force-carbing without a fridge

[xjiefx]

The title says it all.

I got all the equipment for kegging but don't have the fridge yet. Is there a way I could force-carb my next brew without having the keg in a fridge?

I'll serve it colder in a few weeks. Should I just naturally carb that one and wait till I get the fridge to force-carb my other batches?

Sorry for the noobiness but, I'm just starting to keg. Wait till I go All-grain, I'll flood you with questions!

:k2: (this knight has nothing to do with the post, but he's cool with that!)

[Barley-Davidson]

Sure, you can carb without a fridge. CO2 isn't absorbed as easily at higher temps so you'll need to set the regulator to a higher pressure.
This chart should get you started:
http://www.ebrew.com/primarynews/ct_carbonation_chart.htm

[xjiefx]

Thanks, but this grid doesn't go high enough on the temp scale. I'll let the keg at room temp which is 70ish.

Is it ok th carb at 70F and then chill the keg 2 weeks after and serve it at a lower temp???

[Barley-Davidson]

This one's harder to read but goes to 70. It'll work fine, but when you're getting to higher pressures you have to make sure you're regulator's pressure relief valve doesn't kick in and empty your tank.
http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/ForceCarbonation.html

[Ó Flannagáin]

You can have it force carbed in 5 hours if you shake it like crazy and turn the pressure up to 35 or so

[BlindLemonLars]

You can have it force carbed in 5 hours if you shake it like crazy and turn the pressure up to 35 or so

I've never understood the usefulness of that method. It only makes sense if you want to carb immediately after kegging, when there is no sediment in the keg. But my beer is usually about 4-5 weeks old when I keg it, nowhere near ready to drink. And if I wait until it's aged in the keg a month or three, all that shaking will stir up the sediment formed during aging, and it will have to sit at least a few days or two anyhow before I can serve it.

Maybe I'm too picky, I won't serve my beer until it's absolutely crystal clear. Murky homebrew is not tolerated around here! :D
http://www.homebrewchatter.com/board/picture.php?albumid=30&pictureid=184http://www.homebrewchatter.com/board/picture.php?albumid=30&pictureid=183

[Ó Flannagáin]

You are right BLL... clear beer is best served after a month or so in the keg. Sometimes I'm just too impatient.

[Redweasel]

Looks fricking tasty BLL! I either force carb over 7 days at serving pressure or crank her up to 35 for about a day and a half if I'm in a hurry. Beers are still mighty clear but I do secondary usualy for a few weeks first. Super fast finishers, wheats or darkys, I say fuck it,. Shake away!

[Ronthered]

I shake a little, then give it a day or two at a higher pressure. I also cold condition for at least a week or two, so shaking doesn't make a difference, I really have no sediment to stir up. and they are always real clear unless I'm really in a hurry to get something on tap.

[xjiefx]

OK, so... I'm a little lost on my options now.

At 70F if I want a volume of 2.2 - 2.3:
-Do I crank the pressure to 30, shake it like a mad man for "x" time, disconnect the gas and let it sit till the day I want to chill and serve?
-Do I hook it up with 30psi and let it there for "x" days without touching it?
-Do I only fill the keg, put the lid on, let it age there till I can put the keg in the fridge?

[mr x]

Do the first item if you want to carb quickly. You can leave it hooked up to serving pressure CO2 if it's in the fridge.

I wouldn't do the second option.

You need to purge the keg after filling, and you might as well give it some carbonation at the same time.

[Ronthered]

fill it to serving pressure after purging the keg, and keep it basically as serving pressure until you get the kegerator set up. it'll be done by then, just keep in mind that your going to need to keep the co2 hooked up, and also that when you do finally chill it down it will absorb more co2. But do not put it at 30 psi and leave it there for more than a day or two. seriously, I keep finding myself saying this, go to the recipator.com and use the card calculator, you tell it the volume of beer. the co2 volume you want and the temp your carbing at and it tells you what pressure and how long to leave it. EDIT: it tells you what PSI to card at. not how long to do it. I guess you have to check up on it every so often.

[Zeno]

Now I'm totally confused!

I just kegged my Heff. I let it cool down in the fridge to serving temp.

So what do I do...

1. Hit it with ~30 PSI, shake like hell, disconnect and let it sit?
2. Hit it with ~30 PSI, and lower the pressure to 6-12 serving?
3. Hit it with ~30 PSI and keep it like there until I serve, then drop to 6-12?

The big question is... do I take off the disconnect after I pressurize?

I have read all I can find, but I'm so confused with all the options.

Ahh.

Zeno

[Ó Flannagáin]

Depends... I fyou want to drink it tomorrow I'd hit it with 30psi, shake for a bit, lower it to 12 and let it sit til tomorrow. If you can wait a few days I'd put it at 12 to 14psi and let it sit for 4 or 5 days. Then lower to 8 to serve.