Using -LESS- CO2?

[Cpt_Kirks]

When I started kegging, I was going through a 5lb CO2 bottle every three months.

Lately, even though I tend to brew more often, and have switched to mostly 10 gallon batches, I am going through a 5lb CO2 bottle every FOUR months.

Huh?

 

[stratslinger]

How many kegs do you push CO2 to? I'm getting my kegerator set up now, and I've got a 5lb bottle too, and I'm wondering if I'm going to be looking to upgrade sooner rather than later if I plan to push 3 or 4 kegs...

The other thing - have you changed your carb-up approach since you started? A buddy of mine force-carbed everything under high pressure for a few days at first, then backed off. He's now just going for a consistent pressure level and letting the beer carb up more slowly - I'd imagine this probably uses less CO2. Maybe that's the kind of thing you're seeing?

 

[azscoob]

perhaps you are serving warmer, I have raised the temp in my kegerator, this equates to less absorption at a given pressure, I have also been brewing more milds, and ESBs, and they are carbed much lower than the hefes I usually have in the summer. this for me has reduced my CO2 usage.

I used to purge with a ton of CO2 several times when kegging, and I used to clean and sanitize my kegs by pushing cleaner or sanitizer from a keg with CO2. I now purge a few times instead of the 8-10 times like I used to, I use a pump style sprayer to pressure clean my lines now. I am also more careful to check for leaks in my kegs and lines etc.

 

[BendBrewer]

I go through about 20 kegs per 5 pound bottle of gas.

 

[cravej]

Sounds like you had a leak.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I go through about 20 kegs per 5 pound bottle of gas.

Holy Co2 miser...how is this possible? I must have a leak cause I don't think I get near that...do you prime or force carb?

 

[shortyjacobs]

Holy Co2 miser...how is this possible? I must have a leak cause I don't think I get near that...do you prime or force carb?

Priming gives you about 4x as many kegs per bottle as force carbing, (put another way, you only use about 1/4 the gas when you are just pushing beer, and not carbing it as well).

I typically see about 4-5 kegs per 5 lbs with force carbing. So 20 without makes sense.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I use 20pound tanks and have to fill them MAYBE once a year. The ONLY time I use CO2 is when I am carbing a keg. For leak tests, I use compressed air and I test my kegs to seal at 12psi.

Been doing it this way for over 4 years now.

 

[BendBrewer]

Holy Co2 miser...how is this possible? I must have a leak cause I don't think I get near that...do you prime or force carb?

I normally set it and forget it. If rushed I'll force carb.

My first tank didn't last very long. Had a slow leak. Added a T fitting and the second one lasted me a day. Bigger leak. Found both and the 3rd bottle lasted me 5 months. Kicking a keg once a week.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Sounds like you had a leak.

That's my guess. I have replaced a lot of o-rings, and a few poppets.