Trouble with carbonation using counter pressure filler

[SweatyHorseBlanket]

Hi everyone, I recently purchased the Blichman Beer Gun because i wanted quicker and more consistent carbonation levels in my bottles. I transferred an English Ale into a 5 gal corny keg after I purged it with C02. I turned on the C02 after I put the top on the keg and then purged out any oxygen. I set the pressure to 11 psi on my regulator and let the keg sit for one week at 66 deg F. Before hooking up the beer gun I released the pressure from the keg until I didn't hear any gas coming out. The lid of my keg doesn't have a pressure valve so I used the C02 port. (The manual for the gun says to release the pressure so its equal to the pressure going in). I have a splitter on my regulator so one line goes to the beer gun and the other goes to the keg. I purged each bottle with C02, filled with beer, purged the headspace and then immediatly capped. I played around with the filling pressure so it was anywhere from 2-4 psi going to the gun and the keg.

I was horrified when I cracked a beer and it was basically flat. Does anyone know what I did wrong?

Thanks - SweatyHorseBlanket

 

[BigFloyd]

One week at 66*F and 11psi isn't going to carb the beer hardly at all. That's the issue, not the filler.

I typically leave mine two weeks at 12psi, but that beer has already been chilled to and will sit at 38*F. The temp makes a huge difference in the absorption of the gas into the beer.

 

[RoundKid]

Did you try a beer from the keg to test the carbonation level before you started bottling?

 

[SweatyHorseBlanket]

Thanks guys. I did try the beer but I dispensed it at 11 psi. It seemed good at the time but I guess i was fooled by the dispensing pressure when it wasn't actually carbonated. Is there any way to determine what the actual pressure of your beer is other than waiting a long time? I intentionally carbonated at room temp so I wouldn't have to cool my bottles but in hindsight it doesn't seem worth it.

 

[BigFloyd]

Chill it to 38-40*F, set it to 12 psi for two weeks and you'll be good to go.

With a counter-pressure filler, you should not have to chill your bottles. I don't.

 

[CA_Mouse]

+1 tp both previous responses. The beer needs to be correctly carbonated before you fill the bottles. If you put flat beer into the bottle, there is nothing that is going to carbonate it. No yeast, no sugar means no carbonation.

 

[SweatyHorseBlanket]

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it. Right now I've got one chest freezer and its full and at a much higher temp so I cant really get the beer down below 66. If I keep it at 66 with 11 or 12 psi how long do you think it would take to carbonate?

 

[BigFloyd]

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it. Right now I've got one chest freezer and its full and at a much higher temp so I cant really get the beer down below 66. If I keep it at 66 with 11 or 12 psi how long do you think it would take to carbonate?

Let's see, it's 2014 now, right?

To carb at 66*F, you'll have to bump the pressure to 30psi for a week. And then, you won't really know if it's carbed correctly until you chill it.

Also, you want to fill the bottles with cold beer. If you get it carbed up and try to fill bottles with warm beer, I foresee a foamy mess on your hands.

I'd let this one sit until you can chill it and do this right.