Why kegs are not carbing?

[89OctaneStang]

I have searched over all the threads here and have found ways to get your kegs carbed. I have been using the force carbing procedures but have had no luck in getting carbination in my beers. The only thing I can think of is that I don't have a kegerator and don't maintain a constant cold temp. I use a cooler setup that I made as a temporary buffer till the "Kelvin-Keger-ator" project is complete. Is this my problem? Going from warm temps to cold temps then back to warm???

When it pours, it pours with lots of head just has absolutely no carb. No matter what pressure its at. The wife asked the guys at the local home brew store if CO2 goes bad cause that was a possible concern. When we bought our CO2 tank off of craigslist, it hadn't been used in over 4 years but it was still full. We thought that might be the issue but he said it doesn't go "bad". Is this a true statement?

 

[Gremlyn]

The temp fluctuation could definitely be it, you need to have it down to temp for a few weeks if you just set it and forget it. How long are your beer lines?

 

[89OctaneStang]

Beer lines are currently only picnic taps at 4' in length. But if the length is part of the problem, then my other project (portable kegerator) will be an issue as well. I plan to just use the same tap lines for that...

 

[mordantly]

4 feet is pretty short run, if you have 3/16 id line, then 8-9psi would be the range for your length. at 40F ish that would yield about 1.5 volumes.

 

[89OctaneStang]

I know this may be pretty dumb to ask but I have seen this before, when referencing carbonation, it is referred to as volume? (ie: 1.5 volumes)

I am obviously new to brewing and I am completely engourged with learning it all but I am one of those people that like to learn fast. And unfortunately, there are many things that get left behind in the process of fast tracking.

 

[mordantly]

x volumes is the actual ammount of dissolved co2 into the beer.

 

[89OctaneStang]

4 feet is pretty short run, if you have 3/16 id line, then 8-9psi would be the range for your length. at 40F ish that would yield about 1.5 volumes.

Well then there are several setups on here that I have seen that I would seriously question as I have seen there picnic taps at like 6 inches....

 

[89OctaneStang]

x volumes is the actual ammount of dissolved co2 into the beer.

So what is ideal for your average beer? And how do you calculate that info?

 

[mordantly]

some people use epoxy mixers in the dip tubes as resistance.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/cure-your-short-hose-troubles-100151/


as far as volumes and per style/temp etc.


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/ipa-co2-volume-14237/#post133123

http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2008_stylebook.pdf

http://ebrew.com/primarynews/ct_carbonation_chart.htm

 

[89OctaneStang]

Thank you! I will see if I can make a difference in my kegs. I have brewed 3 ten gallon batches for a friend's special occasion and I am frustrated that I haven't gotten this figured out by now!

 

[89OctaneStang]

I didn't buy a print, but I did get it off line a printed a copy for myself. You having a hard time finding it? It's the 2008 Revision of the 2004 guidelines.

 

[mordantly]

oopps. im burning on both ends. wrong forum. that was sposed to be in the TR.

 

[dae06]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/cure-your-short-hose-troubles-100151/

Are we still talking about beer here????????

 

[bendavanza]

What you have probably seen with short taps is properly carbed beer being served at just a few PSI for dispensing for a short term, in other words they carbed the beer, then bled the pressure from the keg and reconnected it to maybe 3 psi to push the beer out.
Keeping, say 38˚ beer at 12 psi maintains the ~2.? volumes of co2 and dispenses it but the lines need to be long enough to provide resistance so it does not shoot out as foam.
Even a properly balanced system will pull some foam on the first pour if the faucet is too warm.

 

[Bobby_M]

"volumes" is really the only way to describe how carbonated a liquid is. Until you get used to what 1.5 or 2.5 or whatever volumes feels like in your mouth, it's a completely arbitrary number. I like my American Ales at 2.5 volumes. Bitters, more like 1.5.

How you get your beer to a specific volume of co2 is based on the temp of the beer, the pressure you apply, and how long you apply it for. See the chart below:

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

At those temps and pressures, it will take about 2-3 weeks to hit the volumes on the chart if you leave the keg alone to do its thing.

Also as mentioned, the systems with long lines you see around here are built so that one never needs to adjust the regulator between pouring and maintain modes.

 

[david_42]

Well then there are several setups on here that I have seen that I would seriously question as I have seen there picnic taps at like 6 inches....

Those really short taps will probably have additional resistance in the line, like a paint mixer.