I wanted to carb up a keg quickly , so I followed the directions in the latest Zymurgy article on speed brewing. I set the regulator to the correct psi for the temp and carb level. Then rolled it back and forth till I didn’t hear anymore gas going into the keg. This worked well.
My question is after I get it carbed, do I :
Disconnect the gas vent the keg and then set to serving pressure?
Or leave the gas hooked up and release the pressure till the regulator drops to serving pressure?
Or something else.
Thanks
Dan
What I’ve done, after jacking up the pressure and shaking the keg, is turn the regulator back to normal serving pressure and vent the keg until the rapid rush of gas slows to what sounds like the same as the amount going in and then serve. The regulator should drop on its own to serving pressure (or at least, mine does).
Works for me.
I set the gas to the serving pressure and then chill the keg without venting it at all. I’m sure it will work fine either way, venting or not. There shouldn’t be too much difference.
The question that I have is is the keg chilled prior to speed carbing? If no then yes chill and the pressure should drop down and settle at your serving pressure after you have adjusted your regulator. If yes then drop your regulator down to serving pressure and vent the keg in short bursts til you hear CO2 running through the regulator again and then leave if.
I wondered that too, but I figured if the keg was already at serving temp then the carbing pressure should be the same as the serving pressure. It doesn’t have to be I guess, but it’s a lot easier if it is.
If I try serving at carbing pressure I get a glass of foam. I just have 5’ of beer line with a picnic tap.
But I think I understand this now.
Ideally I’d want to adjust my beer line length so I could serve at carbing pressure?
If I carb at 16 and serve at 8, I would have to double the beer line to serve at 16?
But then every time I want to serve a beer at different carb levels I woud have to change the length of the beer line?
It depends. If you’re using a picnic tap I assume you’re either using 3/16 or 1/4 inch line. 3/16 line has a resistance of 2 lbs a foot. To serve at your carbing pressure of 16 psi you would need 8 feet of 3/16 line.
[quote]But then every time I want to serve a beer at different carb levels I woud have to change the length of the beer line?
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Not necessarily. Carbonate your beer to the appropriate volumes for your serving temperature. Serve at your appropriate pressure for your system.
You’d have to have a really high CO2 volume to do that. Here is an example. My serving pressure is about 12 psi so I use a 6’ long 3/16 line. My serving temp is 38 degrees F. I usually carbonate to about 2.4 volumes. Now at that temp if I wanted to Carbonate to 2.8 volumes, I’d be setting my pressure to 14.4 volumes. I dont think that 2.4 psi is going to make too big of a difference. If you can get your serving pressure into a general medium of carbonating pressures I think you’ll be fine.
Yes, if you carb at 16 psi and serve at 8 psi, it will eventually equalize, thus, becoming carbed to 8 psi. This will take a few days though.
I don’t quick carb, but I’ve heard of others on here that only quick carb at their serving pressure. Set it to 8 and shake the cold keg, then you will never have to worry about over carbing your beer.
Yep, it will lose carb as you pour beers. But having different lines isn’t that big of a deal if you plan for it, you can get by with a few different lengths that you can swap out as you change kegs. Threaded fitting are really helpful.
I looked at some “how to balance your keg lines” website.
And it seems I was serving at too low a pressure.
I set it to 15psi, it pours fast but doesn’t foam up if I am careful.
Beer is staying nicely carbed.
I also am going to have to quick carb a brew for a Beer For Boobs competition. What’s the best way to keep the right carbonation if you then transfer it into bottles?
A little late, but I didn’t see this mentioned. I usually set the pressure on a cold keg to about 30 psi. Roll the keg on its side for 4 minutes. Set the keg upright and disconnect the gas. Put it in the fridge for about 5–6 hours. Relieve pressure and reattach CO2 at serving pressure. Works like a charm.
And if he originally carbed at serving temp to 16 psi, 8 psi would be undercarbed.
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Yes, I’m sure all of us here will agree that 8 is less than 16. Simple grade school math. But a beer that’s been on 8 psi long enough to equalize the pressure, will not be undercarbed.