kegging for dummies

I leave my gas connected and on, best to make sure you have no leaks first obviously...
I have never used priming sugar in the keg, having to 10lb co2 bottles helps, I find that they last for a loooooooooooong time:D
 
Fridge can't close if I leave CO2 connected plus it being difficult to get the cylinder filled, I want to use as little as possible.

I topped up CO2 today.
How long do you keep the CO2 connected to do this @Josh Hughes?
And how many drinks can you pour, before topping up again?
Once done, do you take off the regulator or keep it attached?
I got the regulator attached for now. But the main gauge is still reading the cylinder pressure (while cylinder is closed). I'm tempted to release pressure by pulling the pressure relieve valve, but it got one of those non-tamper thingies attached. Maybe just because it was/is new?
 
Craigerrr said:
I leave my gas connected and on, best to make sure you have no leaks first obviously...
I have never used priming sugar in the keg, having to 10lb co2 bottles helps, I find that they last for a loooooooooooong time:D
Click to expand...
I am heading towards year 2 on my first 10lb bottle. Lasts forever
 
I was very unsure when I carbed this beer, so I made damn sure I had a good seal and played around seeing how much the pressure fell each day at the colder temperatures. I think the next time, I might go to 25-30PSI, leave the think alone, and turn the thing off until it falls to where I want it.
If I plan to be drinking the beer after carbed, I will leave it on until I am done, but if you don't have leaks, it doesn't matter.
The pressure gauge will do all kinds of things in the off position. Don't worry about it if you are not leaking.
Just another note, I am using a Corny Keg that will take a bunch of pressure.
This beer foams like hell with the six row, but if I let it sit for a minute or two in the glass with the keg carbed at around 11-12 PSI, it is yummy as hell.
I actually decided to call it "Mr. Toad's Mild Ride" as a play on the old Disney ride where Mr. Toad had the huge foam on the beer mug at the end.
 
Sandy Feet said:
I was very unsure when I carbed this beer, so I made damn sure I had a good seal and played around seeing how much the pressure fell each day at the colder temperatures. I think the next time, I might go to 25-30PSI, leave the think alone, and turn the thing off until it falls to where I want it.
If I plan to be drinking the beer after carbed, I will leave it on until I am done, but if you don't have leaks, it doesn't matter.
The pressure gauge will do all kinds of things in the off position. Don't worry about it if you are not leaking.
Just another note, I am using a Corny Keg that will take a bunch of pressure.
This beer foams like hell with the six row, but if I let it sit for a minute or two in the glass with the keg carbed at around 11-12 PSI, it is yummy as hell.
I actually decided to call it "Mr. Toad's Mild Ride" as a play on the old Disney ride where Mr. Toad had the huge foam on the beer mug at the end.
Click to expand...
That is more or less how I do it. 30psi for 3 days. Then turn it down to 12psi and serve. Adjust as necessary.

Only down side to allot of foam is you lose allot of the carbonation. Once you get it to the desired level, excessive foam will result in flat beer in the glass. Definitely worth figuring out how to eliminate the foamy pours
 
Yup, I still have some learning to do. However, I think this one has a little to do with the recipe as well. I had a hot break that I had never seen the likes of before when I brewed this beer. I damn near overflowed the kettle, and I had another 7 or 8 gallon of room in it.
 
I got the cider carbonated naturally.
Now just needing pressure to dispense.
Any good advice how to do that?
Fridge will be partially open to carb, so it needs to be fairly quick.
It's a solar fridge and it can keep the temperature, but striggles to cool down when it gets too warm inside

Tempted to take the keg oit of the fridge and carb till 30 or 40 psi and then put back.
Still need to find a pressure chart that goes to 90 F and above...

Meanwhile looking into a plan to get my beer done right.
I'm now really really wanting that bigger spunding gauge ;)

I
 
Just a note: whatever temperature and pressure you store it at will become the volume of CO2 that the solution contains. Refer to online charts. So if you store it at a high pressure at a standard temperature, it will have relatively higher volumes of CO2. Conversely lower pressure at the same standard temperature creates less volumes of CO2. You only need enough pressure for it to pour for serving.
 
Yeah, I got that (I think)

But how long would it take roughly to get to around 12 psi at fridge temperature, as that decides if I can keep the keg cold or not.
So let's say: 8 litre keg/1.5 litre free headspace (for now), temp of the beer/fridge of 40 - 45 F
What do I set the regulator at and for how long?
It's probably real straight forward, but I just don't know

For my new batch:
The idea is to carbonate outside the fridge, then move the keg back inside and keep mostly inside as well.
Outside temp is around 90 F
Going to try carb naturally as much as I can, but I will possibly need to top up co2
Keg pressure relieve valve is 50 psi, keg rating 60 psi. Hopefully thats enough.
As said, still looking for a chart that goes up high enough (temperature)
 
OK. I'm daft.
Brewersfriends carbonation calculator goes to any temperature and is even metric!
 
Zambezi Special said:
OK. I'm daft.
Brewersfriends carbonation calculator goes to any temperature and is even metric!
Click to expand...
I did link that for you back a bit lol
https://www.brewersfriend.com/forum/threads/kegging-for-dummies.16234/#post-177832

You'll get the hang of it Zambezi.

All I know from the years of serving beer on c02 is you don't wanna go faffing about changing the pressures all the time = beer foam and a :( pour.

If your pulling the keg out the fridge dispensing then putting more pressure ontop of the keg and walking it back in the fridge it'll be all over the shop.

The quick carb mentioned above is just to get the co2 volumes into the solution but once carbonation level is found turn it down to your dispensing pressure.

A short line length = a lower dispensing pressure for you I'd even start at 10psi or lower just to get some controlled pours especially if your running a picnic tap they are killer for foam pours :).

Trust me I run one for I rekon three years along side some intertaps.
 
How often to re-pressurize? When the keg is full, every third glass, but as it empties more airspace means it holds pressure longer. By the last 1/4 keg, it'll go to the end.

Even if carbonated, too low pressure will let it lose carbonation. 15 psi is plenty. I serve at 5-8 psi (1 meter tap line) and store at 13-20 psi (20 for hefeweitzen, which is very fizzy, ales at 13-15).
 
How long do you keep the CO2 attached when re-pressurising @Donoroto ?

I've just given it a blast of CO2. Around 15 psi as the fridge temp went up a bit when playing around with everything.
I had taken the regulator off and struggled getting it back on without leaking. Eventually thread tape came to the rescue and the regulator will stay attached from now on.

I'm thinking of attaching the spunding valve back, just to use as a pressure gauge, not to let out CO2 ;)
 
Zambezi Special said:
How long do you keep the CO2 attached when re-pressurising @Donoroto ?

I've just given it a blast of CO2. Around 15 psi as the fridge temp went up a bit when playing around with everything.
I had taken the regulator off and struggled getting it back on without leaking. Eventually thread tape came to the rescue and the regulator will stay attached from now on.

I'm thinking of attaching the spunding valve back, just to use as a pressure gauge, not to let out CO2 ;)
Click to expand...
If it has an actual regulator, just leave it connected. It will stop supplying gas once it hits the set pressure, but you won't have to baby sit it.
 
Minbari said:
If it has an actual regulator, just leave it connected. It will stop supplying gas once it hits the set pressure, but you won't have to baby sit it.
Click to expand...
I will have to baby sit it somewhat. Not because of the gas, but because the fridge needs to be open to carbonate the keg
Fridge temp 40 F
Outside temp 95 F (currently actually suddenly 105).
You can imagine what will happen to fridge temperature if I leave it open for too long.
Hence my question: how long would it roughly take...
 
Zambezi Special said:
I will have to baby sit it somewhat. Not because of the gas, but because the fridge needs to be open to carbonate the keg
Fridge temp 40 F
Outside temp 95 F (currently actually suddenly 105).
You can imagine what will happen to fridge temperature if I leave it open for too long.
Hence my question: how long would it roughly take...
Click to expand...

I would be forced to drill a hole in the side of the fridge.
 
Very tempted but that ain't gonna happen with this one!
It's a 12 volt one and as such about double or triple the price of a new one.
I'm maxing out on my solar batteries at night, so adding one will be tricky.
Got 2 old fridges but they each consume about 4 to 500 watt...

Might try to run one and put on a timer.
Or...
Just been measuring and maybe, very maybe, I can push the CO2 pipe through at the back of the lid, near the hinge (it's a chest fridge/chiller/freezer).

Eventually I'll get it to work :)
 
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