"pre-carbonating" kegs at room temp

[m00ps]

I've got some kegged beer that I want to start getting carbed up and ready until there is space in my fridge. My usual protocol is to set it at 30psi and leave it for a day or so at room temp (haven't tried shaking method yet). Then when I move it to the fridge, it goes down to serving pressure

My question is, will the keg be OK at 30psi for a few weeks if it sits at room temp? Or would I end up with overcarbonated beer by the time I turn the pressure down and chill it?

 

[zachattack]

30 psi should be fine indefinitely depending on your room temperature. If it's 70 degrees, 30 psi is 2.5-2.6 volumes of CO2 which is a pretty typical level. Should take 2-3 weeks to fully carbonate just like in the fridge.

 

[pvpeacock]

It you pressurize it to 30 psi for a day and then take it off gas completely, until you have room in your fridge, you should not have an over-carbonation problem. However, you may have an under-carbonation problem until you hook it back up to the CO2 and chill it .

You may want to consider naturally carbonating it if you won't have room in your fridge for a couple of weeks. Just add the appropriate amount of sugar dissolved in hot water when racking (or afterwards), seal the keg and purge with CO2 a few times. It will naturally carbonate while you wait. You can then fine tune the carbonation levels once it's in your fridge on gas. The only downside is that you will get a pint or two of cloudy beer at the start from the yeast that falls out of suspension following carbonation.

 

[raysmithtx]

Since 30psi at 65 degrees is 2.58 volumes and 12 psi at 38 degrees is 2.57 volumes. I don't see how it would be possible to over carb a beer at those levels no matter how long you leave it. I let my kegs set to 30 psi at room temp. while I'm waiting for a slot of open in my kegerator.

The only problem I have ever had was when I attached the gas line to the room temp. keg and I had forgot to release the pressure on the keg first. If the keg is over filled you can get beer into your pressure gauge (assuming you don't have backflow valves) I don't.

 

[j1n]

i carb all my kegs at room temp. never had a problem. just adjust psi to volume of co2 desired. Online co2 calculators can help you figure out the correct psi.

 

[Howhownow]

I 'precarb' (mostly) all my kegs at room temp by naturally conditioning them. I add enough sugar for bottling, then fill about 12 bottles. After that I purge the keg with CO2 and let it condition. Because of the headspace created by filling the bottles, there is not quite enough sugar to fully carb/overcarb. I hook it up in the fridge, and then it's quickly ready to go because it's already close to carb levels!

 

[Hammy71]

I carb all my beers at room temp. I have a setup (charging station) that is a 20# CO2 tank (the pic shows my 7# while the 20# was being filled) with a spider web of lines coming out of the reg. Yes, you'll have to have the psi higher than you would in the fridge. There are a ton of charts on line to tell you what psi is best for your situation. Works like a champ!!

 

[day_trippr]

Since 30psi at 65 degrees is 2.58 volumes and 12 psi at 38 degrees is 2.57 volumes. I don't see how it would be possible to over carb a beer at those levels no matter how long you leave it. [...]

Exactly.

Cheers!

 

[JimEb]

I'm dragging up an old thread here, but came across it on a search. I've been keeping a separate charging station for a while now. My goal was when a spot opened up in the kegerator I could just throw in a precarbed keg, let chill and enjoy. The theory sounds good, but after a few years doing this it never really worked out as planned.

I'll have a keg sitting on 30psi in my room temp beer closet, sometimes for a month or two. You'd think the beer would be well carbonated under those conditions. However what I've been finding is I just end up with a keg at 30psi and barely any CO2 absorbed in the beer. Soon as I vent that excess pressure and hook it up in the kegerator I have warm flat beer...just like it was freshly racked from the carboy. Then it's a week or so chilled at pressure before it's carbed and drinkable. Seems I gain absolutely nothing.

 

[AnOldUR]

Don't vent. I'd be like opening a room temp bottle of commercial beer and recapping before chilling. A lot of CO2 is in the head space and gets absorbed when you chill. By venting you're losing it.

Also, if you haven't done it, check that your pressure gauge is accurate.

 

[Braufessor]

I'm dragging up an old thread here, but came across it on a search. I've been keeping a separate charging station for a while now. My goal was when a spot opened up in the kegerator I could just throw in a precarbed keg, let chill and enjoy. The theory sounds good, but after a few years doing this it never really worked out as planned.

I'll have a keg sitting on 30psi in my room temp beer closet, sometimes for a month or two. You'd think the beer would be well carbonated under those conditions. However what I've been finding is I just end up with a keg at 30psi and barely any CO2 absorbed in the beer. Soon as I vent that excess pressure and hook it up in the kegerator I have warm flat beer...just like it was freshly racked from the carboy. Then it's a week or so chilled at pressure before it's carbed and drinkable. Seems I gain absolutely nothing.

Are you putting the keg in the kegerator for a couple days to get cold first? That might help as far as needing to vent it as much as the cold beer will hold onto its CO2 Much better than warm beer.