New to kegging, how's my carbing method?

[BansheeRider]

Ok I know there are endless threads on carbing/force carbing but I need some clarification on the method I intend to use on my first kegged beer. I am not interested in rolling or shaking the keg at 30 PSI despite all the youtube videos that recommend this method. Here's what I intend on doing....

- Clean keg and sanitize

- Rack warm beer into keg

- Set to 15 PSI and purge keg for a few seconds to check seals and rid oxygen in head-space

- Set regulator to 30 PSI and leave keg for 24 hours in my kegerator

- Purge keg a little bit and lower to 8-12 PSI depending on the beer temp and leave that for an additional 24 hours and then serve.

Does this sound good? Will be beer be ready in 48 hours with this method? I will only be doing this with my first keg. After that I will be using the "set and forget" method as I will have plenty of time to carbonate my second keg while drinking my first keg. One thing I am wondering about is setting the keg to 30 psi while the beer is still at room temp. Should I chill the beer the night before carbing?

Thanks and I appoligize for the repetitive questions as this hs probably been covered a million times.

 

[wilsojos]

You probably won't be ready in 48 hours especially if the beer isn't chilled. There is nothing wrong with your method, I do the same thing regularly with success. I would suggest you check the keg thoroughly to verify there are no co2 leaks when you have it set to 30psi. I lost a whole tank one time because of a leak I didn't catch. Just get a spray bottle of star san and spray the areas that could leak.

 

[Yooper]

It takes a while for the beer to cool in the kegerator, so if you are in a hurry I'd suggest 36 hours at 30 psi, and then purge and reset to 12 psi. It will still not be ready in 48 hours, but it will be pretty close!

 

[SS_Brewing_Co]

I throw my keg in the kergerator right after fermentation so it's roughly 70 degrees. Set it at 40 psi for 24 hours then purge it set it to serving pressure and wait 12 more hours for it to get cold. Works perfect. 36 hours in the kergerator is enough time to get it cold. But I use a 15.5 gallon keg. Not sure what you use or if it would make a difference. The only thin I can think is if you use a 5 gallon keg it will chill faster.

 

[BansheeRider]

I like the responses here. I am using 5 gal corny kegs. So just to clarify...I should do 30psi at 36 hours because the beer is initially warm?

 

[STB]

Best advice I saw and I am doing on my next keg is to cold crash the fermentor to clarify the beer. Rack it cold to the keg and put on 30 psi for 24hrs and then take down to serving pressure all in the keggerator. The last part about the cold 30 works great.

 

[BansheeRider]

Best advice I saw and I am doing on my next keg is to cold crash the fermentor to clarify the beer. Rack it cold to the keg and put on 30 psi for 24hrs and then take down to serving pressure all in the keggerator. The last part about the cold 30 works great.

I thought about cold crashing but I'm not sure if my 5 gal glass carboy will fit in the kegerator. It's worth a try though. Like I said earlier, this is for my first keg. Further beers will have plenty of time to chill. With that said, the set and forget method is about 12psi for however long it takes to carb correct? I know this is based on temps. Will this take about two weeks to carb? The charts don't mention time frames, only temp and pressure.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Yeah at 12PSI it should take a couple weeks.

 

[brewinginnc]

I have been using the set it and forget it at 12. I did not want an overcarbed keg. It takes a couple weeks at 39 to be about right. My last batch i tried setting at 30 for 48 hours on an already chilled keg and i thought it was pretty good. Everybody will tell you what works for them try both and see. I personally will use 30psi for 48 hours for now on.

 

[BansheeRider]

It takes a couple weeks at 39 to be about right.

A couple weeks at 39psi? That seems a bit high doesn't it?

 

[brewinginnc]

Sorry couple weeks at 12 psi 39 deg f