Kegging Question - CO2 Bottle in Fridge?

[philm63]

Can I put my CO2 bottle in the fridge with my cornies? Don't have the guts to drill holes in the side of the fridge yet - it's still brand-new - but just started kegging today and would like to be able to carbonate the brew in the fridge without drilling holes in the darn thing! At least for now.

Can I do this? Any ill effects to storing a CO2 bottle in the fridge at 40F or so?

[tom_hampton]

Yes, no ill effects. 

[tom_hampton]

PS: Your gauge pressure will fall a little bit.  Nothing to worry about.  It won't decrease your CO2 usage any.  Just be aware it will happen.

[philm63]

Thanks, Tom.

Does this "fall" apply to what I will see on all gauges or just the one that correlates to the pressure in the bottle? How about the regulated gauge to the cornie (I use a two-gauge regulator)?

Will that one drop also, and if so; is there a correction factor I should be aware of to know I am putting, say, exactly (or close enough to) 12 psi to my keg over the course of a one week carbonation period?

[Wingeezer]

Thanks, Tom.

Does this "fall" apply to what I will see on all gauges or just the one that correlates to the pressure in the bottle? How about the regulated gauge to the cornie (I use a two-gauge regulator)?

Will that one drop also, and if so; is there a correction factor I should be aware of to know I am putting, say, exactly (or close enough to) 12 psi to my keg over the course of a one week carbonation period?

I'm pretty sure  it would be just the pressure in the bottle - which varies according to temp.  You will find that drops quite a bit.

The pressure after the regulator is a reduction from whatever the bottle pressure might be,  established by the spring pressure on the regulator diaphragm - which you regulate via the regulator control knob.

In any case, you will in all probability be setting the regulator once everything has cooled down anyway!

Incidentally, I dont know what other folks do, but after my beer has carbonated for a week or so,  my practice is that  after I have finished using the kegerator for a while, I back off the regulator knob and close the bottle valve.

It takes me less than a minute to open the bottle valve and set the regulator again when I want to draw another pint or three.

I adopted this routine  after twice having gas leaks in my system,  and losing a full bottle of CO2 !!

I think I have everything tight now, but why take a chance at $23 a fill - that's what I have to pay locally for a 5# bottle anyway.

All the best  .........  Brian. 

   

[philm63]

Wingeezer: You've obviously done this once or twice - I appreciate the feedback.

Yes; I did go back in and tweak the regulator after all had chilled down to my set-point of 39F.  And speaking to your experience; I also thoroughly tested my system as soon as I got CO2 in my bottle to be sure there were no leaks - there were a few but I took care of those before racking a brew to my first keg - let the fun begin...

[Beer_Tigger]

...
Incidentally, I dont know what other folks do, but after my beer has carbonated for a week or so,  my practice is that  after I have finished using the kegerator for a while, I back off the regulator knob and close the bottle valve.

It takes me less than a minute to open the bottle valve and set the regulator again when I want to draw another pint or three.

I adopted this routine  after twice having gas leaks in my system,  and losing a full bottle of CO2 !!

I think I have everything tight now, but why take a chance at $23 a fill - that's what I have to pay locally for a 5# bottle anyway.

All the best  .........  Brian. 

$23 a fill! YIKES, I pay about $1 per pound.  My 20# is usually <$20 because it still has a little in it when I get it filled.  I go to a liquor store, not the gas companies that do helium aceteline (SP?), etc...

I leave the tank open, but now that you mention it, I might start closing it after I start a new keg to make sure there are no leaks.  I have lost 2 full tanks that way.  Sounds like a good habit: New kep, shut it all off for a day or two, then re-check for leaks before trusting it and leaving it on.

Anyway, my CO2 tank is in the kegerator (small chest freezer) all the time.   4 taps. Hmmmmmm...... almost done with this beer, may need to go get another.

[philm63]

Hey Beer_Tigger,

Do you have full kegs in waiting when your kegerator is full and if so, where do you store them? At room temp carbed? In a reserve fridge at 40F carbed, in a reserve fridge at serving temp? Uncarbed...?

[Beer_Tigger]

Sadly, no.  I only have 4 kegs total so I must wait until I drink one dry before I brew again.

Although, as it turns out, I tend to drink a little of each and over time all are empty within weeks of each other.  Then I brew four in a row using the same yeast.  I just made 4 Scottish/Scoth ales from 5.9% (Scottich Ale) to 10.2% (Scotch Ale).  I dump the new, heavier beer on to the yeast in the primary after racking to the secondary of the previous beer.  Keep moving up until I have 4 kegs full (plus I harvest the yeast if the first came from a new source).

Now I have a 5.9%, an 8.5%, a 9.9%, and a 10.25 beer to drink up - HELP! Before I can start my lagers for Thanksgiving & Xmas!

I hate bottleing, but I think I will have to bottle the Blueberry Lager & the Juleøl (Norwegian Christmas Beer).

Wow, these are killing me!  No food and 9.95 beer... see how I ramble! LOL!  Back to your question.

I want to have a few more kegs to store ahead some brews.  I do have an additional fridge that I set on the warmest possible temp and remove all the shelves.  I use this for lagering and storage, which I would store up to 3 more kegs, if I had them.  Anyone know where I can pick up 3 more kegs for about $10 a piece?

[philm63]

Juleøl (Norwegian Christmas Beer)? Never heard of that - what is it like? I'm looking for a nice Christmas beer recipe and am entertaining all ideas at this point.

[Beer_Tigger]

It's great!  See this thread: http://www.beersmith.com/forum/index.php/topic,7541.0.html

[grathan]

Sadly, no.  I only have 4 kegs total so I must wait until I drink one dry before I brew again.

Although, as it turns out, I tend to drink a little of each and over time all are empty within weeks of each other.  Then I brew four in a row using the same yeast.  I just made 4 Scottish/Scoth ales from 5.9% (Scottich Ale) to 10.2% (Scotch Ale).  I dump the new, heavier beer on to the yeast in the primary after racking to the secondary of the previous beer.  Keep moving up until I have 4 kegs full (plus I harvest the yeast if the first came from a new source).

I've been thinking about keg management lately. I too like to try tasting multiple kegs, but they do seem to all empty at once. That is a pretty good idea with doing them all at once and just reusing some yeast. More kegs is an obvious solution. Do you really get them for $10?

One problem I have atm is medicore beers. They tend to sit and hog keg real estate while not receiving many pulls.

[Beer_Tigger]

I got my original kegs cheap from a bar that inherited a bunch and had no use for them.  Hoping I fall into a deal like that again sometime.