# Force carbonating



## gaudet (Nov 2, 2009)

I am force carbonating two cornys with a single regulator and a tee barbed connector. I was told to set the PSI to 40 for 2 days. Anyone have a set of force carbonating instructions for dummies ?


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## Brian B (Nov 2, 2009)

When I force carbonate I usually set my regulator at 30 psi and leave it for 2 days, then lower it to 12 psi for another two to three days. This usually gives me about 2.5 volumes. All of this is done about 40 F.

Brian B


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## gaudet (Nov 2, 2009)

My kegerator is at 37degrees. My LHB guy said that splitting the lines with a tee required me to set the pressure to double. I will keep reading stuff I find on the web as well. Thanks Brian


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## Brian B (Nov 2, 2009)

I actually have my single regulator going to 5 taps. The only problem I have ever had is a connection has come loose and drained my tank. I keep my regulator at 12 psi and it feeds all 5 kegs.

Brian


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## gaudet (Nov 2, 2009)

Good to know. I can run 4 in my kegerator. Don't have taps for 4. But that can change.


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## Wade E (Nov 2, 2009)

Yep I agree with Brian as Im running tandem regulators. 1 for 3 kegs with beer and 1 for a sparkling wine. I disconnect the hose to the sparkling to force carb each new keg at 30 for 2 days and then connect it to the beer reg which is always set at 10psi. The reg. fpor the sparkling typically has to stay at around 16psi.


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## gaudet (Nov 2, 2009)

Not sure, but I think I over carbed this one. Either that or its got the best head retention you ever seen. Any advice on how to fix that?


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## Wade E (Nov 2, 2009)

Are you using a 3' hose? if so this is the problem and I hate when brew shops sell this to people without telling them its going to pour foam like a SOB! Get yourself 8-10' and I bet you get a much better pour!


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## gaudet (Nov 2, 2009)

It's a 5 footer. I thought it was going to be the right length.


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## Wade E (Nov 2, 2009)

and what psi are you running? I find 8' @3/16 to be the min.this is why you always see a coil inside everyone's fridge as shorter lengths just give out foam due to no back pressure. kind of like a big engine with open headers!


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## gaudet (Nov 2, 2009)

at 10 psi for working pressure


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## Wade E (Nov 2, 2009)

Definitely get 10' and then if you make a higher carbed beer you should be fine with that to.


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## smurfe (Nov 3, 2009)

Here are the links to a couple of sites that are pretty useful, particularly the second one. Check them out. I personally just use my brewing software to tell me what psi to set.

I am surprised you were told to double the psi if you are branching your line. I normally just set my psi to the prescribed pressure and let it set a couple weeks to carbonate. I have hooked a keg up to 30-40 psi and gently rocked the keg to rapidly force carb but that is pretty easy way to over carb. I normally take the patient way. 



Introduction to Kegging

Home Draught Page


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## Travisty (Nov 3, 2009)

smurfe said:


> I am surprised you were told to double the psi if you are branching your line.








Me too. It doesn't matter if you're pressurizing one keg or two, 10 psi is 10 psi.


I just ran into the issue of too short of beer line myself. I told the local LHBS owner that I wanted 20' of standard homebrew size beverage line. He gave me 1/4" ID line. I thought nothing of it and put 6' of it on a keg dispensing at about 12 psi. I got nothing but foam. Turns out 1/4" is really only good for longer draw set ups and has a flow resistance of around 0.65 psi/foot. 3/16" ID line has around 2.2 psi/foot resistance and is what I meant to get. Now I have to turn the pressure down to about 3psi to serve the beer without a ton of foam. Looks like another trip to the LHBS is in order.


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## gaudet (Nov 3, 2009)

Well I have 5 feet of 3/16 line for the tower...... I guess I overcarbonated the beer. Is there any way to fix that?


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## Travisty (Nov 3, 2009)

If it's only been a couple days at 40 psi then you should be fine. Does it taste overcarbonated? If it is overcarbed, you can vent the pressure relief valve a couple times a day to lower the carbonation level.


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## gaudet (Nov 3, 2009)

I only have one corny with a PRV on top. the others all have the emergency PRV that only goes off when the pressure exceeds the predetermined pressure. Fortunately I am using it on one of them now. I released the pressure in the corny and turned the working pressure to 10 psi. Still getting a lot of foam, but not unbearable. 

Trav,

as far as overcarbonated, I'm not sure I'd know as I am a newbie at this. But I think the taste of the beer is pretty darn good. Time to pour another one


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## Wade E (Nov 3, 2009)

Get a longer hose gaudet and i bet all your problems will be solved.


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## gaudet (Nov 3, 2009)

how long you figure I need Wade? 8 feet 10 feet?


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## xanxer82 (Nov 3, 2009)

Beer seems a lot more involved than wine. good luck with the carbonation


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## smurfe (Nov 3, 2009)

You must have pin lock kegs. If it don't have a relief valve unhook the gas IN side and depress the poppet with a screw driver. Make double sure it is the gas in or you will get a face full of beer. 5 foot of 3/16" line really ought to be about right although every system is different. All my taps have around 5 foot of line on them. After I get to the volumes of CO2 I want I unhook the line, vent the keg then dial the CO2 down to 3-5 psi or so for serving. If you try to serve with too high psi it is gonna foam. I made that mistake at first. I tried to serve at 30 psi.


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## gaudet (Nov 3, 2009)

xanxer82 said:


> Beer seems a lot more involved than wine. good luck with the carbonation



I am learning the kegerator systems.......

Don't let it discourage you xanaxer............. Being able to drink fresh beer within two - three weeks is pretty damn cool.................


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## gaudet (Nov 3, 2009)

smurfe said:


> You must have pin lock kegs. If it don't have a relief valve unhook the gas IN side and depress the poppet with a screw driver. Make double sure it is the gas in or you will get a face full of beer. 5 foot of 3/16" line really ought to be about right although every system is different. All my taps have around 5 foot of line on them. After I get to the volumes of CO2 I want I unhook the line, vent the keg then dial the CO2 down to 3-5 psi or so for serving. If you try to serve with too high psi it is gonna foam. I made that mistake at first. I tried to serve at 30 psi.



Yep pin lock kegs............... 

I'm gonna need a better psi valve to set the working pressure. Its in increments 5..............


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## Wade E (Nov 3, 2009)

I keep reg set at 8-10 psi with 8'-10' of hose and get a good pour. Follow Smurfes set up as hes been doing it longer then me. Ive just followed what I read on homebrewtalk and since I did this all has been good.


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## Dean (Nov 3, 2009)

wow, at 3-5 psi my pour takes forever! I'm pouring closer to 12 psi. Perhaps my regulator needs calibration?


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## Travisty (Nov 4, 2009)

gaudet said:


> Trav,
> 
> as far as overcarbonated, I'm not sure I'd know as I am a newbie at this. But I think the taste of the beer is pretty darn good. Time to pour another one








If it tastes good to you, that's all that counts right now!


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## Travisty (Nov 4, 2009)

smurfe said:


> All my taps have around 5 foot of line on them. After I get to the volumes of CO2 I want I unhook the line, vent the keg then dial the CO2 down to 3-5 psi or so for serving. If you try to serve with too high psi it is gonna foam. I made that mistake at first. I tried to serve at 30 psi.










Wow, isn't that kind of a PITA? Wouldn't it be easier to just have longer beer lines so you can serve at your carbonation pressures rather than venting and dropping the psi, serving, then raising the psi back up?


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## gaudet (Nov 4, 2009)

Changed it out to 10 feet of 1/4 ID tubing and that seems to have done the trick for it. The head isn't near as monstrous as before. I was getting about 50% foam there. Anyhow, thanks a bunch to the experts that are holding my hands for this learning curve.


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## Wade E (Nov 4, 2009)

1/4" or 3/16" ? 3/16" is the standard! More back pressure is almost always the best way!


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## smurfe (Nov 5, 2009)

I get a great pour with the psi at around 5. I only vent the keg if I force carb at high pressure to get an immediate beer. If I set at line temp and let it set a couple weeks I don't vent. Guess I should of been a little more specific. 

Also I forgot to add, I make a whole lot of Bitters and a carb psi of 3-5 psi isn't out of the ordinarily at all. I don't want top overcarb those. Many have 0.5-1.0 volumes CO2. I don't ever remember having to use higher than 12 psi though.


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## gaudet (Nov 5, 2009)

I double checked and its 1/4 id.....

Need to run to the supply store again. But it is working well right now. the foam has been reduced to acceptable levels.


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