Help me get more gas!!

[Danny G]

Hi all

I recently made a lager kit (6-7 weeks ago), my lager has turned out ok - nice and bright and fairly good. (Milestone crusader lager kit)

There's just one problem - it's not quite gassy enough, it has improved over the past 4 weeks but seems to have slowed down a bit now. would any of the following things help? -

adding more gas from my canister?
more time sat in the barrel in my garage?
or is that it as far as gas goes?


Cheers

Danny G

 

[Leglesstwot]

Hi all

I recently made a lager kit (6-7 weeks ago), my lager has turned out ok - nice and bright and fairly good. (Milestone crusader lager kit)

There's just one problem - it's not quite gassy enough, it has improved over the past 4 weeks but seems to have slowed down a bit now. would any of the following things help? -

adding more gas from my canister?
more time sat in the barrel in my garage?
or is that it as far as gas goes?


Cheers

Danny G

I think of your options, only adding more gas will have the desired effect and is probably what it needs. As you draw more beer off you have a bigger void above it. More CO2 will technically fill this void and regas your beer. (awaits to be shot down by people who know better! )

 

[lazydog]

after it went in the barrel did you prime it 2oz sugar and did you keep it somewhere warm for 2 wks to build up pressure

 

[commsbiff]

It's likley that it has been primed correctly. I think that most plastic barrels have a 10psi pressure relief valve built into the lid. This is good for most ales as it ensures you don't get too much co2 in the beer, and helps to protect the barrel from over-pressure. Lagers though, require more pressure to provide adequate carbonation. imho lagers are best either bottled, or kegged in a corny (cornelius keg).

 

[The Seer]

Yeah, bottling essential for lagers.

 

[Danny G]

after it went in the barrel did you prime it 2oz sugar and did you keep it somewhere warm for 2 wks to build up pressure

Yes, I did add a little bag of priming sugar that came with the kit and I kept it in my kitchen (fairly warm) for about 4-5 days I think. Do you think I should have kept it in my kitchen for longer??

 

[Danny G]

It's likley that it has been primed correctly. I think that most plastic barrels have a 10psi pressure relief valve built into the lid. This is good for most ales as it ensures you don't get too much co2 in the beer, and helps to protect the barrel from over-pressure. Lagers though, require more pressure to provide adequate carbonation. imho lagers are best either bottled, or kegged in a corny (cornelius keg).

Good advice, Thanks

If next time I make a lager can you recommend one that you've had success with?

 

[Danny G]

Hi all

I recently made a lager kit (6-7 weeks ago), my lager has turned out ok - nice and bright and fairly good. (Milestone crusader lager kit)

There's just one problem - it's not quite gassy enough, it has improved over the past 4 weeks but seems to have slowed down a bit now. would any of the following things help? -

adding more gas from my canister?
more time sat in the barrel in my garage?
or is that it as far as gas goes?


Cheers

Danny G

I think of your options, only adding more gas will have the desired effect and is probably what it needs. As you draw more beer off you have a bigger void above it. More CO2 will technically fill this void and regas your beer. (awaits to be shot down by people who know better! )

Thanks

 

[commsbiff]

The only lager I've done was a Coopers Mexican Cerveza kit. It was easy to make, has cleared down nicely, it's just (a little) darker that I expected. It started off promising to be quite like a corona, but now I'm not so sure. As it is maturing it is losing it's similarity a little. In general though, I think the Coopers lager kits are quite popular.

 

[Danny G]

Yeah, bottling essential for lagers.

Cheers, The woman didn't tell me that in the shop when I bought all the kit and told her i wanted to make a lager!!

Anyway, i've enjoyed making and It is drinkable!

 

[Danny G]

The only lager I've done was a Coopers Mexican Cerveza kit. It was easy to make, has cleared down nicely, it's just (a little) darker that I expected. It started off promising to be quite like a corona, but now I'm not so sure. As it is maturing it is losing it's similarity a little. In general though, I think the Coopers lager kits are quite popular.

Cheers, next time I might make a bitter. I like John Smith's, can you recommend a good bitter kit?

 

[ash]

The only lager I've done was a Coopers Mexican Cerveza kit. It was easy to make, has cleared down nicely, it's just (a little) darker that I expected. It started off promising to be quite like a corona, but now I'm not so sure. As it is maturing it is losing it's similarity a little. In general though, I think the Coopers lager kits are quite popular.

Cheers, next time I might make a bitter. I like John Smith's, can you recommend a good bitter kit?

I have had good results from all of the Woodfordes ones i've tried; Wherry, Great Easton (my favourite) and Admirals Reserve.

 

[Beer Hog]

Good source of info, i had the same problem on the first lager i produced was abit flat so i did add some Co2 & zinged it up nicely & now its all gone, it was quite strong & not a bad brew.
Got my second one on the go now & should be even better than the first.
Might invest in a Cornelius Keg too.

 

[jamesb]

Might invest in a Cornelius Keg too.

That's probably not a good idea.


















































They really need to come in pairs.

 

[shaunsbrew]

i added my TC to a corny 2 weeks back forced in 20 psi but still not very lively but just noticed somone mentioned keeping it in a warm place, (its in my garage at mo), should i have kept it a while in the kitchen ?

 

[tubby_shaw]

i added my TC to a corny 2 weeks back forced in 20 psi but still not very lively but just noticed somone mentioned keeping it in a warm place, (its in my garage at mo), should i have kept it a while in the kitchen ?

did you just put 20 psi in or did you put 20psi in and then shake it an take it back to 20 psi?
Also what kind of tap and beer line are you using?

 

[shaunsbrew]

i have put in 20 shook it taken it out put in shook it numerous times, left for few days at 20 but still no joy just flat TC i have proper stainless corny tap

 

[shaunsbrew]

1 thing i didnt mention was that i only half filled corny with TC

 

[tubby_shaw]

Does the keg hold pressure ?
Have you checked for leaks ?
I'm going to guess that the answer to the above questions is yes
Does your cider come out of the tap with a lot of frothing?
If so I would look at your beer line, what size is it 5/8" or 3/16" ? and what length of it do you have between your disconnect and tap ?

 

[shaunsbrew]

5/8 and 3/16 in parts and yes lots of froth