Priming Kegs

[Graham.C]

Hey all,

I tried my hand at priming a keg instead of force carbonating it. It is taking forever to get up to carbonation, is this normal? My notes are at home, so I don't know how much (table) sugar I added but I would really like to hear peoples experiences with priming kegs. I skipped bottle priming and jumped strait into forced carb kegs when I got into the hobby, so I have next to no experience with this. I know I added what beersmith told me, and I checked Charlie Papazian's book to be sure the numbers made sense. My keg was probably around 8 degrees C and I primed it close to three weeks ago. It is still a little sweet and only has the carbonation of a cask ale. Maybe I put too little sugar in, but now I am worried to put it on CO2 in case the priming is just taking its time at such a low temp. How much sugar do you guys use? How long do you let it prime and at what temp? How long do you let it stay in primary/secondary before you put it into a keg to prime?

Cheers,

[jeffsmith]

I'd say your temperature was too cold and the majority of the yeast likely wouldn't have woken up to consume the additional sugar. I think you'll get much better results with the beer at room temperature (~60-70ºF). I'm guessing you'd probably see it carbonated after a week or 2 (at most) at that temperature.

[mr x]

I think I use 3-4 ounces of sugar, and keep the keg up around 17c minimum. Never had a failure. But I always seat the lid with a blast of CO2 at around 15 psi. If you don't do that, you could get leaking there.

[LiverDance]

I'm the same, use approx 4 ounces of priming sugar and let it sit at room temp for 2 weeks and that works like a charm. Looks like your temp is the reason your not there yet.

[GAM]

Ditto on the temp. maybe 1.5 - 2 weeks.

Sandy

[Graham.C]

I think I use 3-4 ounces of sugar, and keep the keg up around 17c minimum. Never had a failure. But I always seat the lid with a blast of CO2 at around 15 psi. If you don't do that, you could get leaking there.

I set the lid that way as well.

I'll move it into the apartment for a week and see if that makes a difference.

Thanks guys. I really messed up the hop schedule with this one so its a shitty beer anyways (my iphone/timer died). So I figured it was a good one to experiment on.

X do you use corn sugar as well, or do you use table sugar?

[bluenose]

is there a major benefit to keg priming vs crash carbing vs slow keg carbing?

[jeffsmith]

is there a major benefit to keg priming vs crash carbing vs slow keg carbing?

It uses less C02 and doesn't occupy a spot in your kegerator/keezer while carbing. Means that you can have a supply of carbed kegs ready to go whenever one kicks in your kegerator/keezer. Plus naturally carbonating tends to give a creamier head/silkier mouthfeel.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

you use corn sugar as well, or do you use table sugar?

i've read that corn vs table sugars dont make a difference for the sort of quantity used for priming. i've used both and never tasted a difference

[mr x]

you use corn sugar as well, or do you use table sugar?

i've read that corn vs table sugars dont make a difference for the sort of quantity used for priming. i've used both and never tasted a difference

+1

[mr x]

is there a major benefit to keg priming vs crash carbing vs slow keg carbing?

It uses less C02 and doesn't occupy a spot in your kegerator/keezer while carbing. Means that you can have a supply of carbed kegs ready to go whenever one kicks in your kegerator/keezer. Plus naturally carbonating tends to give a creamier head/silkier mouthfeel.

All that, + I find I hit my target carb better with sugar. With the exception of 3711, lol.

[jeffsmith]

With the exception of 3711, lol.

That yeast is so damn unpredictable that the direction of the wind could encourage it to start consuming more sugar I think.

[Graham.C]

With the exception of 3711, lol.

That yeast is so damn unpredictable that the direction of the wind could encourage it to start consuming more sugar I think.

I think it has trouble with Venus being so close these days.

[Graham.C]

Do you guys boil the sugar in some H2O then put it into the keg and do you just use software/internet to calculate how much sugar to use? Is it about the same as bottles or less?

[GAM]

I do boil but I think it's over kill. I use what C. Papazian says. 4oz I think.

Sandy

[jeffsmith]

I always boil with water, just for 5 or 10 minutes to make sure any nasties are taken care of. This is a pretty handy calculator for priming.

[mr x]

That would make a good sticky. I boil my sugar as well is the smallest amount of water I can get away with.

[Graham.C]

Thanks guys. Figured as much just thought I would ask before I risk a keg of beer I actually am looking forward too.

[bluenose]

so I tried priming my first keg with dextrose, and after two weeks at 70*F and one night in the fridge at 40*F it has no carbonation... my first thought is a leak, but I seated it with 30 PSI and when I hit it with gas tonight it took very little time for the gas to stop (telling me there was little headroom?)

I could just force carb it at this point, but I'm afraid of having sugary beer

any ideas gents?

[mr x]

Does the beer taste sweet?

Sent from my Nexus S

[LeafMan66_67]

I know for the last primed keg I had, I had to bleed off some pressure before adding to the fridge as it was at a higher pressure than my 10-12PSI setup. First time I didn't bleed off and you could hear the transfer from the new keg to old keg. Possibly a leak?

[Stusbrews]

Priming in the keg sounds like a plan, but how long does it take to really clear the sediment? If its only 1 or 2 beer, ok, but that was one of my reasons for going the keg route...tired of telling folks no, dont drink it from the bottle, and no, dont pour the whole thing. Lol

[mr x]

Clears quickly.

Sent from my Nexus S

[bluenose]

Does the beer taste sweet?

Sent from my Nexus S

Actually yes, does this mean the yeast got lazy?

[crabby hermit]

Never tried it this way. Will you be able to dispense the beer this way or do you eventually have to add co2.