New to force carbing

[mikeoholic]

Just purchased my first co2 tank with regulator and wanted to know if there is anything I should know before my first attempt. I understand that this is pretty vague but I am very interested to hear what others have figured out over the years. Hoping to avoid any major disasters. CHEERS!

 

[theck]

I started this past year... Just put my kegs in the system, 38degrees @ 11psi, for 1 to 3 weeks. Easy to do but hard to wait that long. Once you read all the overcarb threads it seems like the best method IMO.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[insanim8er]

I started this past year... Just put my kegs in the system, 38degrees @ 11psi, for 1 to 3 weeks. Easy to do but hard to wait that long. Once you read all the overcarb threads it seems like the best method IMO.

Different styles need different volumes of co2. There's no one solution for all styles. I would never go over 2 vol for a stout. And I would never do 2 vol for a hef.

Look on google. There are charts for styles, co2 volume, and pressure to temp. It'll be your best friend.

 

[mikeoholic]

Thanks all. Should I sanitize regulator and gas hoses?

 

[theck]

Thanks all. Should I sanitize regulator and gas hoses?

No need to sanitize those they don't touch the beer.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[mikeoholic]

Thanks. That's what I was thinking. Probably less prone to infection at cold temps but wanted to make sure.

 

[insanim8er]

Ya, I never sanitize mine. I only sanitize the gas coupler.

 

[theck]

Different styles need different volumes of co2. There's no one solution for all styles. I would never go over 2 vol for a stout. And I would never do 2 vol for a hef.

Look on google. There are charts for styles, co2 volume, and pressure to temp. It'll be your best friend.

Agreed but works well for me. I plan to add a stout line at done point but will add a separate beer gas line on a 5lb tank for that. Everything cept for the cider has done very well.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[OzMobrew]

When I keg (usually in the evening after work) I hook up the co2 and crank the reg up to 30 psi, turn the keg upside down and shake it a few times. The the next morning before I leave for work I'll shake it a couple more times turning it upside down again then I turn the reg back down to 10 psi . When I get home that evening it's ready to drink.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[insanim8er]

When I keg (usually in the evening after work) I hook up the co2 and crank the reg up to 30 psi, turn the keg upside down and shake it a few times. The the next morning before I leave for work I'll shake it a couple more times turning it upside down again then I turn the reg back down to 10 psi . When I get home that evening it's ready to drink.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Home Brew mobile app

Ya, it works. But "should" only be used when you're in a pinch for time. It's hard to control the co2 volume that way.

But I've done it plenty of times when I don't care or in a hurry.

Ill normally cold crash it to make the keg super cold, plug it in to 30psi, roll it for a few minutes, put it back in the fridge under pressure. Leave it the next day then disconnect and bleed the pressure and serve.

 

[mikeoholic]

Ya, it works. But "should" only be used when you're in a pinch for time. It's hard to control the co2 volume that way.



But I've done it plenty of times when I don't care or in a hurry.



Ill normally cold crash it to make the keg super cold, plug it in to 30psi, roll it for a few minutes, put it back in the fridge under pressure. Leave it the next day then disconnect and bleed the pressure and serve.

I did this and it worked great. Nice foamy beer. I think I'm gonna like this draft thing! Thanks for all the advice. I'll post a pic of my kettle soured saison later today.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[OzMobrew]

Cool glad it worked for you. Kegging is so much simpler, faster, and easier than bottling. If I had to bottle I don't think I'd brew as much. And if you want to take some with you, or save some for later sometime, you can fill a couple growlers right of the tap.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[mikeoholic]

I officially get it. I will still bottle condition beers, but I'll also brew some beers with a quick turn around to put in the keg. This beer was my first beer with a slight infection. I didn't want to condition in the bottle to allow the infection to take hold. This beer is now awesome where it would probably gave been ruined if bottle conditioned. Tart, bright, and a little hazy, this beer has been saved by force carbonation. CHEERS!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[PastorofMuppets]

what ever you do... do not do the turn it up to 30 psi and roll it on the floor method. Very inconsistent results.

http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php use that for reference.

 

[insanim8er]

Cool glad it worked for you. Kegging is so much simpler, faster, and easier than bottling. If I had to bottle I don't think I'd brew as much. And if you want to take some with you, or save some for later sometime, you can fill a couple growlers right of the tap.

Agreed. I bottled once then went to kegging. Now I bottle from my kegs if I give it away. But if I need to bring beer with me, I use my portable kegerator. It runs off paintball co2 canisters and holds two 3 gallon kegs.

what ever you do... do not do the turn it up to 30 psi and roll it on the floor method. Very inconsistent results.

Yes results can vary, but it has it's purpose. It works well if done properly. So to advise not to ever do it, is bad advice. It is not the right way, but it is a way if you're in a pinch.

 

[OzMobrew]

what ever you do... do not do the turn it up to 30 psi and roll it on the floor method. Very inconsistent results.

http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php use that for reference.

I've done this for all 10 batches that I have brewed and Keged. I haven't had a problem with it yet.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[mikeoholic]

I've done this for all 10 batches that I have brewed and Keged. I haven't had a problem with it yet.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Home Brew mobile app

I did this and it looks and tastes good to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[norsk]

This procedure has served me well for years....

There are really two ways to get perfectly carbed beer. Since carbonation pressure is temperature dependent, looking at a carb chart is the way to do it. For my system, this means 12 psi at 40 degrees. Always.

If I'm in a HUGE hurry, I'll set the regulator at 30 psi for 36 hours and put the keg in the fridge. No shaking/rolling/agitating/carb stone. After 36 hours, purge and reset at 12 psi. It's generally really about perfect in 48 hours, and nice and clear after pouring off the first three ounces.

Those are really the only two ways that I've found that have worked for me.

 

[PastorofMuppets]

my point is that you spent alot of time being patient for your beer and the rolling on the floor method is just not the same as the slower force carb method. Neither are wrong but you can more accurately control levels and volumes of Co2.
With the rolling method you are just guessing at how much gas you are forcing in. Im my experience it works fine after you spend a few days burping the keg and adjusting serving pressures... the same time you would spend just doing it right the first time.

 

[WissahickonBrew]

I am amazed that no brew equipment maker has produced a scaled down version of what the craft brewers use to carb their beer, perfectly, every time! A very simple vessel is all that's needed with a short tube at the bottom to attach a 2 micron air stone to with flex tubing. Attach your CO2 line to the outside and pressurize! Perfect beer in a bout 30 minutes!

 

[kombat]

Two big things I learned the hard way:

Unless your regulator has a rubber gasket built-in, there's a plastic washer that's supposed to sit between the regular and the outlet on the CO2 tank to prevent leaking. It prevents a metal-on-metal connection and sits inside the nut that you tighten to connect the regulator to the tank.

If you're using ball-lock Corny kegs, know that the posts and connectors are NOT interchangable. I know they look similar, one's black (b for "black"/"beverage") and one's grey (g for "grey"/"gas"), and the gas post has subtle little notches at its base that the beverage post does not have. If you inadvertently connect a gas disconnect to a liquid post (or vice-versa), it will be very difficult to get it back off, and you could very well break it trying.

 

[30Bones]

I have always done the "30psi for a few days" method with no issues I noticed. The last two I have done at 12-15psi for a couple weeks. Had a couple this weekend while brewing and still tasted like beer to me :shrug: