So confused about kegging...

[hellhammer]

i saw a post about kegging and people have so many damned options, for now i finished brewing my dubbel ale, fermatation is done i checked gravity 3 times, it stood 2 weeks in primary.

Yesterday i kegged it, and today i did force carb it by rockin keg method for 10 mins.

Now i did put the pressure at 30 psi and its cooling in the fridge.

Am i doing it right? or maybe i should have left the keg at temperature room for a few weeks?

oh and btw the alcohol % is 8,90%

thanks a lot!

 

[pshankstar]

I no longer shake or roll the keg. After filling the keg, I place it in the fridge and set the regulator to 35psi and let it sit for 36 hours or so. I purge it, drop it to 10psi and take a sample. Usually it needs more time.

The last time I left it at 35psi for 48 hours and then purged it and dropped it to 10psi. It was right were I wanted it to be. It even seemed to be better a day later when it sat at 10psi after the first 48 hours being at 35psi.

I hope that makes sense. I over carbonated my keg once by rolling or shaking and will never do it again. I hope this helps! Cheers!

 

[helibrewer]

With a Belgian you might try keg conditioning next time. Mix your priming sugar just as you would for bottling and add it to the keg. I usually put about 10 psi on the keg to make sure it is sealed, then keep at 68-72F for a couple weeks to carb up. Chill. The first couple pints will pull the sediment off the bottom of the keg.

 

[Bassman2003]

If you have more time, it is more consistent to apply the "set and forget" approach. Hook up your keg at serving pressure and let it set for a week or two. This forces you to let the beer age a bit as well as giving you measured levels of CO2. The blasting and shaking leads to more CO2 than intended which leads to an unbalanced system and foamy pours.

 

[ncsuwerewolf]

And dont carb warm. CO2 is more soluble in cold liquid than in warm.

 

[SGTSparty]

Agree w/ post #2. Fill, seal, put in kegerator at 25-30 PSI for 36 hours, turn off gas, purge headspace, dial to serving pressure, put back on gas, leave for 12 hours and you're close enough. Shaking always missed the mark when I've tried it, and you never know how long to leave it at a higher PSI after that (if you need it at all) or if you're over carbed. Based on where you are right now, I'd say you best bet is to put it on serving pressure and leave it. depending on how much you got into it via shaking it could take 12-96 hours. if you're in a hurry leave it on 30 PSI for 12 hours then check it (purge the head space and drop to serving pressure first). You shouldn't be at much risk for over carbing since you shook carbed at room temp but you never know.

 

[Bradyfumbled]

As you can see by the variety of replies, there is no "right" way, play around and find the way that works best for you.

Personally, I've had far better luck and consistency with the "set it and forget it." Once I have a tap available, the keg goes into the keezer at serving pressure (about 12psi in my set up), and about 4-5 days later it'll have great carbonation.

If you don't have 4-5 days to kill, hitting with with higher pressure, shaking it, all of those methods will work, but you'll have more trouble dialing in the exact carbonation and foaming levels.

Play with it until you find your own preferred method!

 

[Morrey]

In my opinion, the bottom line is "how much time do you have to get the keg carbed and ready to serve"? If you have a week or two, set and forget at 12-15 psi when its nice and cool. Party tomorrow night? Get to rocking and rolling that keg at 35 psi.

 

[brewcat]

I bet with a dubbel you will want to "set and forget" for at least three weeks if not more. For me, higher abv has taken longer to carb.

 

[firerat]

If I have time and the tap available, set and forget is the best.

 

[Homercidal]

For a dubbel, I'd consider room temp aging for a couple of weeks. In that case, I'd consider adding priming sugar and letting it naturally carb like a bottle. Then you can put it in the kegerator and when it's cold it's ready to pour.

There are several ways to force carb. I don't *like* to burst carb by forcing the CO2 into the beer faster than the set-and-forget method, because it's easy to overcarb and get foamy pours. But sometimes I'll do it if I'm pressed for time. Most fresh beers like Pale Ales, etc. I just set the pressure and let it carb up over about 2-3 weeks.

Kegging affords you options with carbonation that bottling doesn't.

 

[bbohanon]

I would concur with the 30Psi for 36 hours, purge and set at 10Psi and let it ride method if speed is needed for carbing a beer.

If and when I do this, I usually find the beer itself still needs more time in the keg to condition to optimum taste rather than carbing being the problem.

With something like a Dubbel or other high ABV beer, the beer usually just needs that extra time to come together and be all it can be anyhow so I use the set it and forget it rule with carbing my kegs.

Time is your friend with these beers so letting them carb up over time at 10-12Psi wont hurt and will most likely help the beer taste-wise and will avoid any carbonic bite you may or may not get by speed carbing.

YMMV:rockin:

 

[GPP33]

You didn't expect one clear answer did you?

I've tried the set it and forget it method but even after a week it had barely noticeable carbonation. Plus I'm super impatient and am generally a bad planner so I often run out of home brew before my next batch is ready. I usually let it sit under about 30 psi for 24 hours once it's cool then give it a little rocking, not a violent shake and only for about 30 seconds. Let it sit, come back the next day, do it again then drop the pressure to about 20 psi for 24 hours and finally to about 10psi for 24 hours. After that it's not perfect but it pours ok and is very much enjoyable, a few more days and everything is settled and pouring perfectly. There hefe I keged on Saturday will be flowing tonight.

I also brewed a smash pale ale with home grown hops a couple weeks ago which came out very light on hop flavor so I'm leaving the dry hops in for serving, that one got put on gas last night and since there's hops in it I won't be shaking it. I'm going to leve it at about 30psi for a few days and see how it's doing.

 

[GPP33]

Well I overshot it. Had to turn the PSI way down to get a decent pour. Should be good in a couple days, until then I'll be enjoying my hefe early!

 

[55x11]

I no longer shake or roll the keg. After filling the keg, I place it in the fridge and set the regulator to 35psi and let it sit for 36 hours or so. I purge it, drop it to 10psi and take a sample. Usually it needs more time.

The last time I left it at 35psi for 48 hours and then purged it and dropped it to 10psi. It was right were I wanted it to be. It even seemed to be better a day later when it sat at 10psi after the first 48 hours being at 35psi.

I hope that makes sense. I over carbonated my keg once by rolling or shaking and will never do it again. I hope this helps! Cheers!

I agree with above. That's what I do. Burst-carb at higher pressure, 30-35psi, for 24-36 hours. Then back down to 10-12 psi, depending on your temperature and style, it will be ready in 2-3 days, and there is no risk of over carbonation.

As to keg conditioning - it will continue conditioning at 40F or so. It will be faster at 60 or 65F of course, and even faster at 70F.
You can maybe make it a bit more natural, belgian-style, by carbing with sugar and making yeast work a bit (at room temperature), or leave the keg at warmer temperatures to help condition it further. If you can restrain yourself from drinking it!

Btw - at 8.9%, I would say it's no longer a Belgian Dubbel, it's more like Belgian Dark Strong Ale.

 

[ericbw]

In any case, it is always always always better 2-4 weeks later. Cold conditioning helps the flavors meld. Sounds hoity toity, but it's true.

 

[Electrake]

i have seen so many answers, here's mine too! 40psi 24hours, 12psi 24hours and she's good to go

 

[mxstar21]

I agree with above. That's what I do. Burst-carb at higher pressure, 30-35psi, for 24-36 hours. Then back down to 10-12 psi, depending on your temperature and style, it will be ready in 2-3 days, and there is no risk of over carbonation.

As to keg conditioning - it will continue conditioning at 40F or so. It will be faster at 60 or 65F of course, and even faster at 70F.
You can maybe make it a bit more natural, belgian-style, by carbing with sugar and making yeast work a bit (at room temperature), or leave the keg at warmer temperatures to help condition it further. If you can restrain yourself from drinking it!

Btw - at 8.9%, I would say it's no longer a Belgian Dubbel, it's more like Belgian Dark Strong Ale.

That's what I do and it works pretty well. I agree also that it is more of Belgian Dark Strong. I have had the need to shake the keg to carb faster. I just rack to the keg, carb at 30 psi for about a day or two and then go 10 psi. If not carbonated enough, I adjust it day by day.