kegging for the first time, help please, thanks!!!

[jlatusek]

Hi Guys,

So today I will be kegging for the first time. I have a carboy full of beer sitting in the kegerator. I will clean and sanitize keg but I'm confused on methods of carbonation. I see that there are a few diffrent methods. The normal, fast, and very fast method. I'd like to have the beer ready to drink by tomorrow evening which would give me about 24 hours to do so. Also as an FYI, im added gelatin to clear it up a bit as its pretty cloudy currently.

Would this be the best method?

-Siphon beer into keg. set psi to 10psi, burp gas a few times to clear out headspace.
-add gelatin to clear up beer a bit.
-hook up gas into the beer connection. set psi to 30psi, then shake for a few minutes.
-disconnect gas line, put keg into kegerator over night.
-tomorrow morning purge gas from keg, then attach gas line back up and set to 10 psi. let it sit for the day.
-tomorrow evening pour out first pint or so that will have the gelatin. then drink the rest.


Let me know if there are better methods...also will the 24 hours be enough for the gelatin to settle at the bottom? Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks in advance guys. I'm doing a taste test at my buddy's tomorrow night and really want to bring this beer.

 

[philber]

I have had luck by attaching the CO2 set at 30-35psi, setting the keg on it's side then with one foot (or two if you are an expert log roller), rock the keg back and forth as vigorously as you can. You will hear the CO2 constantly flowing as you rock. :rockin:

Do this for 10-15 minutes or whenever the CO2 stops flowing in. Disconnect, reset to 10-12psi, chill keg and re-connect tomorrow.

This method does cause any sediment to get mixed back in, but a 24 hr rest should take care of that. Then you will need to sample a few till it runs clearer. You should be able to get a reasonably carbonated beer after 10-20 minutes of rocking.

I have never used gelatin in my beer...jello shots, yes.

 

[philber]

Search youtube: forced carbonation

 

[Psylocide]

I don't roll or shake.

Keg beer, put it on 30 psi to seat lid, purge headspace, put back on 30 psi for 36 hours, add gelatin, re-seat lid @ 30 psi, set to serving pressure, leave be for another 3-4 days, pour some nasty pints, drink beer.

 

[Eh_Modern_Drunkard]

Personally, I plan my events around my beer's schedule not the other way around. But we've all had the occasional "I really want this ready for the event".

Most of what you have here seems pretty good for a quick turn-around time (though your beer will still be pretty "green" in my opinion).
2 things stick out for me.

1-you need to chill your beer first before adding gelatin for best possible results.
2-do you have quick disconnects on your gas-in/beer-out connections? Otherwise you will need nuclear intervention to remove that connector again.

24hrs is cutting it pretty close no matter how you look at it, but I wish you luck!

 

[Gavin C]

This is the method I find works very well with no significant risk of over carbonation. I don't do any shaking rolling etc. I do add gelatin and crash cool as I want sparkly beer.

A sparkling kegged beer

• Cold crash beer in FV for a couple of days
• Add gelatin to cold beer in FV and leave for a couple of days
• Rack to keg
• Put on gas at 30 psi and leave it alone for 36-40 hours
• Reduce to serving pressure depending on the style of beer and line length (ie Your own setup)

Works like a champ every time. No worries. Cold crashing and adding gelatin can be done somewhat simultaneously once the beer is below 50F (That seems to be the figure mentioned by numerous bloggers). I have also added gelatin at the start of the cold crash with favorable results if shaving off time is desired. I have also crashed and added gelatin to the keg and racked on top of it, again with comparable results.

The only thing I have tried that didn't work for me was the high psi rolling/shaking technique. Result was over carbed beer which was a PITA to get back to normal. That is down to user error I'm sure.

I figure if I'm shaking it and need to give it a day or so to settle why not just not shake and give it a day or so to carbonate.

 

[Psylocide]

Personally, I plan my events around my beer's schedule not the other way around. But we've all had the occasional "I really want this ready for the event".

Most of what you have here seems pretty good for a quick turn-around time (though your beer will still be pretty "green" in my opinion).
2 things stick out for me.

1-you need to chill your beer first before adding gelatin for best possible results.
2-do you have quick disconnects on your gas-in/beer-out connections? Otherwise you will need nuclear intervention to remove that connector again.

24hrs is cutting it pretty close no matter how you look at it, but I wish you luck!

You're right on that, I always add gelatin after initial 36 hrs @ 30 psi.

Edited post.

 

[ndinh]

Yeah I don't think it's physically and chemically possible to have fully carbed beer in 24hrs but you can definitely get drinkable beer in that amount of time. I just kegged a beer 2 days ago. What I do every time is carb the empty keg to seat a little CO2 at the bottom. Open keg, transfer beer, plug in your gas line and set at 30psi, purge keg a half dozen times to remove residual air, put in kegerator for a day (or 2). After 24 hrs, set gas at 10-12psi (depending on style of beer of course), purge line and pour. You'll have drinkable beer with a slight carbonation but you won't get your ideal beer for about a week.

 

[hunter_le five]

• Cold crash beer in FV for a couple of days
• Add gelatin to cold beer in FV and leave for a couple of days
• Rack to keg
• Put on gas at 30 psi and leave it alone for 36-40 hours
• Reduce to serving pressure depending on the style of beer and line length (ie Your own setup)

+1 This is more or less how I do it.

I like to do the initial cold-crashing/gelatin in the fermenter, which keeps a lot of that junk out of the keg. Clear beer in, clear beer out, less chance of drawing up a bunch of sediment in your glass, especially if you have to move the keg.

Edit: also, nice looking beer!

 

[Psylocide]

+1 This is more or less how I do it.

I like to do the initial cold-crashing/gelatin in the fermenter, which keeps a lot of that junk out of the keg. Clear beer in, clear beer out, less chance of drawing up a bunch of sediment in your glass, especially if you have to move the keg.

Edit: also, nice looking beer!

But my fridge is full of kegs! Oh wait... not right now.

But, usually!

Ok, not usually either.

I may have a problem.

 

[hunter_le five]

I may have a problem.

I too have a problem with there not being enough full kegs in my fridge, ever.

I refuse to acknowledge any other related problems I may have....

 

[jlatusek]

Thanks everyone.

I decided its not worth rushing. I put the gelatin into the carboy which was already in kegerator. I'll wait a few days and then rack over to keg. Then pressurize and wait a few more days. This is my first batch in two years and first in keg so I don't want to risk messing it up.

 

[philber]

I tend to just toss mine in the fridge for a day, hook it up to the gas the after it is chilled then wait a week or two.