Priming kegs or force carbonation?

[sudsey]

New to kegging. Got my first keg in the kegerator unprimed. Started it on 20psi for 24 hours and dropped it to 15psi. Going to leave it for 2 days then drop it to 12 for five days. It's cold and I have gently moving the fluid around. Sound good?

Also, I plan to start priming some kegs as I only have one line from my co2 cylinder and don't want to have to wait so long after I finish each keg. What's the process with priming a keg? Do you have to realese/purge any pressure? What's a good serving psi?

What do people prefer out of priming and force carbing?

Thanks

 

[mh-brews]

Well your serving pressure normally depends on the style of beer. If you force carb'd it to 12 that should be your serving pressure, a higher servering pressure and you will add co2 and less you will lose it.

I have done the purge thing you are talking about only a couple times. I don't do it any more because i couln't tell a difference. Thats my experience let others chime in on that part.

 

[KevinM]

I usually serve at about 12 psi. Sometimes I'll do less if I've over carbed.
I rarely purge. And only do that if I've overprimed, or I'm pushing something that's supposed to be a still beverage like a wine(and when I serve at 2psi).

Priming in keg, you add your sugar to the keg based on your desired carbonation level, however I think that there's a slight reduction compared to bottling and let it sit for 3 weeks somewhere.

Alternate force carbing in kegs, also used when using multiple kegs and one has a leak that you just can't seem to find even with starsan searches... I'll push 30 psi into the keg for a few seconds, let it sit for a few hours to equalize and repeat until I get close to the right ending psi, measured using a spunding valve then force carb normally, usually towards the serving time.. (I'll also use the spunding valve for when I've gotten over and want it to drain until Xpsi).

 

[Seven]

I prime with sugar if I know the beer will be sitting in the keg for a few weeks before going into the keezer. I usually prime 5 gallons with 2 oz of corn sugar.

I'll force carb with C02 if we need the beer in a hurry or if there's space in the keezer to set and forget the keg.

 

[Yooper]

Don't move the keg around! You'll just resuspend any sediment, and it'll take even longer to clear/settle. It's fine where it is. I keep my kegerator at 12 psi, but it depends on the temperature and how well carbed you like your beer.

When you prime your kegs, you use 1/2 of the amount you normally would for bottling- normally 2.5 ounces by weight for a keg, dissolved in a little water and boiled. Then the beer is racked into it. I have a few kegs that don't seal well, so I give it a blast of co2. Then purge it and give it another shot (this purges out the co2) and spray some star-san over the lid to check for leaks. When you're certain there are no leaks, just set it aside to wait its turn in the kegerator. You don't purge any more- otherwise you'll just remove the c02 you're trying to capture to carb up the beer.

 

[sudsey]

Thanks guys, is it ok to have the keg at a slightly higher pressure for the first few days (15), before dropping to 12 psi for another five and serving?

I think I'll prime most of my kegs from now on so there is less turnaround time unless I get a split line going from my regulator.