Hairy Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 I only have two taps and two kegs hooked up to regulator but I have room in the fridge for three kegs. I don't fast carb; I'm fairly patient so happy to set and forget. Sometimes I will add a third keg to the fridge, unhook one of the older kegs and carbonate the new one for a few days and then switch back. It means the new keg is pretty much ready to go when I need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpaca Brew Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Great! I don't know why I thought the keg needed to be hooked up all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 That's why I have my regulator connected to a manifold like this one Three of the valves run lines into the kegs inside the kegerator while the 4th one is a spare line that I use for purging kegs or pressurising them when cleaning to drain them through a liquid disconnect if not running the cleaner through the beer line and tap itself. I only run it through a disconnect to get the post itself cleaned out without having to dismantle the whole thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpaca Brew Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 Great info Kelsey and thanks for the photo. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Lao Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 I only have two taps and two kegs hooked up to regulator but I have room in the fridge for three kegs. I don't fast carb; I'm fairly patient so happy to set and forget. Sometimes I will add a third keg to the fridge' date=' unhook one of the older kegs and carbonate the new one for a few days and then switch back. It means the new keg is pretty much ready to go when I need it.[/quote'] How long before you can drink the beer on set and forget? I am getting a KegKing kegerator in a few weeks (hopefully), and have been reading like mad trying to find the best method. From reading this thread it looks like Ottos method at 40psi for about 20 hours, burp (vent excess pressure from the keg?), then set to serving pressure has the beer ready in a few days? I have read that the set and forget method takes 2-3 weeks, but when I bottle there is usually enough carbonation after about 5-7 days ( although still young I usually start drinking about then) I have also read that beer conditions faster when in a larger volumes? Was hoping that the set and forget method would be quicker than 2 weeks - hopefully a week! Will probably end up fast carbonating like everyone else seems to, just wouldn't want to over carbonate.. Cheers James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gag Halfrunt Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Strewth! If the set and forget method takes a couple of weeks you may as well bottle it. I force carb all my kegs so I can have instant beer. (I do use 50 litre kegs but so carbonating over time prob takes a lot longer than 19 litre ones, ive never tried it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Pirate Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 getting closer to having beer on tap at home ! so far only out of pocket $200 100 for 2 x plated intertaps , shanks and liquid side hoses / fittings brand new on Ebay 100 for a reg and 2 ball lock kegs + a bronco gun bought used from a workmate Fridge was a giveaway from a local club member (deadset legend ) today another workmate tells me he has an old CO2 cylinder in his shed .... bit dubious about shelling out for a ex-hire bottle that may be out of test or a little bit warm that i'll either risk getting arrested for or can't get filled . So all that's left is another few metres of gas line ,gas side fittings, clamps and a manifold Not sure of what make the kegs are one has the Firestone logo stamped on oval shaped lid ( easy enough ) other has what looks like a Suzuki logo on it ... seal kits are cheap enough so i'll replace all seals before use and try to work out this kegging caper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 That's right James, generally speaking my method has the beer a little under carbed but ready to drink the day after kegging it, and it does top up to proper carb levels over the next day, so all up two or three days at the most. I don't have the patience to be waiting a week or two if I don't have to Nice work Mark! The only thing with the kegs is you want to make sure what type of posts they have on them, i.e. ball lock or pin lock. The two aren't interchangeable so you can't put ball lock disconnects on pin lock posts, for instance. Most of the corny kegs used by home brewers are ball locks though. Any pictures? Might be able to work out what they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Pirate Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 defs ball lock , just not sure of brand to make sure i get correct seals for my posts Strange looking gas posts that i'll have to buy a long series socket for by the looks , not metric so must be from US Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 It's a Spartanburg keg, the one with the Suzuki looking logo on it. Some say they can be refurbished with standard corny keg parts and some say they can't... possibly depends on the model keg it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark D Pirate Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Thanks Otto , Other than the different makers mark on the lids everything else is identical so i'll take a punt and get standard seal kits and will be running a water test through both before risking any precious beer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 Hiya Pirate. ...today another workmate tells me he has an old CO2 cylinder in his shed .... bit dubious about shelling out for a ex-hire bottle that may be out of test or a little bit warm that i'll either risk getting arrested for or can't get filled. Make sure this "old CO2 cylinder" is food grade' date=' & not "industrial grade". If it's industrial grade, & been sitting in a shed for a few years, it could throw some nasty stuff into your beers. [img']ninja[/img] Cheers & good luck with the move over to kegging. You'll never look back! Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 24, 2017 Author Share Posted March 24, 2017 I've just bought a new bilge pump from Whitworths to run chilled water up into my flooded font. Turned out that a seal in the old one had either broken or perished and water got into the motor and ruined it. Before that happened though it worked really well keeping the inside of the font cool. The third of this block of kegs will be filled on Monday, so I'll turn off the keg fridge and give it a wipe clean, let it air out overnight and then hook everything back up again on Tuesday, set up the water and pump for the font, put the 3 full kegs in and begin the chilling and carbing so they will be ready to tap another couple of days later. This time around with 3 and a half kegs worth of beer available and no holidays I reckon I can get the next three ready before these run out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Lao Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 Hey legends, Was wondering if anyone had ever bulk primed and naturally carbonated a keg at room temps? If so how long did it take and did it taste better than force carbonated beer? Also, is there much time difference between bulk prime carbonation method and the set and forget method? Cheers James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Lao Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Juts the found the answers to my questions on the Internet. The Internet pointed me to this forum! Thread from 2011 on Naturally Carbonating Kegs. Apparently PB2 and Coopers prefer this method. But I still think I will probably force carbonate when I do eventually get the kegerator. I can barely wait a week now and I am bottling haha. Cheers James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quokka Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I've just recently moved to kegging and forced carbonation, but I have to say I don't believe them. I cannot imagine having yeast and fermented sugar in the keg improving anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 I've never bothered naturally carbonating a keg. The only comparison I have between force carbonating and naturally carbonating the same batch is bottles of surplus that were obviously naturally carbed. It's not really a fair comparison though, because the kegged beer improves quicker anyway, but the bottled beer does eventually catch up and I have to say I have always preferred the force carbed beer. It just seems to have a slightly cleaner flavour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titan8 Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Before i split my gas lines i used to throw 30 carb drops in the keg for natural carb. Left quite a bit of debris at bottom of keg but thay poured off with first pull. I dont do it now but served a purpose back then. I now have 2 lines in kegerator and 2 outside. But not against idea of natural keg carbonation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 After isinglass and cold crashing, I find even on the first pour of a keg there's no muck coming up. I discard the first 200mL or so just in case, but it's usually pretty clear already. By the end of the keg there's about as much sediment as you'd find in the bottom of maybe 3 bottles worth, hardly any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 27, 2017 Author Share Posted March 27, 2017 It's kegging day today, this time is my almost 4 Pines pale ale. 4L or so will be going into the little bastard keg which already contains 4L of the English ale, so that one will be a blended beer. Then the big keg will be filled. Tomorrow the yeast will be pitched into the next batch which I brewed on Saturday, a pilsner, then the keg fridge will be wiped out clean and left to air out over night, and then on Wednesday I'll set up the new water pump for the font, stick the 3 kegs in and begin chilling and carbonating them, so they'll be ready just in time for me to not be here on the weekend . In any case, it'll be nice to have my own brews back on tap again after a mini hiatus while I got them brewed and kegged. Cheers Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 29, 2017 Author Share Posted March 29, 2017 The kegerator was turned off and left open to defrost yesterday, as it had built up quite a deal of ice inside it, probably due to the -2C temp it was set to over the hotter months. I never noted any ice buildup when set to -1C. Today I set up the new water pump for the flooded font in its reservoir, filled with water, and put 3 full kegs in the fridge - a XXXX Bitter rip off, my almost 4 Pines pale ale, and the English ale brewed with home made crystal. The fridge was turned back on and set to -1C this time, as the weather is cooling down again slowly. The first two are currently being gassed at 45PSI where they will sit until about lunch time tomorrow when I'll remove the gas lines and let them settle until I get home from work at around dinner time, at which point they'll be hooked up at serving pressure. The English one will be hooked up at serving pressure at this point too - I'm not doing the high pressure on it because it sat on gas for a few days after being filled and although it warmed up I don't really know how much is in there already so it's safer to carb it on serving pressure. It's at the back of the fridge so it's better that way anyway because I intend for it to be the last one emptied so a slower carbonation process should aid in that. Tomorrow night I'll have a glass of the pale ale, and see how it's going, and then they will sit there over the weekend untouched as I won't be here. I'll grab a stubbie of the real XXXX at some point during next week and do a side-by-side test with my version next weekend too. So, along with the 8L of blended APA/English ale in the little bastard keg which will go on tap when one of these 3 blows, I have 65 litres of beer to get through while I brew, ferment and keg the next three batches. I should be able to just manage to get them ready before these all run dry Cheers Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerlust Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 The kegerator was turned off and left open to defrost yesterday' date=' as it had built up quite a deal of ice inside it, probably due to the -2C temp it was set to over the hotter months. I never noted any ice buildup when set to -1C.[/quote']Why the heck do you need to run a temp that low?? That is around freezing. My keezer uses a temp controller that runs with a variance of 2°C to about 5 to 6°C (can't remember exactly). External fonts cause much of these problems, & that is why I haven't gone this route. IMHO, the time your beer is sitting inside & near your font between pours appears to be causing you most of your problems as you appear to be chilling your beer to extremely low levels to compensate. When you get your own place Kelsey, I wouldn't want your electricity bill! Cheers, Lusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 I'm not sure the fridge actually gets that low anyway despite the ice buildup, because the water reservoir that serves the font never freezes, and neither do kegs of soda water when they are in there. It works to get the beer in the glass the way I like it though. In any case, I'm happy with my font set up... at least I don't have to keep opening the fridge door letting in hot air every time I want a beer, which would arguably see the fridge working harder than it does left closed and set colder. You can keep your picnic taps If I was to build a proper keezer at some stage in the future then I'd go the wooden collar and put the taps on/in that, which would be a lot better than an external font in terms of keeping them cold. That might be a project for when I actually own a house though, the kegerator is nice and compact if there is gonna be multiple moves going on until then. Cheers Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 The 'fast carb' kegs have had their gas disconnects temporarily removed, and they will sit and settle over the next 7 hours or so before being re-hooked up at normal serving pressure. The English ale keg at the back has now been hooked up at serving pressure where it will remain until empty of course. All I have to do now is give the drip tray a bit of a rinse, and wipe down the top of the fridge so it's all ready for the first pour of the pale ale later on when I get home from work again - assuming we're still running services after the deluge of rain today! Cheers Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otto Von Blotto Posted April 6, 2017 Author Share Posted April 6, 2017 I'm back with 3 kegs on tap again since the holidays decimated the beer stocks, and the fermentation of the annual dark ale delayed proceedings of getting three filled. This batch of three is the XXXX Bitter rip off, the almost 4 Pines pale ale and the English ale that I brewed with my home made crystal malt. Last Thursday when I tried the XXXX and pale ale, the XXXX keg poured a lot of foam, and I wasn't sure why. While drinking it I noticed it didn't seem quite as cold as they normally are, but I also thought maybe there was an issue with the beer line kinking or something. The pale ale at the same carb level poured fine, and was colder in the glass. On Monday night I tried the XXXX again and it poured fine and was colder, so I guess that one just hadn't properly chilled down when I initially tried it. I'll keep that in mind for kegs on that side of the fridge in future. The English ale at the back has just been sitting on serving pressure all week so I might try some tonight and see how its carb level is now. Glad to have beer on tap again in any case, and it'll be flowing a bit on Saturday's brew day no doubt Cheers Kelsey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.