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  • Keg carbonation issue.

    Heyo everyone!

    Just a quick question on trying to understand something.

    Today I did a quality check on our first kegs that we filled and realized there has been a reduction in carbonation from when I used our sample port to verify carbonation.

    I'm a bit lost about why it happened, I have a gw Kent keg filler (pro series).

    My process has been:
    Pressure the kegs to about 5-10 psi (brite is at 13psi)
    Put keg coupler on
    Turn valve to allow liquid in
    Slowly open gas release to speed flow into keg

    The last part is the only thing I can think were its falling apart. I've seen some articles about upside down filling and it being more consistent in fillingm . any help is always appreciated.

  • #2
    You need to do a real counter-pressure fill on your kegs. Putting your kegs at "5-10 psi" isn't gonna cut it if your bright is at 13. If you turn on flow from a 13psi bright tank at 0 C to a 5psi keg at room temperature, the beer is gonna foam like crazy inside the keg and not only will you lose co2, it's likely you'll short fill the keg.

    Pressurize your kegs exactly equal to your bright tank pressure. When you open the valve between the bright and the keg, no beer will flow until you start (slowly!) bleeding gas off the keg. Then you'll be filling at a very low pressure differential, which will eliminate most foaming and co2 loss, as well as ensuring you get a full keg. Also helps to have the kegs cold, but not entirely necessary.

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    • #3
      Awesome thank you Tony,

      Our keg room is kept at 38deg so kegs are cold. I will start doing the way you advise. Do you invert your kegs? Seems there is conflicting advice on that.

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      • #4
        Invert kegs to fill? No way man. The beer in side leads to the bottom of the spear and the gas out comes from the top of the valve. You invert on a normal filler coupler and you'll just spew foamy beer out the gas valve. I don't believe the valves are really designed to work in the opposite config so best to just fill upright.

        Just fill at a low pressure differential and you'll be all good! If you still see .1 or .2 vols lost during kegging, just account for that in the tank and carb high knowing your loss.
        Last edited by TonyT; 06-01-2014, 08:23 PM.

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        • #5
          inverting kegs should not even be considered. Like tony said, fill the kegs slower, and at a more even pressure. You are bound to lose some carbonation in the process of filling so always make sure to gas up the keg to your desired pressure (or just above the desired pressure) after the fill.

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          • #6
            You could also try raising the pressure on the bright by 5-10 psi (just while kegging) so that your resisting pressure in the kegs can be likewise higher. The rationale being that if you reduce pressure from what the beer was carbed at, it will start foaming.


            Aaron
            Junkyard Brewing Co.
            Moorhead M.N.

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