more kegging questions

[ohiobrewtus]

Is there a kegging FAQ/sticky anywhere?

I'm pricing equipment and I can't seem to find any good answers as to everything that I need. I thought I'd start here before I call AHS. I made a similar post last week that for some reason went more in the direction of faucets and towers and while I need to purchase those as well, the majority of my questions revolve around the CO2 setup and making sure that I have everything that I need to get started.

I have a Sanyo 4912 that I will be converting and the kegging kit that I'm looking at comes with 3 kegs, a 5 lb co2 tank, a 2 gauge regulator and regulator washer.

Here's my list of stupid questions:

1) Do I need any additional hardware other than kegs, a co2 tank, and a dual regulator to be able to start serving - assuming that I have the tower, faucets, hoses, etc.?

2) I doubt that I'll be 'speed' force carbing, but from what I've read in other posts I can carbonate a keg in about a week? At what PSI?

3) I can also carbonate in a keg using a decreased amount (vs. bottling) of priming sugar, correct? How much priming sugar should I use?

4) what is the normal serving psi?

 

[krispy d]

1) Do I need any additional hardware other than kegs, a co2 tank, and a dual regulator to be able to start serving - assuming that I have the tower, faucets, hoses, etc.?

no, that's it.

2) I doubt that I'll be 'speed' force carbing, but from what I've read in other posts I can carbonate a keg in about a week? At what PSI?

depends on the temp of the keg and the desired volumes of disolved co2 but aound 30 psi for a couple of days will do the trick

3) I can also carbonate in a keg using a decreased amount (vs. bottling) of priming sugar, correct? How much priming sugar should I use?

don't remember I only force carb

4) what is the normal serving psi?

again this will depend on a lot of factors, temp, length of beer lines, id of lines... But much less than you think. I usually push my beers with about 2-6 psi

 

[rdwj]

1 - you should be fine, but you might need some shut-off valves
2 & 4 - Read the beginning of this. The set it and forget it method takes about a week.
3 - Don't know

 

[BierMuncher]

1) Do I need any additional hardware other than kegs, a co2 tank, and a dual regulator to be able to start serving - assuming that I have the tower, faucets, hoses, etc.?

Do you have:
Hose clamps ( I use ¼ inch worm clamps from Lowe’s)
Black (liquid) and gray (gas) disconnects. I prefer the MLF (threaded) versions for easier disconnect / cleaning


2) I doubt that I'll be 'speed' force carbing, but from what I've read in other posts I can carbonate a keg in about a week? At what PSI?
I use 30PSI for 48-60 hours to speed things up. Many people also do a set and forget at 12PSI. Usually 10 days is sufficient.


3) I can also carbonate in a keg using a decreased amount (vs. bottling) of priming sugar, correct? How much priming sugar should I use?
I’d advise against priming (in my opinion). There’s definitely a taste difference. A yeast bite that exists that is not present in a gas charged beer. I did the priming thing early in my 10-gallon “career”. I used to gas one 5-gallon batch and prime the other. Big difference.


4) what is the normal serving psi?
Depends on your setup. I serve out of my Sanyo at around 6-7 PSI.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Recommendations on Faucets? I plan on purchasing forward-sealing faucets, but the only manufacturer names that I'm familiar with from reading them on here are Ventmatic and Shirron. Neither of which I can find in a search at micromatic.com.

 

[rdwj]

Perlick is the other name - doesn't look like Micromatic carries them

 

[krispy d]

Recommendations on Faucets? I plan on purchasing forward-sealing faucets, but the only manufacturer names that I'm familiar with from reading them on here are Ventmatic and Shirron. Neither of which I can find in a search at micromatic.com.

Perlick is the other name you could be looking for.

you can't find em cause they don't carry em. Best price I've seen that is consistent is beverage factory.

http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/faucets/faucets/12G09-172.shtml

 

[RoaringBrewer]

Good questions - I would have had to ask these in about 2 weeks myself! Are you purchasing your 'conversion kit' from kegconnection.com?

If so, I think they come with pretty much everything you need to start serving immediately - kegs, quick connects, co2, regulators, tubing, tower, etc. I plan to get their 2 tower kit for around $300. I'm sure I could do it cheaper piecing things together, but for the $50 I might save, it's not worth it...

Anyway, I have a newb question of my own - I assume if you had dual regulators you can set your CO2 on each keg differently, correct? Thus you could carbonate different kegs to different levels depending upon style? E.g. less carbonation for a stout than a belgian wit? Also, this would be necessary so that you could carb a keg on the CO2 at 12 (or 30 depending how you do it) psi, while serving another (fully carb'd) at only 6psi? Does this make sense? If dual regulators don't allow this, then how do you deal with these situations?

 

[krispy d]

Good questions - I would have had to ask these in about 2 weeks myself! Are you purchasing your 'conversion kit' from kegconnection.com?

If so, I think they come with pretty much everything you need to start serving immediately - kegs, quick connects, co2, regulators, tubing, tower, etc. I plan to get their 2 tower kit for around $300. I'm sure I could do it cheaper piecing things together, but for the $50 I might save, it's not worth it...

Anyway, I have a newb question of my own - I assume if you had dual regulators you can set your CO2 on each keg differently, correct? Thus you could carbonate different kegs to different levels depending upon style? E.g. less carbonation for a stout than a belgian wit? Also, this would be necessary so that you could carb a keg on the CO2 at 12 (or 30 depending how you do it) psi, while serving another (fully carb'd) at only 6psi? Does this make sense? If dual regulators don't allow this, then how do you deal with these situations?

Yes you have the right idea but you have to be careful, a lot of people mess up and order a dual guage regulator like this:

which will only ouput one pressure. the other guage tells you how much gas is left in the tank.

what you would need is a two way manifold before the regulator like this:

with a regulator coming off of each one.

hope that made sense...

 

[krispy d]

to answer the rest of your question. I have five tap lines but only one regulator. I force carb and just shut off the rest of the lines when I am carbing. It is not that big of a deal really. I use a six way manifold after my gas regulator. Five for the tap lines and one extra for the carbing line. Just be sure you shut of the valves at the manifold before you jack your gas up to carbing pressure.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

actually I was looking at this:

http://www.alternativebeverage.com/cornelius_kegging_system_ball_lock/cornelius_ball_lock_system.htm

I hadn't been to kegconnection.com yet.

 

[Flyin' Lion]

As far as faucets go, I would purchase Perlicks from Superprod.com. You have to call and give them a part number, but it can be found in this thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=27675&page=5&highlight=superprod.com

The thread is a good read on ventmatic vs. perlick.

 

[RoaringBrewer]

Thanks krispy_d!

I am inquiring about the kit I was planning to purchase and ensuring it comes with a 3-guage set-up - 2 regulators on a manifold and 1 to show tank pressure... It's going to run a little more ($40-45) for the manifold and dual regs, but I don't want to have to worry about shutting off valves on one keg while I carb for 10 days on another, etc.

Plus, it will be nice to serve at the appropriate volumes CO2 for each style beer I intend to serve - I like my ESB a bit less carbed than my american wheats! And I like to drink a lot of both!

 

[krispy d]

sounds like you already know what you are doing

 

[RoaringBrewer]

sounds like you already know what you are doing

thanks, but I hardly do! Haven't tapped a keg in probably 4 years and then it was a sankey full of busch or something with a picnic tap (college, ya know...) - haha...

definitely never have kegged, carbed, and tapped my own homebrew, but it will be nice when I can!!

appreciate the help

sorry for the thread-jack ohiobrewtus!

 

[ohiobrewtus]

sorry for the thread-jack ohiobrewtus!

No problem at all. As long as everyone learns from it it's all good.

 

[jdoiv]

I would suggest picking up a couple of check valves from US plastics to put between your regulator and your QD's.

 

[kilroy]

Take a look at this thread
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=31184
if you want to get a really multiple keg system setup.

and here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=406311&postcount=185 for some pictures - hopefully show what I mean.

Kilroy

 

[mr x]

Yes you have the right idea but you have to be careful, a lot of people mess up and order a dual guage regulator like this:

which will only ouput one pressure. the other guage tells you how much gas is left in the tank.

what you would need is a two way manifold before the regulator like this:

with a regulator coming off of each one.

hope that made sense...

If you are going to do that you will need some high pressure connections from the tank to the manifold (CGA 320 and possibly a bushing). Or you will have a bit of an issue.

 

[LouT]

I got my Shirron's from Northern Brewer last year. They have nice machining and were priced decently - I think about $26 ea at the time. There are some good posts with photos comparing Shirron's, Perlicks, and Ventmatics on this board, if you feel like searching (I'm being lazy at the moment).

 

[Donasay]

If you are getting a CO2 setup, it is best to get a bigger tank, you have to refill it less. I have a 20# tank that I bought used and about half full, 10 5 gallon kegs and 2 15.5 gallon kegs later it still has gas. I don't have anywhere close that fills tanks, so if it runs out it might be days till I get it filled. Having the bigger tank ensures that it running out happens less frequently. I always tell people to get bigger tanks, and more than one if they can. I have an extra 5# tank that I use to transfer beer and other fun stuff like that.