Keg Conditioning / Preserving After Tapping Question

[Jason Caponetto]

Hi All,

My first post here, and glad to join the community. So, let me start with I am a picobrew owner and this was my re-entry into home brewing. The unit is great, but some limitations and a little learning curve.

Alright, let me get into the questions. I always have always bottled conditioning with priming sugar, never was very successful with c02. So heres a basic question, for those of you who are more c02 experts. After I keg condition and carb through priming sugar, at which point ready for drinking (tap the keg). Can I then hook it up to c02 to preserve it, as I work through the keg? So keep in mind, these mini kegs are about 1.3 gallons. I have a small regulator, a couple of ball locks and a few food grade mini c02 cartridges, along with a soda stream c02 60L. So if I hook it up to c02 AFTER keg conditioning with the sugar and popping the top, what PSI can I set it to? Like 10PSI, and continue to enjoy until finished without fail?

Looking forward to your guys responses. Just trying to understand the easiest and more efficient method for doing this. I am not completely green to home brewing, just inexperienced with certain methods.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Staticsouls]

I leave my beers around 10-12psi for serving and storage until next serving.

 

[Jason Caponetto]

I leave my beers around 10-12psi for serving and storage until next serving.

So, its safe to go directly from keg conditioning with sugar to c02 once tapped? Is there any best practice, such as approach, the timing? I would probably fear over carbing maybe?

 

[stieg000]

I've never primed a keg, I always hit the keg with around 30ibs and rock it back and fourth to get it close. Pouring some in between to check it. Then I'll drop it down to the correct the psi and condition normally.

Most beers I leave around 10ibs because I have really long serving lines to slow the pour down, but if i wanted to serve off of a 6" portable faucet then id drop it down to a 1ib or 2.

 

[Staticsouls]

I haven't sugar primed in keg yet, but I would assume you either cut the dip tube short, and/or transfer to a purged serving keg. I think if you didn't do either you might end up with sediment in the glass, but that's theoretically in my head.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

I don't see any problem with priming to carbonate but I see no reason to do so either. Burst carb at 30psi for 24 hrs, drop the pressure to 10 or 12, serve. But if you prime, hook it up to CO2 and serve at 10-12psi. It doesn't matter how you get the beer carbed, you still need to push the beer and maintain that carbonation.

 

[brandonlovesbeer]

I typically Bottle condition in the keg then hook up the CO2 afterwards to proper serving pressure. That way it won’t absorb any more than it takes to push it out of the keg and keeps it at the same pressure.

 

[parrothead64]

You don’t have to worry about over carbonation. If the priming sugar brings it to 9 psi and you set your regulator to 10 psi , it’s going to go to 10. If the priming sugar brings it to 10 psi, the gas will just maintain 10 psi. If the priming sugar brings it over 10 psi, the gas will do nothing until it drops to 10, or whatever you set your regulator at. If you eventually get a 5lb CO2 tank, you can just hook or up to gas without priming and get there faster, but I’m assuming the cartridges are expensive. If you do get a tank, get a used one. Most welding suppliers will want to switch it out instead of filling it on the spot.