Flushing with CO2

I was wondering what are the principles of flushing equipment with CO2. I have heard this is indespensible for the best IPAs, but I don't keg, so I wanted to know what best practices might be before I go out and get the necessary equipment.

Questions include...

What is the most cost effective system
how much CO2 volume is necessary
prucedures for carboy and bottle flushing

Thanks!

amccormi said:

I was wondering what are the principles of flushing equipment with CO2. I have heard this is indespensible for the best IPAs, but I don't keg, so I wanted to know what best practices might be before I go out and get the necessary equipment.

Questions include...

What is the most cost effective system
how much CO2 volume is necessary
prucedures for carboy and bottle flushing

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Co2 from a tank is most cost effective. You don't need much.

For a bottle, the easiest is to use a blichmann beergun or a counter pressure filler. You can also connect a cobra tab and some tubing or (my preference) a spring loaded bottle filter to co2 and use that to purge prior to filling with a second apparatus. This will require some sort of tee in the co2 line.

For a carboy, just run some tubing down to the bottom and let the co2 flow for 10 seconds or so. If you want to be really sure, fill with sanitizer and place a carboy cap with a racking cane and tubing running into another container. Attach co2 to the second carboy cap hole and push the sanitizer out. If this is a glass carboy be VERY CAREFUL to keep the pressure around 2 PSI or less. Better bottles will take quite a bit more positive pressure but no reason to go over 3 or 4 PSI (the carboy cap will fail at some point).