Which gas line connector to use when force carbonating

[KentishMan]

Hey Everyone,

I tried force carbonating a keg for the first time (used priming sugar before).
I attached the gas to the beer out connector, as I read this helps to push the gas through the beer.
The carbonation went well, but I made a school boy error and when rolling the keg around for a few mins, beer flowed up the line and some went into my regulator.

So my question. Do you force carbonate using the normal gas in connector to prevent beer flowing up the gas line?
Or do you use some kind of valve when connecting to the beer out connector?
Or simply disconnect the gas line when shaking the keg?

Cheers

 

[thepatchworkdoll]

Use non return fitting to protect your reg

 

[LeeH]

Kegland do cheap plastic ones.

Better option would be to just leave it for a week, accurate carbonation and normally better tasting beer. A little time to mature is a good thing generally speaking.

 

[DuncR]

Would recommend using ‘gas in’ post and time as the safest and simplest option

 

[Siscokid85]

Kegland do cheap plastic ones.

Better option would be to just leave it for a week, accurate carbonation and normally better tasting beer. A little time to mature is a good thing generally speaking.

Would recommend using ‘gas in’ post and time as the safest and simplest option

Yeah what they said, just leave it with top pressure for a week or two, any sediment will settle in that time too, and generally the beer wont be 'green'. Rocking it and force carbing is fine if you are in a rush to drink but wont show off the beer at its best. Although for a hefeweizen that is meant to be cloudy, drunk fresh and well carbed, it is a useful hack. Other than that I wouldn't bother.

Use non return fitting to protect your reg

But even if you are just force carbing with time and top pressure, get a non return valve fitted or you can get a gas disconnect with them inbuilt. I have fiddled with the pressure, reduced it for serving then reattached the gas line without thinking or releasing the pressure in the keg, and sprayed beer via the regulator upon refitting the gas line, which is frustrating and time consuming to clean up. Recently for any ale style I just stick the keg fridge at 8.5 degrees on the inkbird and set the pressure at 10-12 psi, carb it for two weeks and serve it at the same pressure, works for me and with a heavy pour you can get a decent head on your beer if you want one.

 

[BrewingSolutions]

If you are laying the keg down and rolling it to force carb, both the long beer post and the short gas one will be submerged at some point, so it will make little difference which one you use. Like others have said, a none return valve on all gas lines is a very sensible precautions.

 

[The Baron]

Did you turn the gas off before disconnecting as that is why the beer has tried to go back up the line into the reg. Always disconnect then turn the gas off as the corny is pressurised and will try to force the beer out once pressure is removed.
But a non return valve is a good idea.
I usually force carb as I do not trust leaving my gas on incase it leaks and a empty tank.
I do a not scientific way of timing the rolling of the keg depending on how much carb I want then serve at my preferred pressure Ps the first pint or two may be lively but soon levels up with the serving pressure

 

[Brewelder]

Hey Everyone,

I tried force carbonating a keg for the first time (used priming sugar before).
I attached the gas to the beer out connector, as I read this helps to push the gas through the beer.
The carbonation went well, but I made a school boy error and when rolling the keg around for a few mins, beer flowed up the line and some went into my regulator.

So my question. Do you force carbonate using the normal gas in connector to prevent beer flowing up the gas line?
Or do you use some kind of valve when connecting to the beer out connector?
Or simply disconnect the gas line when shaking the keg?

Cheers

I always use the gas in post and i never shake the keg, just let it sit for week or so and let the C02 do its thing. I’ve never had any issues so far and never use priming sugar either. That’s not to say my way is right, but it works for me.

 

[KentishMan]

Did you turn the gas off before disconnecting as that is why the beer has tried to go back up the line into the reg. Always disconnect then turn the gas off as the corny is pressurised and will try to force the beer out once pressure is removed.

Yeah, that’s exactly what happened. Rookie error I know, but trying to avoid it in the future. The non return valve sounds very sensible.
And thanks for all the other advice too.

 

[gyurmaember]

I'd disconnect it whilst shaking. If you want to expand, manifolds have non return valves built in.

 

[Graz]

Always thought the shake / roll method was way too much hassle for any time it might save.

I can be drinking beer in around a week just by burst carbonating for 24 hours at 40psi then dropping the pressure to whatever is needed to get the right carbonation and serving pressure, typically around 8 psi for an ale for me. If I start this process on a Monday I can be drinking it by the weekend though even if I do start I'll leave it on the gas until the following Monday just to make sure it has equalised.

 

[allotment_fox]

I learnt the hard way too, early on with a CO2 bottle two kegs & a gas line splitter beer went back to the regulator I added non return valves after that