Kegging Senerio.. Need input.

[Snafu]

Brand new to kegging, so speak slowly..lol I just did BM's Black Pearl Porter, one week in the primary, one week in the secondary, then transferred to a corny. I want it to age 4-6 weeks at 68-70 before putting it in the fridge. Pro-Mash says to set it at 28 psi for 2.5 vols co2. My LHBS said to just set it at 30 psi and then cut off the regulator and just "bump" it everyday until I'm ready to put into the fridge. This sounds a little odd to me and my gut says to set it at 28 or 30 and leave the co2 connected the entire 4-6 weeks then drop it to 8 psi. (based on what I've read here). Since I have plenty of time before I put it in the fridge, I really don't see a need to do all that shaking to "force carb" I just want to take it slow and easy right? Comments, suggestions?

 

[BulldogBrewer]

If you want slow and easy, put it in your fridge a couple of weeks before you want to start serving it and set it at your serving PSI.

At room temp, it won't absorb that much CO2 and 30PSI for that long would be overcarbed at refrigeration temps.

You may want to hit it with some C02 just to fill the headspace, but that shouldn't take much.

Good luck.

 

[Snafu]

So don't put any pressure on it until the aging process is done? That dosn't sound quite right.

 

[Bobby_M]

Set the reg to 28psi and leave it there for 3 weeks. After that you can disconnect it and it will stay at 2.5 volumes.

 

[BulldogBrewer]

Set the reg to 28psi and leave it there for 3 weeks. After that you can disconnect it and it will stay at 2.5 volumes.

The voice of experience ...

 

[Snafu]

Thanks Bobby, I've been "bumping" it everyday, I guess I should just leave it connected.

 

[Bobby_M]

You can get away with that for sure but it's a hassle that you don't need. If you're confident you have no leaks, leave it on.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks Bobby, I've been "bumping" it everyday, I guess I should just leave it connected.

If you want it to carb up, you'll have to leave it connected for at least 2-3 weeks.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

I worry a bit about leaks at higher pressures. I think you have more opportunity to empty a co2 tank if you leave it connected at 28psi for 3 weeks.

If it were me, I'd hit it with 28psi daily and disconnect the gas. Then set it to serving pressure and leave it as soon as you can get it in the fridge.

Ed

 

[vagabondat02]

I'm new to kegging and force carbonating, but with that much down time, you could also naturally carb... and save some gas?...

 

[Snafu]

I'm new to kegging and force carbonating, but with that much down time, you could also naturally carb... and save some gas?...

Well, I'm lucky in that respect. I have a 20 ton tank of co2 here at the office that we use to refill large (75 - 100 lb tanks) all the time. My little 10lb tank is nothing to refill. :rockin:

 

[oldschool]

slightly off topic but I think there's just something really kick-azz about cask conditioning

 

[vagabondat02]

Whoa! That's waaay to much CO2 to have sitting around! You should send me at least twenty pounds before it goes bad! If you have a couple of weeks to keep them at serving temperature, definitely just set it to serving pressure and leave 'em hooked up. If they're room temp though, I haven't seen an attempt yet on this forum where it worked out predictably.

 

[Snafu]

well see, thats the thing. I have plenty of room in the fridge for the tank to sit around for a couple of weeks at 8 psi, but I need at least a little age on the beer before it goes in the fridge. Its a Porter with lots of dark grains that need a few weeks to mellow. My questions were the best approach to aging under pressure. To bump or not to bump, if ProMash was off its rocker when it said 30 psi.... stuff like that.

 

[vagabondat02]

How long was it in the primary/secondary? All the beers I've kegged so far were ready to go when I carbed, so I haven't had to worry about conditioning. It seems to look like (on some other threads) a long term, slow carb has the same effects on conditioning and clarifying as lagering does.