Dispensing From A Corny Question

[BrewBlender]

I kegged a beer a few weeks ago and set my CO2 to about 15 pounds and waited a week (sneaking a pint or two before then ).

When I dispense it, I will usually drop the pressure to about 4 pounds and then raise it back up to 15 when I'm done.

My question is...is it bad to keep releasing the pressure from the keg for dispensing and then raise it back when I'm done drinking for the night?

Once the beer has reached it maximum level of carbonation, will it lose it if I keep lowering and raising it. Will it become flat? Is there a better way where I don't have to keep changing the pressure?

I only have a one gauge CO2 tank that tells me the pressure going in.

Thanks for your help.

[Speyedr]

Hey Josh,

What kind of Beer and why do you have it cranked to 15PSI? I have a Wit on tap and it is at 13PSI at 36f ('cause I lager in my keggerator.) You're going to have one fizzy beer...

Also, how long is your beer hose? The idea behind dispensing is to use the correct hose length for the pressure you are dispensing at. Each foot of 3/16" ID tubing resists 3PSI, so if you set at 4PSI you'd have a hose that is a little more than a foot. Also, add about 1.5PSI of restriction for each foot of lift to the tap faucet. Do you have it at 4PSI to compensate for the high carb?

You can solve this by adding a flare in your line so that you can add or remove different lengths depending on your keg pressure. I use these:
http://morebeer.com/product.html?product_id=18263 and then just add 2 or 4ft lengths as necessary. That way I can have a line length of 2', 4' or 6' if necessary. Just an idea for ya...

As for your questions, the only thing you are really doing is wasting CO2 by venting it and then re-pressurizing. The carbonation in your beer WILL try to reach equilibrium with the pressure in your keg, so when you lower the head pressure some gas will start to come out of the beer, but if it's only for a couple hours you're not doing any damage.

Rob

[BrewBlender]

It's a Pale Ale that's in my chest freezer at about 40 degrees. The dispensing hose I guess is about three feet long. I'm still new to kegging and got instructions from:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/docs/html/corny-keg.html

It basically says to dispense beer by releasing the pressure to 3-5 psi and opening up the relief valve...then after you're done to put it back up to the proper carbonation pressure, which according to the carb chart is between 10 and 15.

If I leave the pressure at 10-15, it comes out way too fast and foamy, but at 3-5, it's niiiice. I'm just wondering if it's damaging to the beer or it's carbonation to keep releasing the pressure and to crank it back up again.

Thanks again for the input.

[Speyedr]

Well you like it fizzy then eh?

They mention that for 15PSI you would either need about 5 feet of tubing to balance the system, or keep doing what you're doing. You won't hurt the beer if you keep doing it that way.

Rob

[BrewBlender]

So in the future, if I wanted a system where I could just hook up the CO2 and forget it (just be able to dispense beer)...what would I need?

I shouldn't have to keep lowering the PSI every time I want a beer, right?
There has to be an easier way.

[Speyedr]

Absolutely.

You would need to get some more 3/16" hose, and then get the proper connectors. B3 and Northern Brewer both have them.

http://morebeer.com/browse.html?category_id=1103&keyword=&x=1&y=1

You need both a male and female for each length of tube. Then just make a few different lengths and you're good to go. I have enough so I can have anywhere from 2ft (6PSI) to 6ft (18PSI.) Just remember, 3PSI per foot of 3/16" tubing, so 5ft for 15lbs (6ft is fine), 3ft for 9lbs (so use 4ft), etc. (I did the math so Justin could follow along...)

Then just set your regulator where you want for the beer and use the right length of hose. These are the same connectors that you use to connect the hose to the black disconnect now.

As an FYI, they also have new faucets for towers that have adjustable flow control. That way you can use any length of tube you want and adjust the resistance at the faucet. B3 has them, but they aint cheap. Hoses are cheap.

Good luck!

Rob

[DannyW]

I've had a different experience with the amount of restriction per foot. 3#/foot sounds way high; I've read 2#/foot many other places and suspect it is even less than that.

I make all my dispensing lines 6' and they all pour pretty well at 40F and 12psi. I never touch the regulator pressure; it just sits there until the tank goes empty.

for weizens and sodas I have a couple of lines that are 10'-12'. I've been experimenting with what pressure I like on that fridge - started out with 20psi (great for soda, not so much for weizen) and have settle down around 16psi now.

Besides wasting CO2, you will also be venting off much of your hop aroma, I suspect.

[BrewBlender]

So I don't really need to buy any more connectors, but rather just a longer hose (6 ft) and switch it out?