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Question on kegging

G

Gunruner

If your not putting keg right into the fridge under pressure do you put bottling suger in to let it age and carb up naturally?  Do you just let it sit and age unsugared & uncarbed?  If you've done both which came out best, taste, etc.  Inquireing minds need to know.  Not kegging yet but tiring quickly at bottling...........Mike
 
Mike,  I think that oxygen sitting in an unpressurized keg would allow an air exchange because the cover would seem tight but not be air tight. So I think it would be better to add the sugar right away while the yeast is fresh and floating in the brew. The yeast will stay vibrant for a long time but would settle and then you would have to shake it up after it has settled. It may be necessary to make sure you have a good gasket and make sure it's lubed up with the proper lubricant. It doesn't take much of a leak to empty the keg. A good seal will keep out oxygen.

I put pressure in my newly filled kegs just to keep the lids tight. I do release a little pressure to let the oxygen CO2 mix out and then pressurise again. The kegs then sit in a cool room until I have room in the fridge. I have three taps and one charging. I have a four way splitter. When one empties I move the charging keg on line and bring another in from my cool room (basement) for charging. The kegs stay for months in the cool room with only enough pressure to keep the lids tight.

I bought a CO2 system right away so that I didn't need to sugar up a keg. Kegging is the way to go for me. I do sometimes bottle a sixpack with (sugar pills) Carbtabs and such. It comes in handy to still have a six pack for a gift or contest.

 
Thanks Bob.  I really appreceiate all the tips!  I'm starting a quest of sorts "to find and make my all time favorite beer".  So far the best I've tasted is a unfiltered Imperial Pale Ale.  I didn't make it but I may try to duplicate the taste in a lower alcohol brew.  The hops were really there but with the huge malt load it was very balanced.  Oops, off topic, thanks again................Mike
 
All I get is foam foam and more foam and when it does settle I have almost no carbonation.  I forced the beer at 30psi for 4 days and then turned it down to 12psi and then released the pressure in the keg.  Now all I get is foam.  The temp is 37deg. and my tubing is 4 feet long, there is only 2gal. of beer in a 5 gal. keg.  :'(
 
WAAAAAAY to much pressure!  Use BeerSmith to calulate you carbonation pressure.  For example, I just plugged in your 37deg for 2.4 volumes and it recommends 9.7PSI to force carbonate.  After forced carbonation, a reasonable serving pressure is around 9PSI anyway.  Check out you calulations!
 
Thanks for the info and I will take care of that today and let it set for a few days longer  :-[
 
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