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Right now I'm carbonating hard cider in 5 gallon corny kegs at 35psi for about 48 hours.

What I'm wondering is: Will the same pressure/time in larger vessels (say, 1/4 barrel kegs, or 1/2 barrel kegs) produce the same results? Or will the larger vessels require more time?

Other details: No carbonation stone, not shaking the keg, carbonating at ~36°F

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Yes. There's little difference in time if any when you're talking about 5-15 gallons.

Basically CO2 absorption would need to be greater than the volume your regulator to serve for there to be issue. Tank depth also plays a roll, but has very little effect at homebrew volumes.

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  • So if I'm reading this right. Keg carbonation time (regardless of size) will be basically the same (or at least close enough, that it's hard to distinguish a difference.) While larger tanks (perhaps say, a conical fermenter or something) that are much deeper are where times will start to vary.
    – Aaron Miler
    Commented Mar 12, 2018 at 23:28
  • @AaronMiler even a 2 barrel bright tank will carb about as fas as 5 gallons using a standard regulator used by home brewers. Really don't have issues until liquid depth and large volume makes a significant pressure impact. Were talking multi barrel systems that are 20-30ft tall. Then you start using larger volume regulators.
    – Evil Zymurgist
    Commented Mar 12, 2018 at 23:40
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There will be no noticable difference.

If you were carbing up 5 BBLs or greater then you would not just apply top pressure you would apply pressure through a carbonation stone to do it in a reasonable time frame.

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