Carbonation Style?

[BrewFrisco]

I am not sure if there is a difference in carbonation but is it me or do some beers feel different in terms of bubble size?

For example, if you drink a commercial beer like bud-light and then drink let's say a dogfish beer (any style) - the carbonation feels much diffierent to me. The bud light almost has a champagne feel and the DFH has a lighter more mellow carbonation feel.

What differentiates the different carbonation styles?

I am primarily speaking about bottles rather than keg....

Does this make sense?

 

[Justibone]

Totally. That's how it's supposed to be.

http://www.bjcp.org/stylecenter.php

Every style has a carbonation specification listed.

 

[Gavagai]

But what causes differences in carbonation, aside from the amount of priming sugar? Does the type of yeast make a difference?

I think what BrewFrisco is asking is whether there are qualitative differences in carbonation, apart from just the amount of carbonation.

 

[Slider46]

But what causes differences in carbonation, aside from the amount of priming sugar? Does the type of yeast make a difference?

I think what BrewFrisco is asking is whether there are qualitative differences in carbonation, apart from just the amount of carbonation.

I wouldn't think so. No matter what yeast is used, its just Co2 being produced. Co2 is Co2. What makes the difference in taste/texture/feel is the amount of carbonation (volumes of Co2) and the mouthfeel of beer itself.

 

[Gavagai]

It sometimes seems that larger or smaller bubbles are produced. Am I wrong about this, or perhaps does it have to do with physical properties of the beer (such as viscosity), or the way it's poured?

 

[indigi]

As a beer clears or settles, the bubbles will become smaller because there aren't as many/large nucleation sites for the CO2 to form on.

 

[Slider46]

It sometimes seems that larger or smaller bubbles are produced. Am I wrong about this, or perhaps does it have to do with physical properties of the beer (such as viscosity), or the way it's poured?

Physical properties of the beer do make a difference in the type of head (bubbles) and the feel of the carbonation.

From my experience, a thinner beer will produce larger bubbles while a heavier mouthfeel-beer will produce slightly smaller bubbles and last longer.

Suspended protiens affect mouthfeel (If I recall correctly) and I wouldn't be surprised if they affected bubble size.

When you compare a super thin/light beer like Bud to a craft brew (DFH) which is going to have more of a mouthfeel, you can expect a different carbonation feel.

 

[BrewFrisco]

I guess I am trying to achieve similar results with my batch. I know that several breweries use nitrogen to 'carb' the beer creating much smaller bubbles like Guinness... Not that DFH has the same feel but it is certainly different that the vast majority of high volume commercial breweries. I wonder if there is a technique that I need to research that will provide more insight to this...?

And it seems that these beers with the creamy carbonation feel are the more expensive, more crafty beers - are they all carbing with nitrogen these days?

 

[Justibone]

N2 + CO2 = beer gas... that's what Guinness uses

http://beer.about.com/od/glossary/g/BeerGas.htm

Highly carbonated beer with lots of mouthfeel should give lots of smaller bubbles (Belgian white). A crisp beer with high carbonation should be more like champagne (lager).