Natural carb in keg

[rcreamer0713]

So im oeaving for army training in april. I got an ipa fermenting now. So issue here is how should u maturally carb this? I dint wanna put am ipa in kegerater on 10psi for am entire month. So i fogure natural carb will be perfect will be mellowed out amd carbed when i gt home.

So i read half the sugar id use for bottling.

Hit keg with psi to gt oxygen out then let sit at room temp.? Sound right?

Thanks ahead of time.

 

[govner1]

I generally use about .75 oz of priming sugar/malt per gallon of beer for keg conditioning. I pressurize & purge the keg w/ CO2. I leave it at room temp (68°-70°).
I cold crash for about three days before serving.

 

[rcreamer0713]

Awsome thanks. I owe ya one.

 

[monkeyman1000]

I use Northern Brewer's Carbonation calculator to find out how much priming sugar per style then use about 75-80% of that number. I purge the keg with CO2 then I boil the sugar and some water for 10 minutes, cool a little then add to the keg. Fill up the keg with uncarbed beer then purge the headspace and leave it at room temp for about 3 weeks. Then I put it in the fridge for about 2-3 weeks before I drink it although I usually pull some "samples" before then. They always get better if I wait, especially clarity, so I am trying to learn to be more patient. Thank you for your service by the way. I got out of the Army in 1996.

 

[chickypad]

It's fine to naturally carb if you want, but I'm not sure I'm understanding your reasoning. With an IPA I'd think you would want to carb and drink as soon as it's done fermenting, i.e before you leave. But barring that, I'd want to store it cool to keep it as fresh as possible. What is the problem leaving it in the kegerator for a month?

 

[day_trippr]

When "naturally" carbonating in a corny keg, definitely use keg lube on the lid gasket, and if you don't feel the latch is putting a decent "squish" on that gasket, stick a dime under each foot of the latch before locking it down.

While you can seat the lid with CO2, that pressure will rapidly dissipate into the beer, leaving pretty close to zero pressure on the lid. In that state even the smallest leak will cause all that primer to go to waste.

Cheers! And thank you for your commitment to the USA

 

[rcreamer0713]

It's fine to naturally carb if you want, but I'm not sure I'm understanding your reasoning. With an IPA I'd think you would want to carb and drink as soon as it's done fermenting, i.e before you leave. But barring that, I'd want to store it cool to keep it as fresh as possible. What is the problem leaving it in the kegerator for a month?

When its done fermenting ill have bout a week if that ti drink it. I dont drink that much. Figure i naturally carb it it will put me at 4 weeks to drinking time (roughly estimating from ipas i bottled.) Then i can enjoy the freshness of the ipa. Force carbing leaving in keg for a momth i thought i would lose carbination and freshness from being in co2 so long.

 

[chickypad]

When its done fermenting ill have bout a week if that ti drink it. I dont drink that much. Figure i naturally carb it it will put me at 4 weeks to drinking time (roughly estimating from ipas i bottled.) Then i can enjoy the freshness of the ipa. Force carbing leaving in keg for a momth i thought i would lose carbination and freshness from being in co2 so long.

This is not correct. Once the beer is carbed it's carbed. It doesn't lose carbonation sitting in the keg (unless you have a leak), you can leave beers on tap for years if you want. The difference is it will be conditioning at room temp those 4 wks if you naturally carb vs. conditioning at cool temps if you force carb. The cooler temps slow the aging process and hopefully keep the beer more fresh tasting.

 

[rcreamer0713]

Ok im new to kegging so im learning as i go.

 

[BigTerp]

I use Northern Brewer's Carbonation calculator to find out how much priming sugar per style then use about 75-80% of that number. I purge the keg with CO2 then I boil the sugar and some water for 10 minutes, cool a little then add to the keg. Fill up the keg with uncarbed beer then purge the headspace and leave it at room temp for about 3 weeks. Then I put it in the fridge for about 2-3 weeks before I drink it although I usually pull some "samples" before then. They always get better if I wait, especially clarity, so I am trying to learn to be more patient. Thank you for your service by the way. I got out of the Army in 1996.

I almost always naturally carb my kegs. I always use 50% of what I would use for the same style if I were bottling. But I seem to find it leaves me slightly undercarbed. Which is OK, because that can be fixed in the kegerator on gas for a few days. But I've been wondering about upping my priming sugar to get closer to desired final carb levels. But don't want to overcarb. Do you find that 75-80% gets you pretty close?

 

[Morrey]

I almost always naturally carb my kegs. I always use 50% of what I would use for the same style if I were bottling. But I seem to find it leaves me slightly undercarbed. Which is OK, because that can be fixed in the kegerator on gas for a few days. But I've been wondering about upping my priming sugar to get closer to desired final carb levels. But don't want to overcarb. Do you find that 75-80% gets you pretty close?

I'm trying to figure the same thing, so if anyone can let us both know. I have not seen the ill effects of using a full 5 oz of priming sugar to naturally carb in the 5 gal keg...at least so far. My results have not been overcarbed...but only my opinion. Is there a better and time tested formula here...like 75% of the priming sugar you would typically use if bottling??

 

[monkeyman1000]

I almost always naturally carb my kegs. I always use 50% of what I would use for the same style if I were bottling. But I seem to find it leaves me slightly undercarbed. Which is OK, because that can be fixed in the kegerator on gas for a few days. But I've been wondering about upping my priming sugar to get closer to desired final carb levels. But don't want to overcarb. Do you find that 75-80% gets you pretty close?

Seems to get me pretty close most of the time if I remember to do it. Sometimes I get in a hurry and forget to do the math.

 

[doug293cz]

I almost always naturally carb my kegs. I always use 50% of what I would use for the same style if I were bottling. But I seem to find it leaves me slightly undercarbed. Which is OK, because that can be fixed in the kegerator on gas for a few days. But I've been wondering about upping my priming sugar to get closer to desired final carb levels. But don't want to overcarb. Do you find that 75-80% gets you pretty close?

I'm trying to figure the same thing, so if anyone can let us both know. I have not seen the ill effects of using a full 5 oz of priming sugar to naturally carb in the 5 gal keg...at least so far. My results have not been overcarbed...but only my opinion. Is there a better and time tested formula here...like 75% of the priming sugar you would typically use if bottling??

I don't know where the nonsense about using less sugar to naturally carb a keg then when bottling started, or why it is so widely believed and repeated.

I measured the headspace to beer volume ratio for a full keg (5 gal in a "5 gal" keg) and a 12 oz bottle filled to ~ 1" headspace. In both cases, the headspace represents about 6% of the beer volume. To get equivalent levels of carbonation, you need equivalent amounts of sugar.

Brew on

 

[Morrey]

I don't know where the nonsense about using less sugar to naturally carb a keg then when bottling started, or why it is so widely believed and repeated.

I measured the headspace to beer volume ratio for a full keg (5 gal in a "5 gal" keg) and a 12 oz bottle filled to ~ 1" headspace. In both cases, the headspace represents about 6% of the beer volume. To get equivalent levels of carbonation, you need equivalent amounts of sugar.

Brew on

Makes sense. I don't know why but a ton of keg brewers (me included) have been told to use less priming sugar if carbing in a keg. 5 gallons IS 5 gallons whether in a keg or in bottles provided, as you point out, combined headspace is equal. Makes it easier to use a whole 5 ounce priming sugar packet than to fuss over weighing out and having partial baggies of sugar laying around.

 

[BigTerp]

I just recently kegged a two hearted ale clone that I used the full amount of sugar required to bottle 5 gallons at 2.5 volumes. WAY over carbonated. I have another 5 gallon keg of the same beer with the same amount of priming sugar waiting it's turn in the kegerator. We'll see if I get the same results with that keg as well. I also recently kegged 10 gallons of a hoppy amber with 100% priming sugar. Will report back in a few weeks when it gets it chance to be tapped.

 

[BigTerp]

The second keg of my two hearted ale clone was just as overcarbed as the first. The hoppy amber was just fine. Both used the same amount (100%) of what is called for to bottle at 2.5 volumes. Go figure.