Multiple keg carbonation

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by mushroomcloud, Aug 18, 2015.

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  1. mushroomcloud

    mushroomcloud Grand Pooh-Bah (4,912) Mar 4, 2005 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Finally kegging after 10 years of bottling...built a keezer over July 4th weekend and just put on my second keg.
    I have a 4 way CO2 distributor and I was able to carbonate my first keg really well by raising the psi to 32 and letting it do it's thing for a few days.

    I put the second keg on a few days ago...here's the question:

    What is the best way to get this keg carbonated properly?
    Raise the psi again? (will that affect the 1st keg negatively?)
    Raise the psi and shut off the distributor to the 1st keg while 2nd keg carbonates?
    Leave it at serving pressure and let it sit and carbonate over an extended period? Will it carbonate like this?

    Thanks in advance for the advice.
     
    #1 mushroomcloud, Aug 18, 2015
  2. kbuzz

    kbuzz Initiate (0) Jan 22, 2011 North Carolina

    You have options. And your instincts are pretty spot on.

    Assuming you've now lowered the psi to serving levels (8-12 PSI?), you can connect the second keg and let it carb up slowly (a couple weeks) at your serving pressure..

    Or you can turn off the pressure to the carbed keg for a couple days while you crank up the psi to carb up the new keg.

    If you leave the carbed keg connected while jacking the pressure up again, you will overcarb it.
     
    #2 kbuzz, Aug 18, 2015
  3. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    There are a lot of options. I have a distributor that will let me shut off each line. I hope you do too. If you do, you can use one of these free lines as a work line for turning up the pressure. You can shake-and-bake, or you can just purge fermenters with CO2 this way. Otherwise, I use the set-it-and-forget-it method of leaving it at serving pressure until it comes up to pressure like the other kegs I'm serving.

    The longer answer is that you should have more kegs than you have taps available. Get a pipeline going and make sure you have beer that can age well go into that pipeline. You'll have carbed beer ready to serve as soon as its chilled that way. For these kegs, I know they'll be at cellar temp for a while. I throw a little priming sugar at the bottom of the keg before I rack the beer. (1 or 2 oz of sugar). I seal the keg/purge the keg with some high pressure to seat the lid. Time will take care of the sugar and it'll be ready when a keg kicks in my keezer.
     
    #3 inchrisin, Aug 18, 2015
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  4. mushroomcloud

    mushroomcloud Grand Pooh-Bah (4,912) Mar 4, 2005 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Thanks for the advice guys.
    I'm headed to Seattle for 5 days o Thursday so I'll probably let it sit at serving pressure and hope it's ready on return. That'll give it about 12 days on 12psi.

    Thank again
     
    #4 mushroomcloud, Aug 19, 2015
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