Yet another kegging question

[RoughandReadyRanch]

Ok, so here we go. I got three kegs for my b-day with a 10lb CO2 tank. I am excited. I am new to all of this and my first beer was infected prior to bottling so imagine my relief when beer two tasted ok after 3 weeks of primary. I need to keg this beer now as I have no ambition or time to bottle due to summer school and family obligations. Wife is expecting and we are not quite ready for the keezer. I have been using a regular fridge as a fermenting fridge due to heat and was hoping to knock out another 2 beers to fill the remaining kegs prior to Jr showing up in October. So here is the question. Can I keg the first beer and put pressure on it for a week, enjoy a few pulls, then put the fermentation fridge back to 65-70'F for my next batch without fear of loosing suspension of CO2 on the keg? If this is an impossible issue then I was thinking my other option is to just put a slight CO2 head on the keg and leave it in the fermenting fridge for the remainder of the next beer. The problem then becomes I will run out of room before the 3rd batch! We are looking at 106'F this weekend and I need to know what is going to happen if I keg this porter and leave it out of the fridge in an 80-90'F house? We are cheapskates so the AC doesn't get much play. Fermentation is all but done after 1month I would assume so are off flavors due to heat an issue anymore? Any advice is greatly appreciated and thank you in advance. Sorry for the long story. ~Dan

 

[scrambledegg81]

*edited due to drunken stupidity*

 

[PJM]

So here is the question. Can I keg the first beer and put pressure on it for a week, enjoy a few pulls, then put the fermentation fridge back to 65-70'F for my next batch without fear of loosing suspension of CO2 on the keg?

While I have not done this, I believe the answer is yes. Once it is carbonated, it is carbonated and should not lose carbonation simply because the beer is warmed up a bit

 

[tnlandsailor]

If you keg is already carbonated to the level you want, you can disconnect the gas line and it will stay at this carbonation level, regardless of the temperature, as long as there are no leaks and you don't vent any gas out.

As the temperature of the beer increases, the solubility of CO2 in the beer will go down, driving CO2 out of the beer. This will cause the pressure in the keg to increase - but since the keg is sealed, you won't lose any of this CO2. At any time, you can chill the keg back down, and this pressure will decrease as the CO2 dissolves back into the beer. The key is to not vent any CO2 from the keg and to leave the CO2 disconnected from the keg.

There is a good write up on kegging here including an in depth discussion on carbonation.

http://handsonbrewing.com/brewers-reference/process/kegging/

 

[RoughandReadyRanch]

If you keg is already carbonated to the level you want, you can disconnect the gas line and it will stay at this carbonation level, regardless of the temperature, as long as there are no leaks and you don't vent any gas out.

As the temperature of the beer increases, the solubility of CO2 in the beer will go down, driving CO2 out of the beer. This will cause the pressure in the keg to increase - but since the keg is sealed, you won't lose any of this CO2. At any time, you can chill the keg back down, and this pressure will decrease as the CO2 dissolves back into the beer. The key is to not vent any CO2 from the keg and to leave the CO2 disconnected from the keg.

There is a good write up on kegging here including an in depth discussion on carbonation.

http://handsonbrewing.com/brewers-reference/process/kegging/

Sounds good to me. I will hold of a week and get the beer carbonated and then drop it back to a fermenting fridge. Thanks again.

 

[AnOldUR]

Everything depends on where your CO2 cylinder is placed . . . If outside, you would be OK in that situation in terms of carbonation, but the temps can have an effect on the beer itself. I'd recommend keeping it at least 60-70F during carbing.

CO2 cylinder temperature (within reason) has nothing to do with carbonating your beer.

 

[scrambledegg81]

CO2 cylinder temperature (within reason) has nothing to do with carbonating your beer.

Disregard...drunken idiocy.

 

[KegconnectionLLC]

As others have said, once the CO2 is in the beer it will not come out unless you let it out. However, remember your been is not pasturized so you can't leave it in the heat for too long or it will "start to turn" and you will get an off flavor.

 

[RoughandReadyRanch]

As others have said, once the CO2 is in the beer it will not come out unless you let it out. However, remember your been is not pasturized so you can't leave it in the heat for too long or it will "start to turn" and you will get an off flavor.

I was afraid that may be the case. I have decided to Keg the beer tonight and then drop the temp to the 40-43'F range and let it hag out for about two weeks at around 8-10psi and then enjoy a few beers while I brew the next one at which time I will pull the CO2 and drop the fridge temp to the desired ferment for the next beer and leave it there for about two weeks till it is racked to secondary and set to 35'F for secondary resulting in more enjoyable porter while I wait. Then I will Keg the other beer that will be sitting for about 3-8months and pray this heat wave is done and I can store a keg in the house somewhere in the 70's while brewing the third. I wish I could complain but lets face it we are talking about 15 gallons of beer here and who can complain about that.