Beginner Tip: How to Force Carb in 4 Minutes

[MannyEdwards]

About a month ago I had some trouble carbonating my first keg ever. I had read about "set-and-forget" methods like 12 lbs for two weeks. That's fine if I already have beers on tap, but if I'm all dried up, I want to tap this now. So I did find some suggestions to crank up the pressure to 30, but it didn't click for me until I heard about the need to shake the keg.

It is possible to force-carbonate a 5 gallon keg in about 4 minutes. It’s a bit of a workout, though — you have to agitate the keg constantly.

Here’s the process:

• Rack to keg and chill to about 30 F (up to 36 is OK). Your settings may vary — when I set my keezer to 30, I get no frozen lines, but you might.
• Before you carb, pour off the dregs. When it has settled — after a few days — hook up the gas line at serving pressure, and connect the tap line. Pour until it runs clear, and discard.
• Crank up the gas line to 30 lbs; disconnect the tap line.
• Agitate the keg for 4 minutes. (I do this out in the room, not in the keezer).

I just remember “30-30,” and that works for me. You might have to adjust your settings a little, but the principle will be the same. Chill, hook up the CO2 at high pressure, and agitate. Do it enough and you’ll get a feel for how much to carb the beer depending on style.

You need to relieve the pressure before serving, or you’ll get a glass (and face) full of foam.

 

[Newsman]

This is dangerous though as you could easily overcarb.

 

[passedpawn]

This is dangerous though as you could easily overcarb.

Far better to set to serving pressure (12psi) and shake the crap out of it.

I'm a set and forget guy though.

 

[PGEduardo]

I think 4-minute force carb is a bit overselling it since you have already kegged and cold-crashed for a few days (to let the dregs settle). You might as well hook up to CO2 immediately upon kegging, and after a few days at elevated pressure I don't think there's any need for shaking?

I could be missing something here - just doesn't seem like the intense 4-min. shake process is warranted...

 

[poptarts]

chill, set to 1-2 psi over serving temp, then shake the crap out of it for 5 minutes. Impossible to over carb.

 

[MannyEdwards]

I think 4-minute force carb is a bit overselling it since you have already kegged and cold-crashed for a few days (to let the dregs settle). You might as well hook up to CO2 immediately upon kegging, and after a few days at elevated pressure I don't think there's any need for shaking?

I could be missing something here - just doesn't seem like the intense 4-min. shake process is warranted...

That's a good point about going ahead and hooking it up. And this could work even if you cold crash in the carboy -- rack it cold to the keg and shake it up, pour.

About the few days, I don't know what was going wrong, but I just wasn't getting carbonation even after 3 days at 30 lbs, but when I shook it, I was done in no time. If it takes less than four minutes -- awesome!

 

[Bellybuster]

if you're not getting carb'd beer after 3 days at 30psi there is a problem with either your regulator or a stuck poppet.

 

[RmikeVT]

OR just hook it up at 30 psi right after you keg it and just leave it. By the time it is cold and the crap drops out 24-36 hours you beer will be perfectly carbed. I don't like the idea of shaking up my keg. I work so hard to get the stuff at the bottom to stay at the bottom.

 

[chickypad]

Also as was mentioned in the other thread the pour that guy has looks like a lot of foam over uncarbed beer (at least I don't see any bubbles coming up from below). For folks that have it dialed in I am not going to argue but I really think shaking at high pressure leads to way more problems than it's worth. I actually do mostly set and forget and am still able to drink my beers by 3 wks from brew day, under that if I do a 24 hr burst. They may be slightly undercarbed for a few days but still totally drinkable and way better IMO than huge foam over uncarbed beer. With good planning it seems like it should be pretty unusual that you have to have a beer carbed in a day.

 

[Natdavis777]

About a month ago I had some trouble carbonating my first keg ever. I had read about "set-and-forget" methods like 12 lbs for two weeks. That's fine if I already have beers on tap, but if I'm all dried up, I want to tap this now. So I did find some suggestions to crank up the pressure to 30, but it didn't click for me until I heard about the need to shake the keg.

It is possible to force-carbonate a 5 gallon keg in about 4 minutes. It’s a bit of a workout, though — you have to agitate the keg constantly.

Here’s the process:

• 
  [*]Rack to keg and chill to about 30 F (up to 36 is OK). Your settings may vary — when I set my keezer to 30, I get no frozen lines, but you might.
• Before you carb, pour off the dregs. When it has settled — after a few days — hook up the gas line at serving pressure, and connect the tap line. Pour until it runs clear, and discard.
• Crank up the gas line to 30 lbs; disconnect the tap line.
• Agitate the keg for 4 minutes. (I do this out in the room, not in the keezer).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aKQoqiVvkU

I just remember “30-30,” and that works for me. You might have to adjust your settings a little, but the principle will be the same. Chill, hook up the CO2 at high pressure, and agitate. Do it enough and you’ll get a feel for how much to carb the beer depending on style.

You need to relieve the pressure before serving, or you’ll get a glass (and face) full of foam.

You can be carbing during the chilling period of the keg. Putting the beer on 30 psi as soon as it goes into the fridge and letting it sit for 36 hours should get you pretty close, if not where you want to be. Case in point, I threw a warm keg in the fridge last night, set on 30 psi, and pulled a pint after work tonight (~8pm) to check the status. Has a slight head when poured @ normal pressure, so it should be spot on by the AM. If not, I can give it a few more hours, and if it is over carbed, its not overcarbed my a large amount.

I understand trying to get this done in just a few minutes, but you still have downtime getting the keg to chill down to the 30s. Might as well take advantage of that time, and you could also spare yourself the possibility of overcarbing.