her that she didn't need a gas bottle right away untill the keg was half full?

After putting it off I'm finally ready to do a brew and change to kegging.

1. is it correct I don't need a gas bottle till half way?
2. how do you carbonate it then do I add sugar to the keg if so how much
3. should I just grab a gas bottle and use it from the start of the keg
4. how long do I leave it before starting to hopefully enjoy?

Cheers in advance Bill
 
Generally many leave there beer at serving pressure for a week or two. But there are many ways to go about carbing a beer faster if you’re crunched for time.

You will want to use the favorite chart to carb the beer based on temp of beer and psi
 

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Cheers for the info and this chart currently this means nothing to me as the only real equipment I have is the fermenting barrel with the bubble trap thing and a hydrometer which I've never actually understood lol I have now got the keg as mentioned in previous post and obviously bottles if I was bottling.

I've read that you should use around 60g of sugar in the keg and it was also stated that if carbonation drops the keg can be repreasured using sugar instead of co2 as this is all new to me all advice is welcome.

I would like to get into making craft ales at some point but for now starting back up with kits is how I'm doing it cheers.
 
I can’t really offer advice of amount of fermentable sugars to add to carb the keg. I’m sure someone else will chime in. I’ve only carbed my kegs using bottled co2. My .02 cents is I would get a regulator and co2 bottle. Even if you did carb with additional fermentables added at kegging, you will still want the co2 bottle and reg to serve the beer from or as you serve from the keg your beer will slowly pour slower and slower and become flatter and flatter.
 
Much appreciated what is a decent but not to expensive regulator in your opinion? And I've heard that c02 bottles can start from as much as £25??? But then half if its done as return?
 
Cheers I'll be round asking lots of questions as it's something I quite like doing when I have the time and inclination to do it. Thanks for the advice and nice meeting you.
 
I've never carbed my beer in the keg by adding sugar, but I'd assume you'd use the same amount as you would when you bottle. Assuming your volumes are the same.

And I also agree that you should invest in the tank and regulator. If you serve off of carbonation alone, you'll have flat beer by the time you get to half the keg. I know that's a big expense, but well worth it.

And welcome to HBT.
 
I think that's why the lady in the brew shop said to my wife I should use the c02 but would only need to start using it when the barrel gets to about half way that fits in with what you just said. Cheers
 
Welcome to HBT!

What size (volume) is that keg? Can you post a picture or a link to it?
For some reason I don't think it's a standard "corny keg" which is what most homebrewers use.

the only real equipment I have is the fermenting barrel with the bubble trap thing
Also, what is that fermenting "barrel?"
How big are your batches?
 
Welcome to HBT!

What size (volume) is that keg? Can you post a picture or a link to it?
For some reason I don't think it's a standard "corny keg" which is what most homebrewers use.


Also, what is that fermenting "barrel?"
How big are your batches?
25lt fermenting tub and the keg is a pressure barrel I think 30lt tough plastic.
 
25lt fermenting tub and the keg is a pressure barrel I think 30lt tough plastic.
Thanks, that's a good size, yes!

You'd need to pressurize and keep it under pressure to dispense the beer. Should be kept cold too to prevent excessive foaming, such as in a (mini) fridge or (homebuild) kegerator or keezer. That's what that chart shows, the interdependence of 1) temp, 2) pressure, and 3) carbonation level of your beer. Line length and inner diameter (to dispense through) also plays a factor. When you balance all those the right way, you'll be tapping beer that's perfectly carbonated, with just the right amount of foam.
 
If you are looking for some clarity, I suggest you do NOT naturally carbonate with sugar in the keg. Just rack your finished beer into the keg with a focus on minimizing oxygen exposure, set your keg in your refrigerator and put CO2 on it at about 12-14psi. Then let is sit for two weeks on CO2. After that you can dispense it fully carbonated. (Note: Leave the CO2 connected the whole time until the keg is empty otherwise the beer will lose carbonation.)

There are far more complex, faster, and scientific ways to fine tune all that, but this will get you started. And yes, you can naturally carbonate with sugar. I would suggest that force carbonating with CO2 is a lot easier and more reliable.
 
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