quick kegging question

[nettekdl]

So I just bought my first keg set up from my LHBS and the directions they gave me seem to contradict everything I am reading online. They told me to pressurize to 30psi and agitate for about ten minutes then throw it in the fridge for a couple days then reduce pressure to 7 psi and serve. Every source online I have found suggests about 10 psi so I guess my question is whether or not this process is solid and if not what is proper?

 

[cyberbrew]

There's tons of info on this sort of thing here on HBT. The TLDR is as follows:

Set and forget - set your serving pressure (10-12psi) let the beer sit for a couple weeks and drink.

Burst carb - cool down the beer (24hrs), set to 30 psi for 24-48 hrs, bring back to serving pressure for the remainder of the week and serve.

 

[IslandLizard]

That's forced pressurizing/carbonation, and will work if you're careful not to overdo (overshoot) it. You can have decent beer in 2-3 days, but gets better over the next week. The 10 psi is set and forget and will take 2 weeks.

 

[LLBeanJ]

I wouldn't follow that advice that the LHBS gave you. It can be done, but I'd wait until you have more experience because the risk for overcarbonation is really high due to inexperience. I've been been kegging for 3 years and I wouldn't do it, not because I'm afraid I'll overcarbonate, but because there are better ways. And I don't think it's a good idea to shake my beer.

The easiest, most foolproof method is to put it on the gas @ 10 PSI and leave it there. It will take a couple weeks to carbonate, but you will not overcarbonate it. This is referred to as the "set and forget" method. The beer can be warm or cold when you start.

If your patience requires a faster carb, it can be done in a few days by setting to 30 PSI for 36 to 48 hours and then backing it down to ~10 until finished. This would get you about 75% there in 2 days and good enough for drinking. The beer can be warm or cold when you do this. If it's already cold, do 36 hours, if the beer is warm and you are just putting it in, 48 should be fine.

Lastly, if you want carbonated beer today (or tomorrow at the latest), do the "shake and pray" method as outlined by your instructions, but only set to 10 PSI, not 30. You can't overcarbonate if you keep it to 10. The beer should be cold when you do this.

 

[NeoBrew]

The correct pressure for serving depends on temperature and the style of beer. A calculator or chart can be used to determine the pressure. http://www.brewersfriend.com/keg-carbonation-calculator/

I personally prefer to just set to serving pressure and wait 1-2 weeks for it to carb up. Many people take some time to get their draft set up to work well without too much foaming. Burst carbing just adds another variable when you are learning the ins and outs of things.

 

[nettekdl]

Thank you for the prompt replies I have already brought it up to 30 so I suppose I will just leave it there 2 days and bring it down and hope it's good, if not I will call it a learning experience

 

[Yooper]

I've never had good luck with shaking the keg to carb it up faster. It gets foamy and has sediment all through it when I attempt it.

And then turning down the pressure to serve means all sorts of problems, including the beer losing carbonation as the pressure equalizes in the keg.

Two things have worked very well for me. The first is to just put the keg in the kegerator on the gas. My set up is 12 psi, as my fridge is 40 degrees. (here is a chart to tell you what your pressure should be for your temperature to assure proper carbonation: http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php). It's ready in 7-10 days this way, and clears as it sits since I didn't shake it.

The other thing is to put the keg in the kegerator (no shaking!) at 30 psi for 36 hours, then to purge and set at 12 psi and keep it there. It jump starts the carbonation, but without risking overcarbonation. I can drink it the next day, but it will improve in carbonation for the next few days and it's perfect in about 5 days.

After the keg sits for a couple of days, I pour off about 3 ounces of sludge that settled in the keg, which is usually yeast sediment. If I don't move the keg, then it doesn't happen again and the rest of the pours are nice and clear.

 

[MattyIce]

The shake is definitely a guess at best. I set mine at serving pressure and leave it be for a week. Still faster than priming.

 

[cyberbrew]

The shake is definitely a guess at best.

Agreed. The only thing I shake is a keg of bubbly water...

 

[nettekdl]

Thanks for the help it looks like from now on I will just use the set it and forget it as I'm never in a hurry to have something on tap, thanks everyone