Force carbonating corny keg

[foxbat]

foxbat thanks again for your help. temporarily figured it out last night, just turned the pressure all the way down but as others have said, that's a pain and I can see my canister being empty in no time.
If I continue in this way, can I just check proper procedure - do I disconnect the gas in line, then bleed the pressure in the keg, reattach gas in and set it to the lower serving pressure. I was bleeding it with the gas line still attached.
in terms of below, forgive me but this gets quite technical for my basic knowledge. all I know is my beer line outside diameter is 10mm and the length to the picnic tap is 0.5m?

The problem with venting pressure to serve is that it causes much of the CO2 that's held in solution by pressure to come back out - a waste as well as stirring up the beer. Think of your pressurised corny as behaving like an unopened pop bottle. If you loosen the lid of the bottle and hear the hiss of escaping CO2 you'll also see dissolved CO2 escaping from the drink in the form of bubbles and foaming up in the bottle. That's what's happening inside your corny when you vent pressure. The only answer really is to get a couple of metres of 3/16" and it'll all start behaving again.

 

[Dads_Ale]

One other thing to consider is if you tap and beer line is external to your fridge then it will warm up and likely cause the CO2 to come out on the first bit of the pour before the beer cools it down again. I have about 2m outside the fridge and often get a glass of froth in the first pour until it all settles down.

 

[Keruso]

Hi All,
As this is the 1st time using a keg, some advice would be appreciated.
After realising I had a leak as there was no jubilee clip on the gas line out, I have now fitted one, fingers crossed, it seems to be okay.
After consulting the keg carbonation chart I set the regulator to 8psi .Both keg and cylinder are in the fridge at 3c.
This was yesterday and after checking the regulator today the needle is showing nearly 5 psi. Am I right in saying when it hits 8psi this means it is fully carbonated, in which case, it looks like it will be done in less than a week - is this correct?
Secondly, what should be the correct pressure for serving the beer?
Thanks again.

I have found a fool proof method that works for me. I brew mostly bitters and IPAs. I serve these at 10c. So aiming for roughly 2 volumes of CO2, I set the regulator to 10 PSI. I use 2 meters of 3/8 beer line and a party tap. Perfect pour every time. Never need to touch the regulator or temperature control on my fridge, 10c and 10 PSI all the time. Carbonization takes about 7 days. With kegging, temperature, PSI, line length all affect the pour.

 

[S.R.S]

Do you have a length of 3/16" beer line? If not, order a couple of meters and a pair of John Guest 3/8 to 3/16 inline reducers to hook it up and you'll be good. Your system will be:

Keg disconnect -> 2 inches 3/8 line -> JG reducer -> 2m 3/16 line -> JG reducer -> 2 inches 3/8 line-> your tap

forgive me as this is all new to me but are a couple of these what you are referring to plus the beer line?

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/john-guest-38-to-316-beer-line-reducer/

 

[foxbat]

forgive me as this is all new to me but are a couple of these what you are referring to plus the beer line?

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/john-guest-38-to-316-beer-line-reducer/

Yes those are the reducing connectors. One advantage of the 3/16 line is that it's really flexible. It's no problem to coil and cable tie it, unlike the much stiffer 3/8.

 

[S.R.S]

Yes those are the reducing connectors. One advantage of the 3/16 line is that it's really flexible. It's no problem to coil and cable tie it, unlike the much stiffer 3/8.

thanks again foxbat

 

[S.R.S]

I am over the moon as I am now sitting down with a perfectly poured pint thanks to you all.
The new lines and reducers arrived today - wow, it is b..y brilliant, just in time for the weekend.
You are probably right as 3m is a little too long, it takes sometime to pour but I can live with it for the moment.
The carbonation is perfect.
So thanks again.
I just need to master bottling from the keg without spending anymore money. That was a challenge earlier!
I have one question - should the line out at the connector and where the line meets the picnic tap both have jubilee clips on?
Thanks all.

 

[nixhaz]

Me too I've never had such a perfect pour from my cornie. My dear OH built me a kegerator as he was bored, so I'm literally in heaven now. Thanks, you've made me one happy girlie!

 

[S.R.S]

Me too I've never had such a perfect pour from my cornie. My dear OH built me a kegerator as he was bored, so I'm literally in heaven now. Thanks, you've made me one happy girlie!

that's great luck you, he doesnt fancy building another one, does he, I have a crappy fridge! ha ha