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a keg carbonation question

tws

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greetings,

i will be ready to tap a corny keg of bavarian weizen soon.  i racked the beer into a corny keg and added 1/3 cup of priming sugar for carbonation...

my question is whether or not to add additional carbonation thru the process of apply 20lbs of CO2 pressure for a length of time (24 hrs?) to the chilled keg before i tap it for drinking?

i have not yet chilled the keg.

thanks for anyone who has proceeded me on this path with useful knowledge on the matter.

tws
 
Do one or the other.  Either prime with sugar -OR- force carbonate with CO2.  Looks like you should stick to kegs & CO2 if you all set up for it anyway.
 
thanks tigger,

i decided to sugar because i heard it tasted better than forced... i'll just try tapping a brew and see if natural carb is ok and enough... if not i guess i'll add some forced then void and pump at 5 lb. pressure.

tws
 
I am as new as you are and decided to go with corny kegs also, I read and have heard that force co2 is the best way, and tried that....I have done two batches according to info I have read and both turned out very good, however I am new and no pro, i'm sure it could be better. I hit the keg with 30 psi while rocking on my knees, let it sith for a few days, released the pressure then put 10 psi to it for a few days... then adjusted the regulator to 2-3 psi and it turned out very good, like I said these are my first two batches, I may have gotten lucky.
 
CO2 is CO2 is CO2 is CO2 regardless the source.  CO2 from sugar or a bottle being different is an urban legend.
 
Forced Co2 is also much quicker. If you are going to use sugar to carbonate remember that you need to give it enough time for the yeast to eat the sugar and make co2.

When I naturally condition beer I usually leave it be for about 2 weeks before cold crashing it and setting it up on a tap.

When I force carbonate I chill the beer in the fridge (in the keg or course) for about 2 days. I then set the regulator @ between 35-40 psi, attach to the liquid line, and shake vigorously for between 1min 30 seconds and 2 minutes depending on how carbonated I want my beverage. I have been doing this for over 10 years and it has always worked very well for me.
 
I haven't tried it, in fact so far I have only filled a couple of kegs and I used force carbonation,  but if you prime with sugar in a keg do you not have an on-going problem with cloudy beer due to sediment pickup?

Would you maybe have to cut the dip tube by 1/2" or so, and maybe add one of those reverse flow direction caps that is used on a racking cane or siphon?

Brian.


 
In my experience, if kept cold the beer will clarify quite quickly. Usually When I keg the beer is a tad cloudy for a few days. Within about a week even a really cloudy beer pours very clear. I just did a Rye Double IPA that was cloudy in secondary and when I kegged it. After about a week it was pouring very clear.

I typically tap a keg and drink off of it for abut 4 days to a week before I bottle. This ensures that all the sediment has settled and I have pulled off the sediment that makes its way next to the liquid line. By the time I bottle the beer is very clear.
 
The difference between forced carbonation and adding sugar is the amount of crud in the bottom of the keg.

Forced is the way to go.
 
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