Beer Forum

So I just kegged a pilsner on a corny keg. The thing is, I need it carbonated by friday afternoon, when I will bottle it with beergun. I want it somewhere in the range of 3 volumes of CO2.

What´s the procedure? I already hook up with CO2 at 20 PSI, 35 degrees. Should I leave it till tomorrow, then I lower that to 14 PSI? Should I go higher on this first day? Should I shake it? My gas line is going to the gas valve on the corny. I know it´s best to go on the dip-tube, but I didn´t do it out of laziness... That´s not a major thing, right?

My last bottling with beergun went smoothly. But I found out that 14 PSI at 35 for a week did not produce a 2.5 volumes beer. It needed some more carbonation. Should I correct that also (maybe my manometer is not quite calibrated, I don´t know...)???

Use this simple formula to calculate number of volumes as a funtion of temperature and guage pressure:

Vols = (P+14.695)*(0.01821 + 0.090115*exp((32-°F)/43.11))

Thus 20 psig at 35 °F should produce 3.5 volumes but don't expect equilibrium in a matter of days. It can take weeks unless you speed the exposure of the beer to the CO2 as by shaking (as you suggested) or injection with a gas stone. If you do this the gas will go into solution but it will not "meld" with the beer for weeks. But that may be OK - the melding can take place in the bottle (unless the necessity to do this by Friday is driven by the need to consume it on Saturday).

Another trick that works is to set the gas pressure higher than 20 - say to 40. At 40 psi equilibrium will be at about 5.6 volumes so that it should reach 3 volumes much faster than if the equilibrium level is 3.5. When you are ready to bottle reduce the gauge pressure to whatever works best with your filler and then bleed the keg down to that pressure.

It is much better if you can use the gas setting that gets you the carbonation level you want and wait for equilibrium even if it takes a few weeks. If you use a higher pressure the beer at the top of the keg will be more carbonated than at the bottom (because it is closest to the CO2).

It doesn't much matter whether you put the gas into the gas tube or the dip tube unless the dip tube has a carbonation stone hooked to it. Then it does.

If you just need a few bottles, perhaps you could use a 2L bottle with a carbonator cap. Shake that with the gas hooked up, then transfer to glass bottles. Leave the rest of the keg to gently carbonate over a couple of weeks.

thanks ajdelange. I noticed it takes maybe even more than a week for the beer to carbonate. Anyways, I need the beer fully carbonated and in bottles by saturday. I am providing 40 22oz. bottles at a wedding (40 bottles pilsner + 40 bottles janet´s brown ale). So that´s my problem... I noticed also that beer carbonated doesnt mean the CO2 is "melded" like you say. It´s a lot different to have a head with no small bubbles than proper carbonation, but I don´t have the time.

I will probably crank up the pressure to 40 today, then tomorrow (thursday) I will shake it a little bit, then keep overnight at 35 psi or something. Then on friday I proceed as you told me: bleed of the pressure from keg and use my beergun at 7PSI

philbrasil wrote:thanks ajdelange. I noticed it takes maybe even more than a week for the beer to carbonate. Anyways, I need the beer fully carbonated and in bottles by saturday. I am providing 40 22oz. bottles at a wedding (40 bottles pilsner + 40 bottles janet´s brown ale). So that´s my problem... I noticed also that beer carbonated doesnt mean the CO2 is "melded" like you say. It´s a lot different to have a head with no small bubbles than proper carbonation, but I don´t have the time.

I will probably crank up the pressure to 40 today, then tomorrow (thursday) I will shake it a little bit, then keep overnight at 35 psi or something. Then on friday I proceed as you told me: bleed of the pressure from keg and use my beergun at 7PSI

Shake sooner rather than later. It'll take a day or 2 to settle. Try to undershoot a little bit rather than overshoot. You can get that lats little bit of CO2 in without shaking. If you do overshoot, it's not so bad, you'll lose a little bit of carb with the beer gun anyways.

I have found that about 50psi for 24-36 hours gets it pretty close. I would hit 50psi for 24hrs turn the co2 down bleed off the extra test it then go from there.

Lennybuzz wrote:I have found that about 50psi for 24-36 hours gets it pretty close. I would hit 50psi for 24hrs turn the co2 down bleed off the extra test it then go from there.

Cool. The hardest thing is going to be able to avoid leaks and hosing beeing blown off from the conectors at this pressure! But if I have to do that, so be it!! I´ll be doing that and then I´ll post my results...

Thanks guys

Cool. The hardest thing is going to be able to avoid leaks and hosing beeing blown off from the conectors at this pressure! But if I have to do that, so be it!! I´ll be doing that and then I´ll post my results...

Knock on wood I havent had any problems with leaks or hoses blowing off and I just used barbed hose connectors on my ball locks. Good luck let us know how it turns out.