Keg Carbonation

[jopakent]

Amazon thinks I must want something called a carbonation stone. Because I've looked at home brew stuff in the past, I assume.

Anyway, I'm currently using a CO2 line to carbonate my batches. I connect it to the input and dial up the pressure to 8 or 10 lbs and after a day or two, the keg is carbonated. Works OK, though because the CO2 valve is so hard to make small adjustments on, I tend to get too little or too much carbonation a lot of the time.

But I'm wondering what a carbonation stone does. How does it factor into the setup? I'm using Korny kegs with pin locks on them and I'm not sure how I'd run a line into it with the stone attached to it. Would I run a line from one of the valves down into the brew and then crank up the CO2? How is this better or different than the approach I'm using?

Thanks,
JPK

[brewfun]

A carb stone does the same thing an aquarium aeration stone does. It makes tiny bubble that dramatically increase surface area exchange. This shortens the time it takes to carbonate.

In a corny setup, you'd set one to replace the pressure relief valve, then either just serve or counterpressure rack carbonated beer into another keg. Basically, a carbonation corney becomes analogous to a brewery bright tank. Since it works without shaking, you might gain some flavor points from potentially lowering oxidation and increased head retention.

Amazon is just fishing for money. I don't think you need it if you fully purge your kegs with CO2.