Keg carbonating

Hey guys,

I'm just getting into kegging and had a carbonation question. In beersmith when carbonating a keg with co2 its says for example 8.2 psi. How long do you keep it at this pressure until you put it to the pressure you want for serving out of the tap? Or do you cut your tubing length based on this 8.2 psi? Thanks

Longer is better for tubing. I cut mine pretty short the first time around, but it was better off with at least 3'.

I use a carbonation chart instead of beersmith for carbonating. It basically says what temperature at which pressure equals how many volumes of co2. It doesn't show how long until equalization though.

If I were to carb at 8.2 psi @ 34*F it might take less than a week to equalize. But at 45* it might take a couple weeks or more.



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

Hi, I see little mentioned about "natural carbonation" using corn sugar. How many of you use this method as apposed to "forced carbonation"? Guess I'm old school enough to avoid anything in craft brewing that refers to forced! 
I don't get in a hurry to crack into my brews until they are at the 30 day point. Maybe that comes with age. I'm just this year starting to use corny's to house my brews and I'm using corn sugar, at least for now.

Comments welcome...........

I've tried using corn sugar while kegging since I was used to that method when bottling. I don't do it any more, not because it was bad, I just didn't see any advantage since I was going to have it on CO2 anyway. I agree that you want a long gas line (beer line needs to be more specific length), it gives you some flexibility if you are going to CO2 charge a keg that is going back into the ferment fridge. 

Some additional information that may help. 

LG49 said:

Hi, I see little mentioned about "natural carbonation" using corn sugar. How many of you use this method as apposed to "forced carbonation"? Guess I'm old school enough to avoid anything in craft brewing that refers to forced! 
I don't get in a hurry to crack into my brews until they are at the 30 day point. Maybe that comes with age. I'm just this year starting to use corny's to house my brews and I'm using corn sugar, at least for now.

Comments welcome...........

Click to expand...

Haven't tried it. I do know some beers that I've made tasted better at 15 days vs. 30 days. Also neat to try would be capturing the fermentation gas to carbonate.