Does force carbonating affect taste?

It really sucks that you must wait weeks for your bottled beer to carbonate "naturally". now I am going to start kegging my beer since I already have a triple kegerator (only been used for sanky). My question is, what affect does forcing carbonating into the beer have on taste. For example, if I wait 8 weeks froms start to finish and then drink my naturally carbonated beer, is it going to taste better than beer which has just been through primary, secondary and then force carbonated for a week or so. ??

Thanks

gonzoflick said:

It really sucks that you must wait weeks for your bottled beer to carbonate "naturally". now I am going to start kegging my beer since I already have a triple kegerator (only been used for sanky). My question is, what affect does forcing carbonating into the beer have on taste. For example, if I wait 8 weeks froms start to finish and then drink my naturally carbonated beer, is it going to taste better than beer which has just been through primary, secondary and then force carbonated for a week or so. ??

Thanks

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I've done both and can't taste any difference at all. Priming with corn sugar adds only about .25% to the ABV, no distinguisable difference there either.

CO2 is CO2 no matter what the source. Has no effect on taste, bubble size, head or any other parameter.

One is my favourite 'tricks' is serving a glass of force carbonated white wine to a true wine snob and listen to him prattle on about how only a true Champagne can taste this way. Bwahahaahahahha.

I found this, but I don't know if it will help or not:

http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/ForceCarbonation.html

From what you've described, the reason it will taste better is because you've been patient and waited longer for the flavours to mature. Plus if you want a 'real ale' you will have to naturally carbonate. But by and large, there is not a lot of difference.

Yeah, what Mysterio said. The 8 week old beer will taste better, but just because it's 8 weeks old, not because it was naturally carbed.

I agree. Force carbonating to "speed things up" will result in poorer tasting beer, but just because it will be consumed too early. Odd, how the big guy that is pushing "fresh" beer today, used to boast about the amount of time their beer was aged.

Aging is the important part, not carbonation.

What everyone else has said. I can't tell any difference, other then is the beer is still young.

Not to muddy the waters but.....

It seems to me that there should be a difference, even if both are aged the same as with 'natural carbonation' there is additional fermentables added to the beer in order kick start a short ferment to create co2 to carbonate.

Here's an experiement for someone:

Make a brew.
Take 1/3 and bottle with priming sugar
Take 1/3 and bottle with DME
Take 1/3 and force carbonate
Allow all 3 beers to rest the same period of time (~3 weeks).

pour one of each at the same service temp and let someone try each to see if there's a taste difference (or have someone pour 3 for you-- the key is to not let the taster know which is which).

DMS is captured to some extent in all beers. Whether is be in trace amounts, or in amounts abundant enough to make a beer un-drinkable.

Beer that is force carbonated will have slightly less amounts of DMS due to force carbonation. Most of the time these amounts will be negligible, but still present. Why am I am I telling everyone this? I'm not really sure, maybe it was because I was up until 1:00am partying with the guys from moe. last night, and I'm running on vapors today, and have already determined that I'm not going to get any work done here at the office.:cross:

glibbidy said:

DMS is captured to some extent in all beers. Whether is be in trace amounts, or in amounts abundant enough to make a beer un-drinkable.

Beer that is force carbonated will have slightly less amounts of DMS due to force carbonation. Most of the time these amounts will be negligible, but still present. Why am I am I telling everyone this? I'm not really sure, maybe it was because I was up until 1:00am partying with the guys from moe. last night, and I'm running on vapors today, and have already determined that I'm not going to get any work done here at the office.:cross:

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...so go home and continue the party!! That's an order!!

glibbidy said:

Beer that is force carbonated will have slightly less amounts of DMS due to force carbonation.

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glibbidy,

Any additional information on why the DMS levels are lower in force carbonated beer?

The only explanation that I have is that additional DMS gets into the beer with the priming DME or is produced by the fermentation during priming and cannot be scrubbed by escaping CO2. But I'm not sure if these additional levels of DMS are anything to worry about when deciding to force carbonate or to carbonate naturally.

Kai

Kaiser said:

glibbidy,

Any additional information on why the DMS levels are lower in force carbonated beer?

The only explanation that I have is that additional DMS gets into the beer with the priming DME or is produced by the fermentation during priming and cannot be scrubbed by escaping CO2. But I'm not sure if these additional levels of DMS are anything to worry about when deciding to force carbonate or to carbonate naturally.

Kai

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AFAIK these addtional amount of DMS in beer that is primed with a sugar, is negligable, and for the most part should not impart any real impact on the flavor. The presence of less DMS in a force carbonated beer, is also the only thing I can think of as far as difference in the taste.

I have actually heard there is a portion of the population, that is unable to even recognize DMS, even when it smacks you in the face. It has to do with ones olfactory senses. Bizarro!

Glib

If you can taste DMS in your beer, the last thing you should blame is natural carbonation...

Spyderturbo said:

I found this, but I don't know if it will help or not:

http://sdcollins.home.mindspring.com/ForceCarbonation.html

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interesting that he does not recommend the carbonation stone--I have been using one on my last three kegs and have been relatively happy with it--it defintely speeds up the process of Co2 distribution...

There are also benefits of natural carbonation (though most of these apply to using a kraeusen technique):

- O2 is scrubbed from the beer and container
- off-flavors can be reduced by yeast activity
- complies with the german RHG (in case you even care about that)

Kai

But I have yet to see for myself if there are qualitative differences in natural carbonation using Kraeusen or Speise and artifical carbonation. I can't wait to brew on a 10gal system to try all these side by side experiments

Kai

gonzoflick said:

It really sucks that you must wait weeks for your bottled beer to carbonate "naturally". now I am going to start kegging my beer since I already have a triple kegerator (only been used for sanky). My question is, what affect does forcing carbonating into the beer have on taste. For example, if I wait 8 weeks froms start to finish and then drink my naturally carbonated beer, is it going to taste better than beer which has just been through primary, secondary and then force carbonated for a week or so. ??

Thanks

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Force carbonating has no affect on flavor.

However, aging beer a while usually does have a positive affect on beer. So, there ya go.

The biggest advantage of kegging is you have one bottle to wash versus 50 bottles per five gallons.

Cheers

Kaiser said:

- complies with the german RHG (in case you even care about that)

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Force carbonation violates the RHG?

In any event, the RHG is silly. You can't make a lambic under the RHG, or use sugars, or lots of interesting grains, fruits, spices, etc...

But I didn't know force carbonation was taboo...of course force carbonation wasn't an issue when the RHG was concieved.

Cheers

Janx said:

Force carbonation violates the RHG?

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Force carbonation is only allowed when CO2 recycled from fermentation is used. I admit that this might be the most silly aspect to the RHG. It just comes from the fact that CO2 is not considerd an ingredient to beer and has to come from the process itself. Breweries don't care so much for this since natural carbonation comes for free if they have the ability to do the secondary fermentation under pressure.

In any event, the RHG is silly. You can't make a lambic under the RHG, or use sugars, or lots of interesting grains, fruits, spices, etc...

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The RHG only applies to German Beers and it does not state that beer not brewed in accordance to it is inferior. It just cannot be sold as "beer" in Germany. I strongly support the idea of the RHG as it forces the brewer to master the brewing process with only 4 simple ingredients and keeps him from taking short-cuts in the brewing process.

But I don't want to make this a RHG discussion as I understand that (even in Germany) brewers are very divided over its usefulness and value to the German beers.

Kai

Jamil Z. says the level of carbonation affects flavor in a big way. Lucky people with kegs can experiment on the same batch of beer. Try it with more or less. Jamil says over carbonating can make a harsh flavor, particularly with Stouts.

Kaiser said:

There are also benefits of natural carbonation (though most of these apply to using a kraeusen technique):

- O2 is scrubbed from the beer and container
- off-flavors can be reduced by yeast activity
- complies with the german RHG (in case you even care about that)

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The yeast are still there for force carbonation while kegging unless it is filtered out mechanically or with some additive. Is there something about the 'state' the yeast are in which would reduce their ability to 'stabilize' the beer as it ages since it is not actively working on priming sugars?

Take a peek at another post I just made relating to the question about kegging affecting the flavor.

DyerNeedOfBeer said:

The yeast are still there for force carbonation while kegging unless it is filtered out mechanically or with some additive.

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I was jut trying to pull some benefits for natural carbonation out of my hat. In the end force carbonation is easier and there is not much difference to be expected to natural carbonation. That's why force carbonation is so popular among home brewers and is a good choice.

Kai

Kaiser said:

Any additional information on why the DMS levels are lower in force carbonated beer?

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Kai-
Sorry I did not answer this directly. The primary reason you will have even less DMS in a force carbonated beer is the lack of additional sugar that would normally be used for priming beer. It's miniscule, but still there none-the-less.