New Kegger - Carb Question with Beer Line

[AJBrew710]

Hey all,

I'm a new kegger here, and I'll be kegging my first batch today. I plan on using the set & forget method of carbonating for a week or two. My question is do you guys have the beer line attached to the keg while your carbonating, or do you wait until after it's done and you're ready to serve to hook it up?

I was thinking at first to leave it disconnected so that oxygen in the line doesn't seep into the beer or anything, but then I was wondering if I'd end up with it spraying all over when I try to connect the beer line after it's all carbonated. Just curious what you guys do.

Thanks!

-A.J.-

 

[day_trippr]

Unless your keg has a leaky Out poppet, there's no reason to hook up a beer line to an uncarbed keg. If the poppet is leak free and you have a good O-ring on top of the post, when you do hook up a beer QD you shouldn't get any beer spraying/leaking from it...

Cheers!

 

[JuanMoore]

It doesn't really matter either way for set and forget pressure. I have a tower on my keezer, so I have to move it away from the wall every time I want to open it, which is a bit of a hassle. I hook up the beer line as soon as the keg goes in so that I don't have to mess with it later, and so that I can take an occasional sample to see how it's coming.

 

[Slipgate]

I don't connect the beer side until I am ready for a sample, then I leave it connected until the keg is done. But it doesn't really matter.

 

[Yooper]

I don't connect the beer side until I am ready for a sample, then I leave it connected until the keg is done. But it doesn't really matter.

I tend to connect mine right away, as I have a full-sized fridge for a kegerator. It's sort of a pain to reach the kegs in the back (very little "hand space" above the kegs), so I usually connect both "in" and "out" when I place the kegs in there.

It's really not important, as long as you have your tap closed completely and no leaks! If you're using picnic taps, they can fall down behind and get stuck open and you may not know until either a. the kegerator fills with beer, b. the gas is all gone, or c. both! So, if you DO connect the beerline and tap, just make sure it's secure!

 

[AJBrew710]

Thanks for all the responses! The gas is currently on the keg...we'll see how it turns out in a week or so

 

[f-nritedog]

I wait simply because I carbonate for two days at 30 psi if the beer is already done conditioning and I like to take it out of the kegerator and shake it a couple times. You can hear additional co2 entering the keg as you shake it.

 

[AJBrew710]

I wait simply because I carbonate for two days at 30 psi if the beer is already done conditioning and I like to take it out of the kegerator and shake it a couple times. You can hear additional co2 entering the keg as you shake it.

So when you put the beer line on after a couple days, do you need to depressurize it first before attaching the quick disconnect, or can you attach the beer line to a pressurized keg?