Mini keg newbie question

[user 227424]

I'm sure this has been asked and answered a gujillion times, but if you'll humor me....

Just got a little 1.5 gal keg, first I've ever owned or used. I'm on my 3rd batch in it. I heard you could speed up the process by getting the beer real cold, put in 30psi, and shake the hell out of it. Did this with my current batch, 3 days later now I get all foam which settles to barely carbonated beer. I think the last batch took a full week to be just right. Is a week typical? And is it really possible to accelerate it? Thanks!!

 

[myndflyte]

That's known as the crank and shake method. Personally, I like the burst carb method. Carb at 30 psi for 24 hours, turn down to serving pressure and let it sit a few days to a week. Never had any issues doing it this way *knocks on wood*

 

[user 227424]

I can't fit the CO2 tank in my fridge, but can top it off as needed. So people w/5gal kegs aren't moving them at all I assume, if patient it just happens via pressure?

 

[Sadu]

The crank and shake method is legit, but you can overdo it, and sound like you just did.
My understanding is that small kegs take less time to carb with this method (I have one).
Next time, set a timer for 1 minute and shake at 30 psi. This will get you most of the way. Then I leave it connected at 12psi for 1-2 days to finish off. There is less risk of overvarbing this way but still pretty quick.
Sounds like you need to drill your fridge for the gas line, if you can get permission for that. Otherwise sodastream or paintball gas bottles might be a good choice.

 

[Maylar]

I have one of those small Cannonball kegs for my cider. I crank it to 25 psi at room temp and shake it good. You can hear the CO2 filling the keg as it gets absorbed into the brew. Repeat a few times then again every hr or so until it doesn't make noise any more. Then purge the keg, drop it to 12 psi and refrigerate. Ready to pour the next day.

 

[user 227424]

Sounds like more is less in this case. I'll be more restrained. Thanks!

 

[user 227424]

Think I just figured something out, the reason I thought it took a week was that after the 30psi shake I never reduced the pressure to 10psi, so only after several overly foamy beers was the pressure reduced, thus it was this reduction and not so much the time that remedied it? Left at 30psi it would always be foamy regardless of time passed.....right?

 

[philly224]

I just set mine to 10 or so psi and shake the hell out of it for five mins or so. Repeat once the next day, let it sit a day or two and it's usually good to go.

 

[philly224]

Think I just figured something out, the reason I thought it took a week was that after the 30psi shake I never reduced the pressure to 10psi, so only after several overly foamy beers was the pressure reduced, thus it was this reduction and not so much the time that remedied it? Left at 30psi it would always be foamy regardless of time passed.....right?

Yeah if you are serving at 30 psi that's always going to be foamy lol.

 

[user 227424]

Yeah if you are serving at 30 psi that's always going to be foamy lol.

Indeed. Finally getting the hang of it. Thanks!