Manifold or Regulator

[Brutus Brewer]

Can't decide on a 3 or 4 way manifold or 3 or 4 way CO2 regulator. I know the manifold is much cheaper, but I like the idea of carbing beers to the style guideline. What do most of you do?

 

[JesseRC]

I'd do a dual regulator with a manifold. Its a compromise!

 

[BarleyWater]

I have a manifold but wish I had a dual gauge regulator. A dual gauge and a manifold or two, I think that would be all you really needed and probably a bit cheaper than the 3 or 4 way regulator.

 

[lombard]

I have four regs for my four kegs...spendy but very nice.

 

[Brutus Brewer]

I have four regs for my four kegs...spendy but very nice.

That was kind of my thought.

 

[jpc]

I have a four-way manifold... would have been more useful for me to have a dual regulator setup so I can keep my British-style ales at a lower carbonation level than my GF's wit and hefes.

Eventually I'll end up getting a secondary regulator and using that for my lower-carbed beers. Too many things with higher priorities to do that right now, though.

 

[remilard]

If you can afford it, get the regulators.

Two regulators and a manifold off of each is a compromise.

If you have one reg and want a bitter and a belgian or weizen on at the same time, well that isn't an ideal situation.

 

[SixFoFalcon]

I have a three-way manifold running off of one regulator, and a single QD running from a second regulator. I have tried altering carbonation levels to suit various styles and generally speaking I find it is not necessary. 2.5 volumes of CO2 suits most beers just fine. Maybe if you are trying to serve something "cask style" with very little carbonation on one tap, and a highly carbonated Belgian blonde or something like that on another tap, it's worth it.

I mainly use the second regulator for force-carbing & "setting" the seals on a fresh keg (purging the headspace and then pressurizing to 35 PSI before removing the QD and conditioning.) Every once in a great while I'll quick-carb a keg, but I don't like doing that unless it's absolutely necessary (i.e. I have a pale ale that's peaking in hop flavor & aroma, and I forgot to carb it until 2 days before I'm having some friends over.)

Edit - Another thing to keep in mind is that you don't need to carb and serve at the same pressure. In other words, you can carb a Belgian or a wheat beer up to 4+ volumes, and then drop down to 14 PSI to serve and the carbonation won't go away. And with a 1/2 empty keg, you can shut off the gas and that 2.5 gallons of pressurized CO2 sitting in there will dispense many pints before it starts to slow down. So there's no reason why you can't switch off the incoming gas to your lower-carb'ed beers that are on tap while you crank up the gas for the one you are trying to bring up to the fizzy end of the scale.

 

[Brutus Brewer]

Went with the 4 way regulator from beveragefactory.com. Should be here tomorrow and need to order some beer and air line from my lhbs. The regulator comes with 3/8" OD outlet barbs and my lhbs only has 1/4" ID and 3/16" ID liquid line. Wouldn't that be too small for the 3/8" OD barb?

 

[Arkador]

yoou could also replace the barbs.

 

[Brutus Brewer]

yoou could also replace the barbs.

True, but I'm thinking a little heat from my heat gun to loosen up the hose and slide it over the 3/8" barb. Could the line eventually crack and break?

 

[Arkador]

a soak in hot watter will loosen it up a good bit too, just make sure you put a hose clamp on it, and it should be fine.

 

[JesseRC]

a ceramic cup with water in the microwave for 2 min should do it, then just dip the end in that.

 

[Brutus Brewer]

Ok, so when I ordered my disconnects I ordered ones that have a 1/4" barb and gas line that has an ID of 5/16". Will a hose clam close down on that enough to make it seal or should I return them and get disconnects with a 5/16" barb?

 

[Arkador]

hose clamp should close that difference for you pretty well.

 

[JesseRC]

you wont find QD with 5/16 barb. You can get some with 1/4" threads , then purcharse swivel nuts 1/4" FFL to 5/16" barb

 

[Brutus Brewer]

you wont find QD with 5/16 barb. You can get some with 1/4" threads , then purcharse swivel nuts 1/4" FFL to 5/16" barb

That is what my LHBS has. I will try hose clamps first.

 

[Beerthoven]

I have a three-way manifold running off of one regulator, and a single QD running from a second regulator. I have tried altering carbonation levels to suit various styles and generally speaking I find it is not necessary. 2.5 volumes of CO2 suits most beers just fine. Maybe if you are trying to serve something "cask style" with very little carbonation on one tap, and a highly carbonated Belgian blonde or something like that on another tap, it's worth it.

I mainly use the second regulator for force-carbing & "setting" the seals on a fresh keg (purging the headspace and then pressurizing to 35 PSI before removing the QD and conditioning.) Every once in a great while I'll quick-carb a keg, but I don't like doing that unless it's absolutely necessary (i.e. I have a pale ale that's peaking in hop flavor & aroma, and I forgot to carb it until 2 days before I'm having some friends over.)

Edit - Another thing to keep in mind is that you don't need to carb and serve at the same pressure. In other words, you can carb a Belgian or a wheat beer up to 4+ volumes, and then drop down to 14 PSI to serve and the carbonation won't go away. And with a 1/2 empty keg, you can shut off the gas and that 2.5 gallons of pressurized CO2 sitting in there will dispense many pints before it starts to slow down. So there's no reason why you can't switch off the incoming gas to your lower-carb'ed beers that are on tap while you crank up the gas for the one you are trying to bring up to the fizzy end of the scale.

I'm going to keg a beer for the very first time tonight. Posts like this are like gold to kegging newbs like me. Thanks!

 

[Jester369]

I have 7 regs for 7 kegs, but then overkill is kinda my thing in beer dispensing...

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Went with the 4 way regulator from beveragefactory.com. Should be here tomorrow and need to order some beer and air line from my lhbs. The regulator comes with 3/8" OD outlet barbs and my lhbs only has 1/4" ID and 3/16" ID liquid line. Wouldn't that be too small for the 3/8" OD barb?

Nope, just use a lighter to heat the ends of the air line. If you do this, you really don't even need hose clamps. Seriously, if you want to get those things off...you'll have to cut them off. Of course, be sure to do a leak text with some soapy water just to make sure.