Kegging question.

[FoulMouth]

If i have a keg on tap of home brew at serving psi and i brew a batch and want to add it to the freezer to serve, how do i do this when the serving psi is lower then what i need to carbonate the new batch. Does this sound right i am new to kegging and just want understand. Thanks.

 

[TomRep]

You can actually carb at your serving pressure, it just takes longer. In order to force carb at say, 30 psi, and serve at 10psi or so, you would need two regulators.
tom

 

[Copperpots_Brewing]

Well, you have two options. The 'right' way to do it is to get a dual co2 regulator where you can individually adjust the pressure of two different lines. -OR- the cheaper option would be to add a normal splitter and a knife valve on each line. then you'd set the regulator to carbonating pressure and mess around with closing the serving line's knife valve. Close it off a little bit at a time until its about at the right temp.

The first option is a bit more money, but much less of a hassle and might save you a headache or two!

 

[Copperpots_Brewing]

Tom is right also. Many people (including me) say the best way to carb a beer is to set it at serving pressure and let it sit for a few weeks. That way you don't risk over carbonating by putting too much pressure on it and shaking it.

 

[Yooper]

Tom is right also. Many people (including me) say the best way to carb a beer is to set it at serving pressure and let it sit for a few weeks. That way you don't risk over carbonating by putting too much pressure on it and shaking it.

That's what I have. I have room for 5 kegs in the kegerator. At 40 degrees, the regulator is set to 12 psi. Always. When I hook up a new keg, I just set it in there and in about 10-14 days, it's carbed up completely.

I have done the burst carb method, where I've turned it up for a couple of days. But then I almost always get a bit of foaming or a "funny" pour after that as it equalizes. Sometimes when I'm low on good beer, I do that, though- knowing that it's not really worth it in the long run!

 

[FoulMouth]

Thanks for the info. I was just hoping that by going to kegging i would save more time in the waiting game, but 2 weeks is pretty good.

 

[skipper1953]

... splitter and a knife valve on each line. then you'd set the regulator to carbonating pressure and mess around with closing the serving line's knife valve. Close it off a little bit at a time until its about at the right temp.

How do you control pressure with a simple knife/gate valve?

 

[autobaun70]

Thanks for the info. I was just hoping that by going to kegging i would save more time in the waiting game, but 2 weeks is pretty good.

Pipeline........the most important thing to have as a brewer.

I use a single regulator to serve two taps, and can carb 2 additional kegs at the same time. I can store up to 5 in my fridge. As long as the beers you tend to drink have close carbonation levels a single pressure will be fine.

As far as maintaining the pipeline goes, I have 5 kegs, and generally keep something in the fermenters at all times (10 gallons worth). I ferment in a fridge with an aquarium controller, making it easy to cold crash in place. As soon as I have 2 empty's I fill them and schedule a brew day. I have found that I can do a quick finishing pale ale for one batch, then a lager that takes much longer as the next and it flows pretty good.

 

[Dixon]

Sorry to hijack but if you have two weeks anyway is there a downside to just priming the kegs?

 

[FoulMouth]

Pipeline........the most important thing to have as a brewer.

I use a single regulator to serve two taps, and can carb 2 additional kegs at the same time. I can store up to 5 in my fridge. As long as the beers you tend to drink have close carbonation levels a single pressure will be fine.

As far as maintaining the pipeline goes, I have 5 kegs, and generally keep something in the fermenters at all times (10 gallons worth). I ferment in a fridge with an aquarium controller, making it easy to cold crash in place. As soon as I have 2 empty's I fill them and schedule a brew day. I have found that I can do a quick finishing pale ale for one batch, then a lager that takes much longer as the next and it flows pretty good.

I read up more on cold crashing is it worth it for clarity or more so for allowing the beer to carbonate more quickly.

 

[Yooper]

Sorry to hijack but if you have two weeks anyway is there a downside to just priming the kegs?

No. Unless they take three weeks to carb up.

Within 10 days in my kegerator, the cold crash from going in there causes the beer to clear. The sediment is all at the bottom, and I never move the keg. Then, after about a week I pour off 3 ounces or so, discard it (it's all the sediment) and pour clear beer. It may not be fully carbed but I can see where it is, and it's almost always nearly there. If I don't move the keg and resuspend any sediment, it stays clear until the keg is empty.

Priming kegs is fine! That works too. But each time you move it, you'll want to let it sit at least 24 hours or longer so the sediment settles. Moving it into the kegerator means stirring it all up. And then chilling and waiting a bit.

 

[Copperpots_Brewing]

How do you control pressure with a simple knife/gate valve?

It is VERY inaccurate. More or so judging the pouring pressure. like I said, it'a clearly not the right way to do it, but if you're looking for something temporary, that could work. It's kind of equivalent to putting water in your car for coolant. You can do it, but I wouldnt trust it long term.

 

[FoulMouth]

So copperpots you would say a reg for every keg so to speak.

 

[Copperpots_Brewing]

So copperpots you would say a reg for every keg so to speak.

If you can afford it, certainly! If you are just using the tank to serve, and aren't trying to make several different style that require much different pressures, you can just split the line and give equal pressure to both kegs. But of you want to serve one keg and burst carbonate another, you should have another regulator

 

[dallasdb]

I have a one regulator for 2 kegs and this is what I do when I'm burst carbing and serving at the same time.

Chill the new keg, unhook the gas from the serving keg, hook up the gas to the keg your will be carbing, crank up to 30psi and roll on your lap for two minutes.

Unhook gas from carbing keg, set regulator back to serving pressure and rehook up your serving keg. This may mean you will need to lower regulator but expel some gas from your lines to get back down from 30 psi (hook gas to serving keg after lowering regulator to bring down regulator pressure then purge serving keg and rehook up gas line).

When I burst carb, I roll for 2 min at 30 psi then unhook gas for 12-24 hours, purge keg and set at serving pressure for 24 hours. Keg is carbed in 48 hours.

Hope this helps.