Kegging

[Kieperm]

First off I am new to brewing. Just finish my first 5 gal batch that I am going to keg into a corny keg. I made an American Amber and it’s been it’s been sitting for about 2 weeks. Just got my C02 tank filled and ready to keg it. I have read that you can add a little priming sugar to help with the carbonation process however I also heard that is highly frowned apon. Also read to speed up the carbonation to connect your C02 to the out port. I would let me the beer to be ready in 5 days however don’t want to mess it up by rushing. So is it worth rushing the carbonation? If not then what PSI should I prime the keg to do time can do it’s job? Brewing was easy (except for waiting) I am just lost on the C02.

 

[mongoose33]

1. You can add priming sugar to the keg and let it carbonate naturally. Takes about 2-3 weeks.

2. You can connect your CO2 to the keg, and "set and forget." Do this at serving temp (38 degrees to maybe 42, depending on the beer). That takes about 10 days to 2 weeks.

3. You can force carb. I do it this way: I have the beer chilled to about 36 degrees, connect the CO2, set the regulator at 35 psi, and let it go for 20 hours. I then disconnect the gas, release pressure w/ the pressure relief valve on the keg, reset the regulator to serving pressure (10-12 psi or thereabouts), and then pour a little from the keg. Should be close. If not, you could do another 4 hours of high pressure carbonation and repeat the test.

I almost always do #3. It doesn't take 5 days, it takes one day.

 

[parrothead64]

If you add priming sugar, you’ll want to keep the keg at room temp. If you want to carbonate with gas, it needs to be cold, so you can’t really do both, unless you add priming sugar, wait two weeks and then lower the temp and hook up the gas to maintain carbonation while serving. You should fill the keg with a sanitized solution and then purge it out of the keg though the liquid out post. This will make sure the keg is filled with co2 and not oxygen.

 

[Sparkncode]

I use a combintion after accidentally over carbonating beer when trying to do it too fast a few to many times.

i now use about 35psi for a day with the keg in the kegerator then disconnect, purge the keg than back down to 12psi and reconnect. If the beer is warm going into the kegerstor i give it longer at 35psi.

It gets it off to a good start and then gets better after a few days as it zeros in on the target without overshoot

Always better to undershoot as adding carbonation is better than trying to remove it.

Once you have a few kegs and beer on hand the temptation to gelp it along goes down.

 

[cubalz]

I just connect the keg, set the regulator at serving psi and let it go for a week then enjoy. I usually have a least 3 kegs going at all times so I have no need to rush.

 

[Zimm9]

This wasn't one of your questions, but did you check the gravity to make sure it's ready? It's more important when you're bottle carbing but I still like to know fermentation stopped before kegging.

And congrats on your first batch!

 

[blubrewbbq]

1. You can add priming sugar to the keg and let it carbonate naturally. Takes about 2-3 weeks.

2. You can connect your CO2 to the keg, and "set and forget." Do this at serving temp (38 degrees to maybe 42, depending on the beer). That takes about 10 days to 2 weeks.

3. You can force carb. I do it this way: I have the beer chilled to about 36 degrees, connect the CO2, set the regulator at 35 psi, and let it go for 20 hours. I then disconnect the gas, release pressure w/ the pressure relief valve on the keg, reset the regulator to serving pressure (10-12 psi or thereabouts), and then pour a little from the keg. Should be close. If not, you could do another 4 hours of high pressure carbonation and repeat the test.

I almost always do #3. It doesn't take 5 days, it takes one day.

I do number 3 always but I keep it at 30psi for 36-48 hours. I normally wait another day after I set to serving pressure. Works like a charm.

 

[hawkbox]

That's largely how I do mine, about 36 hours or so. I run 10' beer lines too which allows for a higher pressure.