Force Carb / Bottling in room temp.

skylarsutton · 02-14-2010, 08:32 PM

I'm looking for some feedback from anyone who force carbs and bottles at room temp. My first two attempts resulted in flat beer. After reading up on it, I think I overcarbonated.

Most of the thread on the forum seems to indicate that it's scandalous to do this at room temp - I just wanted to hear from some folks who do this succesfully.

For ref., "room temp" = 55 to 65 degrees in my basement. I carbonate using the slow method (pick the desired PSI and just wait it out), and bottle with a Bleichman Gun.

Last attempt was a light Ale, set to 25 PSI for 1 week - then lowered to 10 PSI for bottling. All done at room temp.

Netflyer · 02-14-2010, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skylarsutton

I'm looking for some feedback from anyone who force carbs and bottles at room temp. My first two attempts resulted in flat beer. After reading up on it, I think I overcarbonated.

Most of the thread on the forum seems to indicate that it's scandalous to do this at room temp - I just wanted to hear from some folks who do this succesfully.

For ref., "room temp" = 55 to 65 degrees in my basement. I carbonate using the slow method (pick the desired PSI and just wait it out), and bottle with a Bleichman Gun.

Last attempt was a light Ale, set to 25 PSI for 1 week - then lowered to 10 PSI for bottling. All done at room temp.

So your beer IS carbonated prior to your 'gunning' it into your bottles? Wouldn't over carbonation produce non-flat beers, yours are flat right?

**Yooper** · 02-14-2010, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skylarsutton

Last attempt was a light Ale, set to 25 PSI for 1 week - then lowered to 10 PSI for bottling. All done at room temp.

A week just isn't nearly enough time to carb up with the "set it and forget it" method. Bottling at 10 psi should have caused a ton of foaming, which would cause the co2 to come out of solution. That would be why it's flat.

I'd keep it at 25 psi until fully and completely carbed up- probably about 2 weeks or so. Then, using cold bottles, turn the pressure down to 2 psi or just enough to push the beer out. Are you using a beergun, or a homemade bottle filler?

skylarsutton · 02-14-2010, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Netflyer

So your beer IS carbonated prior to your 'gunning' it into your bottles? Wouldn't over carbonation produce non-flat beers, yours are flat right?

I assume it is (over)carbed, because pouring from a picnic tap into a glass produces 95% head and 5% beer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by YooperBrew

I'd keep it at 25 psi until fully and completely carbed up- probably about 2 weeks or so. Then, using cold bottles, turn the pressure down to 2 psi or just enough to push the beer out. Are you using a beergun, or a homemade bottle filler?

I'm using a Blichman Beer Gun, purging for a few seconds then filling. For some reason I swore their instructions recomend 10 PSI, but I'll try a lower pressure next time (plus allowing more time between kegging/bottling).

**Yooper** · 02-14-2010, 08:56 PM

Well, since it's foaming, it doesn't mean it's overcarbed. It probably means that your lines are way to short to serve at 25 psi! When I serve soda with 25 psi or higher, I use 25-30 foot lines.

Doing this at room temperature would require a few modifications, I think. You'd need way long beer lines to balance the system, for one. So, pouring a pint and having it foamy isn't an indicator of carb level at all.