What pressure to set regulater

[libirm]

Greeting Beer Bro's
Just put my first batch in the keg- set the press at 15 lbs, is that right?

Do I serve it at that pressure as well?

Thanks for help in advance

 

[BryceL]

Your in the ballpark, but it depends on the temperature. Do a quick search for "carbonation chart" and you will get a chart of pressure vs temperature to hit your desired volumes of CO2. You can serve it at that pressure as long as your beer lines are the correct length. I've balanced my system with 10' beer lines so when I set it to 12 psi, it pours perfect. Too short of lines and you will have excess foam.

 

[h22lude]

^^^agreed

I have 10 feet of line and keep my reg at 12psi for carbing and serving. Takes longer than the shaking method but I find it to come out perfect. Some people like the shaking method but I find my beers to come out overly carbed. Plus when you set it at 12psi and let it do its thing, you are also conditioning the young beer for a few weeks, which it needs.

 

[enkamania]

Here is a carbonation chart. I agree with the set and forget method also

http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

 

[libirm]

Thanks Guys- How long before you think I can get a glass a beer out of the keg ?
I am at 40 degrees & 12 psi.
First brew, anxious to taste

 

[Komocabo]

Leave it there and you should be able to pull the tap in 4-5 days. I just legged on 8-30 with a little higher PSI (18#) and it's carbed. A little green, but drinkable for sure. Sometimes a flat beer is ok... I have to admit that I've pulled the tap after 24 hours at normal PSI (~12# for me). Call it an experiment if you have to. Cheers!

 

[zeekage]

Another tip. You can shake the bejesus out of the keg with the gas hooked up at serving pressure and you will not over carbonate your beer. The over-carbonation comes from people setting their regulators higher than serving pressure (usually ~30psi) and then shaking the keg, or even just leaving it at 30psi too long. There is potential to over-carbonate it then. If you set it at the correct pressure, for the volumes of co2 you want then no amount of shaking will dissolve more co2 than what it says.

Combine that fact, with cold crashing your beer and you can have a somewhat carbonated beer in a matter of minutes (since the beer will be near serving temp as well) of shaking (or rolling the keg back and ofrth on your knees). Then let it sit for a couple days for the sediment to drop and whatnot and you'll have pretty close to carbonated beer. It'll get better over the next week or two as everything equalizes but if you're impatient for a taste, then this can get you there a bit quicker without any risk.