Wedding Saturday - beer carbonation - help please!

[cbird01]

Hello - I should have investigated this earlier of course. Now it is three days to my wedding. I have a 2 corny's that I am carbonating with CO2. I had 3 weeks to carbonate, so I took it easy on the pressure. I can only carbonate at room temp, we keep the house at 65deg. Now I read why my kegs are under carbonated....too high temp, not enough dissolving into beer.

First - I cranked the pressure to 30psi and shook the snot out of them. Got as much gas in as I could. Shook each for about 3 minutes. Then I hooked up at 12 psi for a week and a half, then the other for a week and a half.

I just tried them today and I get a decent head at pour, but it fades quick and not much bubbling on the side. Tastes like it needs more.

My question is - I can only carbonate at room temp, as I will be transporting the kegs 4 hour drive on Thursday. I want to ice the kegs friday night, and ready to drink at the reception at 4PM.

How can I up the carbonation level considering I do not have refrigerator space. It will be 17 deg tonight in Flagstaff AZ. I am traveling to tucson at 11AM on thursday where it will be high 73 low 43.

You help will be greatly appreciated!

(It will be hard to keep them iced thurs. fri, but if that is a suggestion and it makes sense, I can make it happen)

 

[Hoppus_Poppatopolis]

Tell everyone it's a Mild and you've taken years to perfect the recipe

By the way, congratulations on the wedding. I've been married for 26 years; it's a wonderful way to go through life.

 

[Zen_Brew]

You really need to chill those kegs to get and hold the correct carbonation level. If you try to do it at room temp you will need the co2 jacked way up and it still will resist staying in the beer. Ice isn't really that much. Invest in $5-10 in ice and get those kegs chilled, then let the co2 sit at about 20-25 psi for a day or two. Tap some beer out and see where you are at.

With your cold temps you can even set the kegs outside for a couple hours to chill them. 5 gallons of beer will take many hours to freeze at that temp. I have cold crashed a 5 gallon carboy on my patio in 15 degree weather for 8 hours with no freezing. Still once chilled you should keep them on ice to keep the co2 in solution for the big day.

 

[cbird01]

Thanks! But really, any suggestions?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Yea don't fret, it can be done, you just need to carb more at a higher pressure to compensate for the temperature differeince. I'm not sure what pressure you would need at room temp to geive a good pour at chilled temps. I'm guessing you need to carb them up at 25 to 30. Someone will hopefully give you a link to a carbing table. Without better information I would have them on 20 pounds of gas at room temp to compensate for the temp difference.

here ya go...try this link

http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/ForceCarbonation.html

Yea...the linked chart reflects that you need to be 20 - 25 psi at 60 degrees to get 2.2 2.7 vol of co2. Since you are short on time...you could try 30 psi for 24 hours than back of to the mid twenties...good luck. It can be done!

 

[Ashz]

You really need to chill those kegs to get and hold the correct carbonation level. If you try to do it at room temp you will need the co2 jacked way up and it still will resist staying in the beer. Ice isn't really that much. Invest in $5-10 in ice and get those kegs chilled, then let the co2 sit at about 20-25 psi for a day or two. Tap some beer out and see where you are at.

With your cold temps you can even set the kegs outside for a couple hours to chill them. 5 gallons of beer will take many hours to freeze at that temp. I have cold crashed a 5 gallon carboy on my patio in 15 degree weather for 8 hours with no freezing. Still once chilled you should keep them on ice to keep the co2 in solution for the big day.

These were about the best suggestions, and only real options.

Buy ice. Or put them outside if it's cold enough. Really your only options.

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

These were about the best suggestions, and only real options.

Buy ice. Or put them outside if it's cold enough. Really your only options.

Agreed. Only other option I see is postponing the wedding.

 

[Jmiltime]

I would follow Zen's advice, just give it about 25psi and leave it outside overnight. In the morning follow your 'force carb' procedures as needed and keep the keg cold until you get to Tucson. You should be just fine. It is not difficult to carb up the keg once it is cool so even if you don't get it where you want, just check and add a little pressure, give it a shake and you will be good to go in no time.

Also, this isn't rocket science so I would delegate carbing the keg to your best man so all you have to do is show up and deplete the beer when the time comes.

Congrats on the wedding!