Keg Carbonating with fluctuating temperatures

[Rockindaddy]

I have a keg-orator with dual taps and 4 corny kegs. So I try to keep my spare kegs full and ready to go. I just got an extra co2 tank so I can carbonate my spare kegs while they're waiting too be used. The only place I can keep them is in my garage which during the day may be in the 50's to 60's and at night will go down to the 30's. I've set the level to 10 PSI and just leave them as it could be as long as a month before I'm ready to use them. Is there anything wrong with doing it this way? The only other choice would be sticking them in my closet at about 70 degrees steady. Thanks.

 

[Peyope]

It only takes a week or so to carbonate. I'd do it in a place with stable temps. 10 psi at 30 is different than 10 psi at 60. Once the beer is carbonated you can pull it off co2 and store it in the garage.

 

[zachattack]

If you want to keep them in the garage, I'd set the pressure based on the lowest temperature they'll see like you've been doing. That way there's no chance they'll overcarb, but they may not carbonate completely. They may carbonate over a month, or you will probably have to wait a few days for them to reach your desired carb level once they're in the kegerator. You can also give them a shake to speed things up in the garage when they're at the low point.

Regardless, make sure you don't overfill the kegs past the gas dip tube, and/or make sure your regulator has check valves. When they warm up the increased pressure could push beer back into the regulator.

 

[Peyope]

Yeah that's why I'd just carb indoors. Look up how much pressure you'd need, probably around 25 psi at 60 degrees. After a week, disconnect the keg and store it in the garage.

When you want to hook the keg up, chill the keg overnight to serving temp. Bleed the co2 then hook up the keg at your serving pressure.

 

[day_trippr]

I agree with ^that^ except for the time. It takes a good two weeks for a five gallon corny of an average OG brew to fully carbonate when using constant ideal CO2 pressure (that which will eventually achieve the desired carbonation level with no chance of over-carbing - ie: the "chart pressure")...

Cheers!

 

[duboman]

If you are typically leaving kegs that long to carbonate why not simply naturally carbonate them with sugar. You only need half the amount as if you were to bottle and at 70oF+ they will naturally carbonate in 10 days to 2 weeks. You also don't need to worry about using up co2

 

[Peyope]

Day_trippr, you're right. Im in the habit of drinking after a week. Sometimes I just get thirsty. 2 weeks is best.

Using sugar is probably the best idea here. Never done that, do you still bleed the head space with co2 using that method?

 

[duboman]

Day_trippr, you're right. Im in the habit of drinking after a week. Sometimes I just get thirsty. 2 weeks is best.

Using sugar is probably the best idea here. Never done that, do you still bleed the head space with co2 using that method?

If you have the ability to purge your vessels with co2 it is always beneficial to do so....