26 replies to this topic

[SchwanzBrewer]

Waiting for the beer to be done! I'm itching to try the pilsner. 19 more days...

[Bklmt2000]

I know that feeling all too well.  I kegged a nice and a cream ale yesterday for our annual summer party on the 27th.

 

Both are carbing now, and I want a tall pint of each.  Now. 

 

But they're not carbed yet.  And so the waiting continues. 

[HVB]

I thought of this same topic last night while kegging my German Pils.  Cleaning has to be it for me.  I do not mind waiting for the beers, I typically have enough ready to keep my interest.

[matt6150]

I thought of this same topic last night while kegging my German Pils. Cleaning has to be it for me. I do not mind waiting for the beers, I typically have enough ready to keep my interest.

Same here. I have 4 different beers on tap and 3 more in the works. But cleaning? Yeah I hate it.

[SchwanzBrewer]

All I have is robust porter on tap. I'll be kegging the alt and kolsch in about a week.

[TAPPER]

I know that feeling all too well.  I kegged a nice and a cream ale yesterday for our annual summer party on the 27th.

 

Both are carbing now, and I want a tall pint of each.  Now. 

 

But they're not carbed yet.  And so the waiting continues. 

 

You could jack them up to 20 - 25 psi and shake for about 10 minutes and have carbed beer.

[positiveContact]

I thought of this same topic last night while kegging my German Pils.  Cleaning has to be it for me.  I do not mind waiting for the beers, I typically have enough ready to keep my interest.

 

yeup - cleaning for sure.  it takes up about 70% of my brewing time.

[Bklmt2000]

You could jack them up to 20 - 25 psi and shake for about 10 minutes and have carbed beer.

True.  Although, I did do a modest force-carb yesterday at kegging time; they're now sitting at serving pressure to finish carbing.

 

I've got some store-bought beer to hold me over until they're carbed up, which should be another 2 days or so (just in time for Father's Day!)   

[Big Nake]

I used to hate the wait but now I just try to brew enough where I'm not worried about what's around the corner. However, I have been in the habit lately of pulling a few pints from kegs that have not made it to the taps yet (using a picnic tap) and if I like it, I just keep drinking it from the fridge in my brew bunker. What else... cleaning & sanitizing is a PITA. Running to the CO2 place is a PITA.

[neddles]

Running to the CO2 place is a PITA.

This. If I drop it off locally the lazy schlepps at the welding shop won't fill it for 3 weeks. The next closest option is an hour away.

[Big Nake]

This. If I drop it off locally the lazy schlepps at the welding shop won't fill it for 3 weeks. The next closest option is an hour away.

Mine seem to go around the same time. I took one and then a week later I took another one. Then I connected one earlier this week and I either used a bad washer or I didn't crank the ####ing nut hard enough and 48 hours later that tank was empty. JEEBUS, do I hate that. I take my tanks to a fire-extinguisher place and they used to make me come back the next day to pick it up but lately they have been filling it while I wait which is nice.

Edited by Village Taphouse, 18 June 2015 - 05:07 PM.

[HVB]

This. If I drop it off locally the lazy schlepps at the welding shop won't fill it for 3 weeks. The next closest option is an hour away.

Guess I am lucky, my guy fills while you wait and has a cash discount.

[neddles]

Guess I am lucky, my guy fills while you wait and has a cash discount.

The guy an hour away does exactly that. Bought a backup 5# tank a while back when Farmhouse had them on sale to help alleviate my problem.

[gnef]

That is why I have two 50# tanks, and five 20# tanks. I also do my best to disconnect all the gas disconnects and shut off the valve each time I am done for the day, just so I don't have to worry about any possible leaks.

 

I have enough on hand, like many of you said, that I don't really pine after the beer to finish any more.

 

Cleaning is definitely the chore I don't like, and for many things, I put it off as long as I can, which usually ends up coming back to bite me. There have been times that I have around two dozen dirty kegs I need to clean, or jockey boxes that I've let sit for so long I have to replace the tubing on, etc.

 

Also annoying is when the air conditioner in the walk-in freezes up, and I have to spend days to get it back down to my desired temp without it freezing up on me. Last year I spent hours inside with the metal tape, taping up as many leaks as I could find to prevent the water intrusion that was causing the freeze ups.

[Big Nake]

I don't want to turn this into a "I hate CO2" thread but... it seems like my system is pretty sound so if I have a problem, it's me. I leave my tanks on all the time. I have done the spray-with-Starsan thing all over every area (watch for bubbles, etc) and everything appears to be good and I have had 5-lb tanks last for many months. Early on I learned that you really have to crank that regulator nut hard when you connect it to the tank. I once broke the nut. Seriously. I had a guy who worked at one of the LHBS repair it for me. I think that this recent blip was just me not tightening it enough. I have three 5-lb tanks, a 10 and a 20. The 20 carbs beer in my on-deck fridge. Two fivers supply beer on my 4 taps. One fiver is a backup and the 10 is there to someday serve the taps although I'm not sure it will fit into the small fridge. I'll say this though... it never fails: People come over, we head down to the taps and it's the first time I've been down there that day, pull a handle and nothing. Empty tank.

[darkmagneto]

I don't want to turn this into a "I hate CO2" thread but... it seems like my system is pretty sound so if I have a problem, it's me. I leave my tanks on all the time. I have done the spray-with-Starsan thing all over every area (watch for bubbles, etc) and everything appears to be good and I have had 5-lb tanks last for many months. Early on I learned that you really have to crank that regulator nut hard when you connect it to the tank. I once broke the nut. Seriously. I had a guy who worked at one of the LHBS repair it for me. I think that this recent blip was just me not tightening it enough. I have three 5-lb tanks, a 10 and a 20. The 20 carbs beer in my on-deck fridge. Two fivers supply beer on my 4 taps. One fiver is a backup and the 10 is there to someday serve the taps although I'm not sure it will fit into the small fridge. I'll say this though... it never fails: People come over, we head down to the taps and it's the first time I've been down there that day, pull a handle and nothing. Empty tank.

 

I have 2x 10 lbs and 1x 20 lbs.  I have 4 taps on the fridge.  I have the extra tanks because when there is no gas, the party is over.  Same as Ken, I've had buddies over, pulled the handle and nothing.  Empty.  Always have a spare

[HVB]

I don't want to turn this into a "I hate CO2" thread but... it seems like my system is pretty sound so if I have a problem, it's me. I leave my tanks on all the time. I have done the spray-with-Starsan thing all over every area (watch for bubbles, etc) and everything appears to be good and I have had 5-lb tanks last for many months. Early on I learned that you really have to crank that regulator nut hard when you connect it to the tank. I once broke the nut. Seriously. I had a guy who worked at one of the LHBS repair it for me. I think that this recent blip was just me not tightening it enough. I have three 5-lb tanks, a 10 and a 20. The 20 carbs beer in my on-deck fridge. Two fivers supply beer on my 4 taps. One fiver is a backup and the 10 is there to someday serve the taps although I'm not sure it will fit into the small fridge. I'll say this though... it never fails: People come over, we head down to the taps and it's the first time I've been down there that day, pull a handle and nothing. Empty tank.

I have 1-25#, 3- 5# and a paintball tank.  5 minutes down the road I have a 2.5# and a 10# at my dads I can grab if needed.

 

I guess if worse came to worse I could gravity feed some kegs.

[Big Nake]

I think I had a keg that had a slow leak on one of the poppets or something. I have enough kegs that I was able to take that one out of the rotation. If everything was working properly and my system was solid, I really shouldn't pull a faucet and get nothing. If everything was tight, I should see the flow decrease slowly until it would no longer serve. If the faucet was working one night and the next day you got NOTHING, that sounds like a slow leak somewhere. I'm going to print up some t-shirts that say CRANK THAT NUT!Mark: Time to go out for beers again. Let's get Jim and Mike to meet us at Emmett's. 

Edited by Village Taphouse, 19 June 2015 - 07:07 AM.

[neddles]

Emmett's.

I remember liking their pale ale.

[Big Nake]

I remember liking their pale ale.

Yep, Victory Pale Ale. Delicious.