Corny kegging (beginner)

[bmass96]

Hi all.

I'm kegging a beer for the first time this weekend. A 4.7% El Dorado and Mosaic pale!

I've done as much research about kegging to get me to a point where I'm comfortable with what I'm doing, however naturally a couple questions.

Do you *need* to put a corny keg in the fridge? If you're not blessed with space can you put it in a place where you have an idea of the temperature (without being able to find out what it is exactly)?

Finally, if you do put it in the fridge (and I'm assuming the answer is yes but am trying to satisfy someone's knowledge who thinks you don't have to) do you have to put the CO2 tank in the fridge with it, i.e does the CO2 need to be connected even when you're not drinking etc.? I'd be using the 'family fridge' if I put it in the fridge so drilling holes in it for the CO2 line isn't an option.

Sorry for the length of this. Any advice would be appreciated as usual.

Cheers,
Ben.

 

[ChilledGecko]

Hi Ben,
if you want your beer cold then it needs to go in the fridge. If you are conditioning the beer and you can get the required temperature without using a fridge, fine.
I kegged a lager today, that's gone straight into the keezer as I want to cold condition it (and drink it....)

Regarding CO2, you can gas the keg and then disconnect and shove it in the fridge. If you check it say a day later you will see the pressure will have dropped due to the CO2 dissolving into the beer. Connect it back up to the CO2 and 'pump it up' again. You will hit equilibrium after a few cycles.

I think you will be pleased taking the keg route despite the minor faffing of the above

 

[the_quick]

Beer carbonates faster when cooled (I keep mine at around 4 degrees), but it will still carbonate if warmer.
You don't have to put co2 in the fridge,

 

[bmass96]

Hi Ben,
if you want your beer cold then it needs to go in the fridge. If you are conditioning the beer and you can get the required temperature without using a fridge, fine.
I kegged a lager today, that's gone straight into the keezer as I want to cold condition it (and drink it....)

Regarding CO2, you can gas the keg and then disconnect and shove it in the fridge. If you check it say a day later you will see the pressure will have dropped due to the CO2 dissolving into the beer. Connect it back up to the CO2 and 'pump it up' again. You will hit equilibrium after a few cycles.

I think you will be pleased taking the keg route despite the minor faffing of the above

Cool, sounds good thanks. The process of gassing the keg and leaving it in the fridge disconnected sounds good. So what sorta PSI would you use to pump it up? So the Brewers Friend calculator, for example, says if it was staying in the fridge all connected up that approx. 8 PSI would be good (for 5°C). Also, how would you monitor the pressure? Keep the regulator on? Sorry for the stupid questions!

 

[ChilledGecko]

Hi Ben, personally I would over pressurise to allow for the gas dissolving into the beer, so for your 8psi I'd go for around 15psi.
I'd tend to monitor by pouring a beer
You can control the delivery by the way you pour to get a good beer, don't get too hung up on absolute psi values.
If it pours with a head and not too much head you are on a winner.

Enjoy your beer

Kevin

 

[bmass96]

Hi Ben, personally I would over pressurise to allow for the gas dissolving into the beer, so for your 8psi I'd go for around 15psi.
I'd tend to monitor by pouring a beer
You can control the delivery by the way you pour to get a good beer, don't get too hung up on absolute psi values.
If it pours with a head and not too much head you are on a winner.

Enjoy your beer

Kevin

That's great, cheers for your help Kevin! Fingers crossed!

 

[Banbeer]

I'd be using the 'family fridge' if I put it in the fridge so drilling holes in it for the CO2 line isn't an option.

Hi Kevin, welcome to the wonderful world of kegging, I didn't want to drill holes in the larder fridge, I bought it new, so used John Guest fittings/joints to go from 3/8" line to 3/16"line from the regulator and then up through the drain hole from the back of the fridge then 3/16" to 3/8" onto the gas disconnect. This enables me to keep the C02 out of the fridge and leaves me more room for kegs.

 

[MickDundee]

Hi Kevin, welcome to the wonderful world of kegging, I didn't want to drill holes in the larder fridge, I bought it new, so used John Guest fittings/joints to go from 3/8" line to 3/16"line from the regulator and then up through the drain hole from the back of the fridge then 3/16" to 3/8" onto the gas disconnect. This enables me to keep the C02 out of the fridge and leaves me more room for kegs.

This is exactly what I do as well. My inspiration was from a Malt Miller video about setting up a kegerator and they did it.

 

[meirion658]

What the best way to reduce the foam from the keg? I curreny have 3/8 comming out of keg into a reducer to 3/16 length then a very short connection of 3/8 into the dispenser. I get an initial explosion of foam and then a nice pour but I have 3inches or so of foam.

I have the serving PSI to around 10 and it a lager inside the Keg

 

[ChilledGecko]

@Banbeer it's Ben @bmass96 that is the proud owner of the new kegs, I'm just spouting random experience

 

[MickDundee]

What the best way to reduce the foam from the keg? I curreny have 3/8 comming out of keg into a reducer to 3/16 length then a very short connection of 3/8 into the dispenser. I get an initial explosion of foam and then a nice pour but I have 3inches or so of foam.

I have the serving PSI to around 10 and it a lager inside the Keg

My kegerator only came with 3/16 beer line with 3/8 barb reducers in each end. I started with the full length and snipped off 15cm at a time when I poured a pint until I was happy with the head/beer ratio.

 

[ChilledGecko]

@meirion658 I've experimented with my keezer and have fixed on 15ft old money, (4.5m ish) 3/16" with 3/8" ends to suit.
I tried other lengths but settled with the above.
That serves larger, Weiss beer, IPA & ale well at around 3c - 5c

 

[Banbeer]

@Banbeer it's Ben @bmass96 that is the proud owner of the new kegs, I'm just spouting random experience

Sorry Kevin, it was aimed at @bmass96

 

[Galvers]

@meirion658 I've experimented with my keezer and have fixed on 15ft old money, (4.5m ish) 3/16" with 3/8" ends to suit.
I tried other lengths but settled with the above.
That serves larger, Weiss beer, IPA & ale well at around 3c - 5c

Same, same albeit 3m of 3/16. It does pour slow but works for me across beers at maybe 5c. Pressure set at maybe 14 or more like between 10 and 20.

There’s lots of science on the subject.....

 

[ChilledGecko]

Yeah, I'm running at 20psi which would explain my longer piping

 

[ChilledGecko]

Yeah, I'm running at 20psi which would explain my longer piping

... forgot to mention my taps have flow control as well, so when I get it wrong I can fine tune the delivery.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

What the best way to reduce the foam from the keg?

I find that using a ‘beer gun’ helps: you can give it a good blast at the beginning to get a bit of head, then put the nozzle under the surface to fill the rest of the glass with minimal extra foaming :-)

 

[KEG_KINGDOM]

You can put the co2 in or out the fridge, I keep mine inside for safety but the cylinder and regulator can become mouldy and rusty due to the cold and moisture...