Need to carb asap

[mrussell345]

I brewed 25gals of beer for my wedding reception on saturday but totally forgot to keg them. So I need to carb them by 6pm tomorrow evening... What can I do?
Using 5gal corney kegs, all lighter beers.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

You can force carb and make bubbles in the beer but I don't think you can really get the carbonation right in the time you have.

The way I have force carbed is:
Make sure you have a check valve on the CO2 line from your regulator... doing this risks getting beer in the regulator without one. Also, make sure your CO2 tank and regulator are higher than you raise the keg during these steps.

1. Chill the kegs (CO2 is absorbed better when the beer is cold)
2. Purge the kegs of oxygen (Attach gas qd & pull pressure relief and let some gas flow for a few seconds then close the pressure relief valve)
3. Attach CO2 qd & Pressurize the keg to 20-25psi.
4. Close the valve on the CO2 tank but leave the QD connected to the KEG.
5. Hold the keg horizontally (sideways) with the gas post on top (so it's not below the beer)
6. Rock the keg back and forth (this doesn't have to be "shake the ****" out of it) and watch the gauge on the regulator (it will drop as the CO2 is absorbed).
7. When the CO2 gauge stops moving, open the valve on the cylinder to re-charge the keg.
8. Go back to step 4 and repeat the process until the gauge does not drop when the keg is shaken.
9. Release the pressure in the keg, set to serving pressure and give it a try.


Good luck.

Ed

 

[Boleslaus]

Just don't over due it. Check it before you try to carbonate it too much. You can always go back and shake it more, but if you over-carb, it will be difficult to get it just right by tomorrow.

 

[shortyjacobs]

Shaking is a recipe for overcarbing, IMHO, but to get them done in 24 hrs you might have to risk it.

Are they already cold? I hope so.

Hook em up to 35 PSI, don't shake. Wait until tomorrow afternoon. Purge down to 12 PSI, pull a sample, test carbonation. Most likely it won't be enough. Raise pressure to 15 or 20 PSI, give one or two shakes, test again. Hope.