Carbonation questions-

Ok I searched this on the site and made it to page 4 with out seeing a similar question so I'm gonna ask it.

On one of our next batches coming up we're going to try to make an "american lager" for several friends that have requested it. However, one of the key components I think to those are the heavier carbonation (some looking almost champaign like).

I've never seen that kind of carbonation from homebrews in a bottle. My guess maybe one way would be to carb it in a keg, then run it through a kegerator (we are on the prowl for a cheap one on craiglist or maybe DIY). Would this "double carb" it or would that be overkill?

question 2-
further down the road I would like to get a beer filter to clean up the look of my homebrews. I dont mind the cloudy look or yeast sediment, but if I'm going to go authentic with this might as well filter it.

That removes the yeast as well so how do you carbonate those? i assume you would either have to use carb tabs or keg system? how do the bigs(In-Bev) do it?

It's more than possible to replicate the carb level of an American lager in a bottle.
Their typically carbed between 2.5-2.8 volumes of c02.

If you need a recipe for a classic american pilsner, this one is great. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f58/schmipielschaerheingoldter-97553/
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http://www.beer-brewing.com/beer-brewing/beer_carbonation/principles_beer_carbonation.htm

does decreasing the temperature during carbonation increase the CO2 absorbed? i thought if it was too cold it would kill the yeast stopping the carbonation process?

TomHanx said:

http://www.beer-brewing.com/beer-brewing/beer_carbonation/principles_beer_carbonation.htm

does decreasing the temperature during carbonation increase the CO2 absorbed? i thought if it was too cold it would kill the yeast stopping the carbonation process?

Click to expand...

It makes the yeast less active, yes......using a calculator is your best bet. The calculator will ask what temp the beer was at at the tail end of fermentation so it can assume yeast particles left over to carb.

Here is a good Calculator

effin a!! thanks guys... that helps

/anybody know the answer to my 2nd question/post though

TomHanx said:

question 2-
further down the road I would like to get a beer filter to clean up the look of my homebrews. I dont mind the cloudy look or yeast sediment, but if I'm going to go authentic with this might as well filter it.

That removes the yeast as well so how do you carbonate those? i assume you would either have to use carb tabs or keg system? how do the bigs(In-Bev) do it?

Click to expand...

Carb tabs are nothing more than priming sugar in tablet form. They will do nothing if you filter out the yeast. If you insist on a filter then you'll have to either add fresh yeast with priming sugar after filtration (kinda defeats the purpose of filtering it though) or keg it.

In any case, filtration is not needed to produce clear beers. Myself and plenty of others on this forum produce beers that are crystal clear without filtering. After a while your process will get better and better and your clarity will improve. Try sticking a few bottles in the fridge for two weeks, they will be pretty clear.

Also, I'm not sure what you meant by this:

TomHanx said:

"My guess maybe one way would be to carb it in a keg, then run it through a kegerator (we are on the prowl for a cheap one on craiglist or maybe DIY). Would this "double carb" it or would that be overkill?"

Click to expand...

By carbing it in a keg you are only carbing it once.

TomHanx said:

http://www.beer-brewing.com/beer-brewing/beer_carbonation/principles_beer_carbonation.htm

does decreasing the temperature during carbonation increase the CO2 absorbed? i thought if it was too cold it would kill the yeast stopping the carbonation process?

Click to expand...

I think your confused here
If you carbonate with co2 you do not need and are not using the yeast
it is the pressure set and beer temp that determines carb level
There are many carbonation charts out there that will guide you

TomHanx said:

effin a!! thanks guys... that helps

/anybody know the answer to my 2nd question/post though

Click to expand...

The way I look at it, its a homebrew, you don't filter it. Even some of the big boys (craft breweries), to my understanding, don't filter. I know the microbreweries around me do NOT filter, thats why its craft beer and not Budweiser. They cold crash and then pull off. They don't carbonate in bottle, they carbonate in conditioning tanks. BIG ole tanks and put it on pressure, usually thru a carb stone that makes TINY CO2 bubbles and carbs it quicker.

lostboysbrew said:

The way I look at it, its a homebrew, you don't filter it. Even some of the big boys (craft breweries), to my understanding, don't filter. I know the microbreweries around me do NOT filter, thats why its craft beer and not Budweiser. They cold crash and then pull off. They don't carbonate in bottle, they carbonate in conditioning tanks. BIG ole tanks and put it on pressure, usually thru a carb stone that makes TINY CO2 bubbles and carbs it quicker.

Click to expand...

ok. that clears it up. i thought the bright tanks or conditioning tanks were just tanks used to carbonate in. like they still used yeast and added sugar but it was just the tank was made to hold higher pressure, not also impart the actuall fizz. but ok, it ads co2 to carbonate as well. ok.

/think i read that right...