Carbonation question - emergency

[kestlemill]

Hi All,
I'm doing my first brew in 3 years and trying to remember everything and testing all the equipment. I have a party next weekend so am leaving it late but am going to try to do a quick brew then add CO2 via capsules. Not ideal but that's the plan.

To test carbonation via those silver CO2 capsules I filled my keg with water and added Co2 via capsules through the lid. I tried three times. I was expecting the water to go fizzy but it didn't. Should it have? I think it should.

I think there is an air leak in the lid of my keg. The o-ring looks a bit distorted (where can i buy a new o-ring?). I think the keg leaks too from the tap when it's at full pressure (just before the air leaked today it was doing this). It started doing this before the air leaked. I don't really have the inclination to get my head around a Cornelius at this juncture given how few days I've got.

Would be good to get some clear thoughts from experienced heads on best way to proceed.

I think my options are:
i) New plastic keg - which type is best?
ii) Cornelius keg - where could i get everything i need and instructions on how to use it?
iii) New lid or do something to make lid work
iiii) New O-ring

Thanks loads for your help.

 

[Twostage]

I don't think using sparklets will fizz your beer. I think this needs about 35 PSI and your keg will release pressure at 10. (can someone confirm this ?). It's more about ensuring the beer comes out under pressure.

Just put your o-ring in hot water and it will return to normal.

Put Vaseline on the lid oring and the tap oring and dont tighten too much. Use another sparklet and then drip washing up liquid/water mix where you think it might be leaking and look for bubbles.

One of my barrel lids had the top valve only finger tight as you are expected to disassemble and lubricate. One to check for.

 

[clibit]

You can't make a beer fizzy in a plastic keg by adding CO2. You would need a corney set up.

 

[kestlemill]

Hi Twostage and Clibit.

Thanks very much for your advice and wisdom. You have prevented me wasting a lot of time and effort. I guess my idea to fill the keg with CO2 using those capsules was pie in the sky. Therefore my options become simpler:

i) Corny
ii) Buy beer

:)

 

[Twostage]

Hi Twostage and Clibit.

Thanks very much for your advice and wisdom. You have prevented me wasting a lot of time and effort. I guess my idea to fill the keg with CO2 using those capsules was pie in the sky. Therefore my options become simpler:

i) Corny
ii) Buy beer

:)

Or
iii) carbonate in the pressure barrel with secondary fermentation.

 

[GHW]

I might have misunderstood but if you have a party next weekend there's no chance you'll have a drinkable brew by then if you're only putting it on now - co2 or not. It'll still be in initial fermentation at that point. I'd have thought the minimum to get something drinkable would be four weeks, and you've had to choose your brew carefully (weissbier or similar probably best, something to be drunk young).

I'd get the brew on anyway but head to the shops for next weekends beer!

 

[baggybill]

I might have misunderstood but if you have a party next weekend there's no chance you'll have a drinkable brew by then if you're only putting it on now - co2 or not. It'll still be in initial fermentation at that point. I'd have thought the minimum to get something drinkable would be four weeks, and you've had to choose your brew carefully (weissbier or similar probably best, something to be drunk young).

I'd get the brew on anyway but head to the shops for next weekends beer!

+1 for this.

Just buy the beer this time around and take your time with the home brew. I read somewhere a while ago that the single most important ingredient in a brew, you can't buy...... patience! :shock:

Also, there's a lot of hidden costs going down the Corny route - regulator, disconnects, gas bottle etc. IMHO it's a long term investment, not a quick fix.

Enjoy the party - buy some nice craft beers for a change, that will impress :drink:

 

[GlentoranMark]

What about chilling the beer really cold and using a Soda Stream?

 

[clibit]

Speed brewing, by the way, is something I came across a while ago, there is quite a lot of info on the web about making beer fast, here's a good article:

http://byo.com/issues/item/1397-speed-brewing

"Want to be drinking some homebrew next week, but your kegs are empty now? Learn the techniques, equipment, yeast strains and beer styles that allow you to go from grain to glass in a week (or less). Brewpubs do it, and now you can too. Plus: Recipes for two beers that can be ready in six days!"

It CAN be done! But you need to force carb the beer after a week's fermentation with a rapid, highly flocculant yeast, basically.

If you play an absolute blinder you might be able to stick a beer that has almost finished fermenting in a PB after 4 or 5 days and allow the last bit of fermentation to create some carbonation - an English ale doesn't need much. But getting it to clear is the main problem. WLP002/Wyeast1968 is considered a good yeast for rapid fermentation and quick clearing, and a lot of Micros use it apparently, for fat turnover, to get their FVs churning out beer. Time, in a fermenter, is money.

 

[Twostage]

My 'record' so far is 9 days. The last three days being carbonate.

(interesting article Clibit).