Kegging Question

As long as it is holding pressure you're fine to take it of the CO2 and remove the picinic tap.

 

Spray all the potential leak points with Starsan Solution or soapy water and see if they bubble.

 

Sounds like you have a poppet that is borderline. If it's not leaking now, it should be okay as long as you don't disturb it. (And when the CO2 quick disconnect is connected, it won't matter.) I'd replace it on the next batch though.

 

I would disconnect the tap if only to reduce the temptation to continue sampling it. But I would leave the gas hooked up and set to serving pressure. It's not strictly necessary if it's fully carbed, but the equilibrium thing will continue to fine tune it so you know it'll be right on serving day.

 

I salute your self-control for having good beer on tap and reserving it for two weeks.

It doesn't hurt to leave the tank hooked up to the keg. If there is a small leak you will slowly drain the tank but the beer will stay good. If you disconnect the tank and the keg has a slow leak, you will gradually have flat beer. A poor man's test is to take the tank off the keg for a week+. When you hook it back up and set 12 psi there should not be a rush of CO2 from tank to keg (the noise is noticeable if beer is flat). Ideally your beer will have remained in equilibrium with your headspace (12 psi) and no gas will transfer on hook-up. This may not work for very tiny leaks, but should tell you if there is a big problem.

 

No. Once it reaches equilibrium, it does not absorb anymore Co2. As long as there is no leaks, you are good.

 

No prob. You'll find that you can get a lot of mileage, carbing and serving, out of a full canister. Numerous kegs.

Also, in the event that you can't find a tiny leak, you can always submerge as much as possible under water. I had one that I just couldn't find by spraying with soapy water and finally submerged one of the connections under water and there it was.

 

Straying from topic just slightly... If you are serious about kegging, you really need to get a backup CO2 tank, because you never really know when your primary tank is going to kick. I have a feeling that in your case it would also reduce stress.

 

On submerging - you would only have to do the top of the tank where the regulator and connections are, but yea, you could hold it under water if it came to it. Just try the spray first though.

Oh Vikeman, I'm not sure how much more your serious level rises by having a backup, but it is certainly more cautious. I've been doing it with just one, I feel like I'm serious about it, lol. If it kicks, I get it filled, usually within a day or so. $12 fill, no biggie. I guess if you are having it at parties though, cautiousness is a good thing.

 

To find leaks, increase the pressure to 50 psi. Small leaks that are likely to cause problems will make an audible hiss at that pressure. There may be other leaks created by the relatively high pressure that wouldn't be a problem at normal serving pressure. Fix those, too - it's cheap insurance. While you want include the keg in this process, don't leave it set to 50 psi for too long. A minute or two shouldn't be a problem. And don't forget to release the excess pressure from the keg when you're done.

Regarding a second CO2 tank - since you're going to buy one eventually anyway, you might as well do it now. Peace of mind is a beautiful thing. FWIW, if space is not an issue, I'd recommend a bigger tank. Mine are 20#, which is just a bit smaller than a corny keg. It'll pay for itself quickly with just the money you save on refills.