Force Carbonating = Nasty Taste Created?

I force carbonated, put in about 24 psi, gave it a great shake--essentially rolled it up and down a bumpy hill for a good amount of time.

it carbonated i guess, but it now tastes like its more bitter or something.

what gives?

How long has the beer aged? You can force carb, but you can't force-condition; green beer is still green beer.

CO2 Has a sharp bite to it. Is it over carbonated by chance?

I couldnt imagine it being over carbonated... when i shoot some into a cup it doesn't foam up that much.

how do i tell if its over carbonated?

How old is this batch? Forced carbonation does not substitute for conditioning time.

Are you drinking it immediately after you finish shaking it?

the gas forms bi-carbonate in the beer from force carbonating, it still takes a little bit before it's ready to drink.

I personally prefer putting it on the pressure I serve it at and let it sit for a few weeks.


You don't happen to have a syphon tank do you? You'll be putting liquid CO2 directly into the beer. This might cause off flavors initially, I'm really not sure.

i believe it is actually carbonic acid that gives it that taste. bicarbonate could be the salt of carbonic acid though (i can't remember my chemistry that well.)

and just to echo what others have said, just because you can carbonate quickly, doesn't mean you can drink it sooner too. carbonic acid will take a bit to balance out into equilibrium, and when it does, it will mellow. usually the carbonic acid is perceived as a metallic taste though, or so i thought.

Yeah, once you force carb you still nee to let the beer age for a while. Force carbing means you are not patient enough to let the beer age - green beer is green beer.

i think metallic hits it on the head.

and why do the long wait and end up with corn sugar primer in all my beers?

force carbonating seemed only logical in that im making a lager--the temps much cooler, yeast is much less active.

nerdlogic said:

and why do the long wait and end up with corn sugar primer in all my beers?

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If I understand the question right... Even if you carbonate with corn sugar you still have a waiting period after it's done it's carbonation thing. So your ale might be carbed in a week, but you still need to give it the same amount of aging after that as you would after force carbing. Also, fyi it takes longer for it to condition after carbing if you leave it in the fridge. room temp works faster.

Wait.. did you add priming sugar AND force carb? That would explain the taste. You have a bunch of sugar in there now and the yeast are taking their sweet time converting. You'll also be overcarbed when they finally do get done with it.

i don't really think priming sugar is that much sugar when diluted to 5 gallons. maybe my pallette isn't as refined as others, but i doubt i would even be able to tell if there was extra priming sugar added that wasn't fermented. there is only enough priming sugar added to carbonate, and the amount of co2 needed to fully carbonate isn't that much, relatively to how much co2 is given off during primary fermentation.

if the beer tastes metallic, i think it would be more due to the carbonic acid in solution that hasn't had time to equilibriate in solution. but i'm no chemist...

gnef said:

i don't really think priming sugar is that much sugar when diluted to 5 gallons. maybe my pallette isn't as refined as others, but i doubt i would even be able to tell if there was extra priming sugar added that wasn't fermented.

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I like to taste my beer as much as possible and at every step. After priming I can definately taste the corn sugar ( I use 3/4 cup in 5 gallons) ...but after bottling I have never been able to taste the sweetness....i guess that means I wait long enough to open them.

I agree with you though, I don't think the corn sugar is giving it that metallic taste. But I also don't understand why you are force carbing and priming?

Force carbing for me means chilling Wednesday night.

Shaking on a Thursday night.

Shaking on a Friday morning.

Testing after work on a Friday and maybe giving one more shake.

Tapping Friday night.

This of course after 1-primary and 2-secondary...minimum.

i didnt use a sugar primer, i just force carbed it, thats it.

i was asking about sugar---

anyway its a lager so i have it conditioning at 47 degrees.

lagers should contition at 35ish no?

D*Bo said:

the gas forms bi-carbonate in the beer from force carbonating,

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I thought force carbonation (or any form of carbonation) forms carbonic acid. In order for carbonates to be formed this carbonic acid would have to react with minerals like calcium oxide (CaO).

Kai

Bobby_M said:

lagers should contition at 35ish no?

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They'll also condition at 47, but not as well rounded as they will at lower temps.

Kai

yeah im limited by my setup-- i cant get it below 47

I've never experienced this problem with force carbonation, and I've often tapped the keg almost immediately after shaking the hell out of the keg for a few minutes. I think it's just plain green beer.

Mine taste great after a chill, force carb and a 24 hour wait.

I only do Ales though so there may be a big difference in how a green lager tastes VS a green Ale.

It's carbonic acid you're tasting, probably, which comes from overcarbonation. Give it some time to mellow out and it should be fine. I find if you let the carbonation develop without shaking, you dont get this carbonic 'bite'.