Gas, Keg's and the great Furphy

[Phel.]

So I have been an inactive reader on here for a while as with most free boards and i have to give an opinion.

First some info, Keg Brewer for 7 years AG for best part of 4 years however due to lazyness i often use a Can.....I know I know

I have a double Keg setup in a converted fridge 2 taps only one beer live at any time. One regulator one bottle (used to use a dual Reg no need now though)

Now my opinion.

High pressure gassing this 220Kpa+ stuff causes more trouble than it is worth. It is a tool used to drink the beer faster, Very Very few people can pour a Middy (285ml) from there Keg without head issues or large amounts of wasted beer. I have no doubt MANY people will call this a bollocks but here me out.

I started as everyone does with this high gassing for 48hours nonsense sold to you when you get your kegs buy the guy selling them usually and after much research i discovered for successful high pressure gassing you need a manifold system used in pubs which can get a little expensive.

So i started reseaching some alternatives here is the list all from years ago now i use the last method have done for 3.5 years and i have to say i always will.

Gassing 220 70Kpa pouring Hello foaming cup of white stuff got a spoon.....To the drawing board.

Gassing at 220 48Hours then 100KPA pouring and burping before pouring every single time This worked fairly successfully but was a giant pain in the arse.

Gassing 220 48Hours Gas off for 2 Weeks gas on at 100Kpa pouring Still the problem of head so burping required However discovered the beer tasted better that good (first accidental lagering)

Gassing 220 48H reduce to pouring pressure 100Kpa then gas off for 2 weeks, This was almost a success but still foaming.

So the above were all cracks and really I hate to say it wasted me alot of beer i would say 10-15% of each keg going to the drain.

Then through many readings of various internet and hardcopy literature i found a little note by an american guy who stated out of lazyness he just hooks a keg up at pouring pressure and leaves it.

So yes as usually the easiest way is best and here is the method i use and have used for 3+ years.

100-120KPa on regulator at all times as i always have something on tap.
Plug keg in burp
Leave for minimum 4 weeks I usually get 6 but in summer its 4 due to consumption of the other keg (2 keg system)
gasses and lagers all at the same time.

I have something like this at home

Drinking Keg
Gassing/Lagering Keg.
One in fermenter
One set of ingredients ready for beer day.

So please give 100KPa gassing a crack you will not go wrong, I started at 90KPa found 100 nice for the PA and 120 for Pilsner but everyone likes different bubbles.

Also for anyone wanting to use lager yeasts I have another little hint wine fridge I have a little one i got of ebay for 80 Bucks lets me set temp from 6-14 degrees so i can run a constant 11C all year around and never have to worry about my beer drilled a hole in the top of the door seal as the co2 kept opening the door on me......(took 3 brews before i realised it wasnt my wife playing tricks on me)


H.

16MM Head everytime any size glass for the record < 500mil wasted from keg and that is the first pour to get rid of cleaning water in pipes.
Head retention for 60% of glass, Bubbles bubbling nicely the whole time.

[drsmurto]

100KPa isnt going to be everyone's pouring pressure as the length of the line from the keg to the tap as well as beer temperature has an effect on the required pressure. Add to that issue those of us who have fonts so the beer line runs out of a fridge for maybe 1m during which time it warms up......

What happens if i want to serve an english bitter at 10C with a 1.5 volumes of CO2 and then change kegs to a hefewezien at 4C with 2.6 volumes of CO2?

The KISS method does work if you brew the same thing all the time.

I like to force carb my beer at 350KPa and am drinking my beer in 15 mins. By disconnecting the gas connects after use you can effectively have as many beers as you want at individual pressures (force carbed for different lengths of time) and then use only connect the gas to pour with.....

[Paul]

Sounds like you need a dual reg to me Smurto for what you are trying to achieve.

As a starting point 100kpa is the go for carbonation. For pommie beer lower your carbonation pressure a bit.

The biggest problem is that people play with the reg to adjust the pour speed. The reg is there to maintain the desired carbonation.

To adjust the pour you need to adjust their line length.

If in doubt have a read up on the Micromatic website. http://www.micromatic.com

I laugh every time that I hear that your need taps with flow restrictors in them to get a good pour, yet ive never seen a pub with them.

[drsmurto]

Was just an example - i serve all my beers at English CO2 levels rather than try to tweak them.

90% of my beers are ales.

Its how i like my beer.

Its my beer.

Its my bar.

Sod anyone who doesn't like it!

But i would like a dual reg....... especially for my ciders.

[Chris]

Never had a problem with carbing at higher pressure. All that you are trying to achieve is X amount of CO2 dissolved at Y temperature. The pressure that you put it in at is not really going to have much effect on the beer...

That being said, I rarely need to carb in a hurry, so I just hook the gas up for a week. Easy.

[Ross]

To adjust the pour you need to adjust their line length.

I laugh every time that I hear that your need taps with flow restrictors in them to get a good pour, yet ive never seen a pub with them.

Not sure why you laugh...as you said, to adjust your pour you need to adjust line length - that's basically what the restrictor does. You don't need flow restrictors to pour a good beer, but it certainly makes life a lot easier than physically changing the line length between different beer styles. The reason you rarely see in Aussie pubs, is that the vast majority of them sell one beer style & they are balanced accordingly. Visit Europe where they serve a multitude of styles & virtually every tap has a flow restrictor.

cheers Ross

[KEG]

indeed - think of it from the other perspective - these users of flow restrictors could be having quite a chuckle at people playing around with meters of beer line to reach the same end

[Lance]

I to have a 2 keg/tap system. I chill for 24 hours, carb @ 300KPA for 24 hours and pour at 50KPA. Never had a problem, don't waste any beer and if it is just me and a couple of mates having a few i don't need to turn the gas on as there is enough head pressure in the keg.

[Paul]

I dont play with the beer line length. 3 metres of 5mm ID beer line will pour any beer at any carbonation.

Ive been to plenty of pubs here with 30 beers of all different styles on tap and havent seen them yet.

[Chris]

Don't be too shocked to hear that a lot of pubs don't serve beer at the correct carbonation...

Out of interest, do you generally go and have a look around at the inner workings of most pubs?

[Boonie]

I've had beers in pubs that looked like Schweppes......effervescent.

I just let my kegs get cold first then turn up the gas to about 210-240, rock for 1 Minute then leave for 24 hours, drop the pressure back to 100 (I have 4-5 Metre lines)..works every time.

I used to do the 48 hours but don't bother now that I have the rock method that I think Ross posted.

I am going to try Docs method of 350 for 15... Are your kegs already cold Doc?...I am imagining so.

Cheers

Boonie

[drsmurto]

Boonie

My method IS Ross' method

Beer is already at serving temp. Rock at 350kPa (~50psi) for 60s. Turn off the reg and continue to shake for another 15s, the needle on the reg should drop. Disconnect the gas and let it sit for 15 mins. Vent. Attach gas and adjust back to pouring pressure.

Robert's your mother's brother.

[Boonie]

Thanks Doc

Boonie

[Trough Lolly]

Was just an example - i serve all my beers at English CO2 levels rather than try to tweak them.

90% of my beers are ales.

Its how i like my beer.

Its my beer.

Its my bar.

Sod anyone who doesn't like it!

But i would like a dual reg....... especially for my ciders.

Fear not Doc - pour at your pressure and temp; I'll drink your beer!

Cheers,
TL

[Biernut]

I for one will drink to the art of kegging which abounds on these pages.

Beifall und gluckliches trinken