"pudj" <paddy@pudg.karoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:GrGcnS2Yv9KztwveSa8jmw@karoo.co.uk...[color=blue]
> Hi all forgive me as I have only just started with this hobby :)
> My question is this : I have done the formenting thing, now transfered my
> brew (larger) to a presure barrel, it says that now I should leave the
> presure barrel in a warm place for 2 days then transfer the barrel to
> somewhere cold for a further 8 days.The problem I have with this is that
> it dosent say when I should screw the corbonated cylinder to the top of
> the barrel???Once I do screw the cylinder on do I leave it on for the life
> of the beer???Can anybody enlighten me on this ???
> Thanks :)
>[/color]
I'm guessing that your instructions probably said to put some sugar in with
the brew into the pressure barrel. This should put some co2 into it during
secondary fermentation for those two days. After the reccomended 8 days you
should be able to draw off the beer under its own pressure. When the
presure drops (as you remove liquid) you just top up with the screw on co2
cannister ( a couple of one second blasts should be enough). I have found
that it is purely for dispensing and makes very little difference to
carbobnation levels. Just top up again when the flow from the tap slows.

Hope this helps.

Keith.