Naturally carbing a small corny

[Beer-lord]

I've not used my 2.5 gallon corny in about 18 months and we're going to split a batch of pale ale into this corny and bottles. I'm not going to use my kegerator and want to naturally carb it and I've not done this in a while so I'm curious how much corn sugar I should use for the 2.5 gallon keg. I'll use C02 to push it out but it will not spend any time on C02 to carb.
I was thinking between 1.5 and 1.75 oz. I know some of you have recently purchased these mini kegs and I'm interested in what worked for you. The last time I used this keg it held a stout but I carbed it alot less than normal for the style and I'm thinking a pale ale would be about 2.3 volumes would be fine.

[mtsoxfan]

using Screwys calculator, I use 1/2 of what he posts for bottling. So for a 5er, I use 2.5 oz.

[Trollby]

This may sound funny but I like it.....

I like to slightly OVER-Carb my Mini-Corny keg.

The reason is that after I chill it and getting ready to serve, I vent off most of the C02 and set with regulator to pressure I want (8-10psi) then let sit for about 20-30min.

Pour away, of-course the first beer has some sediment since naturally carbed but been working for the 3-4 times I used my Mini-Corny kegs

[Gymrat]

I have been using 2 oz in my 5 gallon kegs and I usually end up purging them because they are over carbed.

[Beer-lord]

Thanks for the replies guys!
Roger, only 2oz for a fiver, without ANY c02? The last time I naturally carbed a large corny I used 3oz and it was perfect and that's why I was thinking 1.5 oz. but it's sounding like that may even be too much though I kind of thought the same as Trollby.

[Beer-lord]

I guess the next question is, if I want this to be ready to drink on 5/17 and I keg it on 4/30, how much of that time should I leave it at room temp and when should I chill it? I'm thinking 14-15 days at room temp then 2-3 days chilled before serving.

[Gymrat]

Thanks for the replies guys!
Roger, only 2oz for a fiver, without ANY c02? The last time I naturally carbed a large corny I used 3oz and it was perfect and that's why I was thinking 1.5 oz. but it's sounding like that may even be too much though I kind of thought the same as Trollby.

Once I put the lid on I shoot 10lbs in it just to have a blanket of C02 protecting it. And for it to take less effort to start forcing the C02 into the beer. But I don't keep it on the C02. I just shoot it in there and set the keg off in it's storage area until it is time to chill it.

[Trollby]

You have to use some C)2 when you keg your beer, purging the O2 is important. (Atleast in my book)

I always burp the Mini-Corny 3 or 4 times with C02 and leave at about 2# when done for it to naturally carb.

[Gymrat]

I see the keg as a giant bottle. With the advantage of being able to add some C02

[Dawg LB Steve]

Would you over carb w/CO2 if you were going to fill a growler from the keg, to make up for the time it is uncapped? I think this is what I would like to do, instead of transporting kegs back and forth to my camper every weekend.
On a side note, Trollby, I'll be in Mcfarland next weekend, really love that there are so many Micro Breweries around the Madison area. I try to bring home mixed sample packs every time we are there, at least once sometimes twice a year.

[Gymrat]

Assuming you could get an ait tight growler cap (I dont believe you can), the growler would explode.

[Trollby]

I believe your thinking of local brew pubs that "Purge" air from the Growler and fill, no pressurizing is done since growlers are not safe for that.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Assuming you could get an ait tight growler cap (I dont believe you can), the growler would explode.

Wasn't talking about carbonating the growler, was wondering if just over carbing the keg would make up for the loss of carb while filling a growler from the keg.

[mtsoxfan]

Over-carbing the keg to fill a growler may be difficult, foaming issues...

[ScrewyBrewer]

I think the only way to tell for sure is to connect a pressure gauge to one of the keg posts and bleed off any Co2 pressure above 12-15 psi as the beer carbonates. If the beer has been fully fermented, meaning it went into the corny at is absolute final gravity reading, then the sugar alone will provide the Co2 pressure. But again depending on how high the beer level is in the keg the Co2 pressure inside can vary somewhat.

I try to fill my kegs up to the black line near the inside top of the keg, about 1.5 inches below the top of the keg. As with most things brewing taking notes and making adjustments as you go are important but so is trying to eliminate as many variables as possible. Making sure the beer's reached it's final gravity and filling the keg to the same height each time are two examples of consistency to look for.