[mickeymoondawg]

I brewed an all-grain Irish Red Ale on Sunday 1/8/2017. I kegged the beer on Friday 1/20/2017 and pressurized the cornelius keg to 30 psi and set in the refrigerator to condition.

I would like to drink this beer Saturday 2/4/2017. How is the correct way to depressurize the tank to ~ 10 psi so it will pour properly? My cornelius keg is a pin-lock with no pressure relief valve.

Thank you very much.

[natebrews]

Do you have screw connections on your quick connect posts (as opposed to the hose being clamped on)?  You could loosen up the nut a bit on the compression fitting to bleed off some pressure from the gas in post with the regulator output shut off.  That way you can just loosen it up until you hear a little hiss and then let it gently decompress.  This is assuming it isn't too full and the beer comes out at you.

All my kegs have the pressure release valve on them, but that is the first way that comes to mind.

[Stevie]

Did you leave it at 30 with the gas on for the past 10-11 days? If, so the beer will be crazy overcarbed.

[mickeymoondawg]

Yes, I have had the beer carbonating at 30 psi since Friday 1/20/2017.

Over the next few days, should I slowly release pressure by depressing the poppet valve on the gas side pin lock valve? Then once the gas pressure of the air space above the beer is reduced to less than 10 psi, re-attach the gas line and set at 10 psi for pouring?

[Stevie]

I would bleed it every few hours over a couple of days. Leave it cold. You can leave it connected at your desired serving pressure if you want.

[mickeymoondawg]

Thank you very much Stevie and Natebrews. I was able to slowly release all the pressure in the airspace above the beer. I then re-pressurized to 12 psi.

I assume since the beer is pressurized at ~ 30 psi, the beer will release gas to reach a equilibrium pressure with the air space. This should cause the airspace pressure to increase. I will then bleed off more gas (to zero if possible) and then re-pressurize to 12 psi. I will do this multiple times until Saturday.

Think that will work?

[natebrews]

Yeah, that seems like it should work to me.  You might be able to skip the 12psi step for the first couple if you want to speed up the process a bit.  After a few purges, pull a sample and see where the carbonation is to see how much you want to keep pulling it down, or leave it where it is.

[Stevie]

You're spot on. I doubt the beer is quite at 30psi, but it's certainly past the point where you want it. What temp is your keggerator and what style beer?