Should I, or Shouldn't I?

[Brewer_Chad]

Okay, here we go. Should I force carbonate, my keg or shouldn't I? If so, what is the best process? I want to carbonate, and drink this amazing A.P.A. I brewed quickly. However, I don't want to loose quality. My local home brew store told me to set the regulator using a carbonation chart in volumes of co2, and leave it for five days. I have read to put the beer on it's side, and role around on the ground. I have read to cool the beer over night, crank up the co2 to 60psi and shake; repeating this process three times. I have read to cool the beer overnight, put the co2 on the out side (where the beer comes out), and it will be finished carbonating in 24 hours. I am a little overwhelmed here. I would like to know what you guys think the best method is? Thank you for your help.

 

[Yooper]

I think you won't get a "best" answer. I think it's whatever works for you. In my case, I'm not a keg-shaker. I either set it at serving pressure (12 psi) in the kegerator, which takes a week or so, or set it at 30 psi for two days or so, then bleed off the pressure and set at 12 psi. Then it's carbed nicely in 3-5 days or so.

You can force carb even more quickly, but chilling the keg and putting it on about 30 psi, and then gently rocking/rolling the keg so that no more gas goes in. This only takes about 30 minutes, I've heard, but I've had foamy beer with doing this, and only tried it a couple of times.

If the beer is appropriately aged and ready to drink, fast carbing is convenient. I usually don't have it well aged, so that week of cold conditioning helps clarify my beer so I don't mind waiting that week while it carbs up.

 

[Brewer_Chad]

Thanks, that is what I was wondering about.