What pressure do you keep your beer at once it's properly saturated?

[user 336313]

Hi, all.
I suppose the topic titel says it all.
Once the beer has been saturated to your liking, what pressure do you keep it at?
In the keg or fermentation tank, I mean. So it stays stable and doesn't lose or gain any CO2.
I don't mean this in the context of pouring it or putting it on tap. Just keeping it steady.
Thx.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

I carbonate and serve most of my beers at 12 psi, except wheat beers; I like to use 14 psi for those. Of course, your system must be balanced to carbonate and serve at the same pressure.

 

[SanPancho]

if by "saturated" you mean carbonated with co2 gas, then the pressure you'd keep it at is most likely going to be the pressure at which you plan to serve the beer.
if its in the fermenter, you could add 1 or 2 psi to the "target" pressure as you might lose some gas when you transfer to bottles. if you are transferring to a keg, then you dont really need to add the extra 1 or 2psi.

if you are just storing it in the keg, or lagering, then the same applies. whatever the serving pressure is that you want for the beer, thats what's easiest to store it at.

if by "saturated" you mean something else, then you'll need to explain in more detail.

 

[grampamark]

Use this chart to determine the answer to your question.

 

[day_trippr]

I don't mean this in the context of pouring it or putting it on tap. Just keeping it steady.

This is where the question went off the rails...

 

[redrocker652002]

I was going to say 12 to 14 for me, but wasn't sure I understood the question.

 

[brewbama]

When I transfer beer from fermenter (55°F Lager or 65°F Ale) to keg, I cold crash it (34°F) under the same CO2 pressure (10 psi) I plan to serve it (40°F). ~2 weeks at 34°F/10psi and move it to the serving side (40°F) and the beers are clear and nicely carbonated. IOW, I set those CO2 gauges and my fridge temp years ago and they haven’t moved. If you look at the chart in post No4 above you can see I stay in the green this way.

 

[grampamark]

Hi, all.
I suppose the topic titel says it all.
Once the beer has been saturated to your liking, what pressure do you keep it at?
In the keg or fermentation tank, I mean. So it stays stable and doesn't lose or gain any CO2.
I don't mean this in the context of pouring it or putting it on tap. Just keeping it steady.
Thx.

A little more info would be helpful. It’s not clear, from he OP, exactly what the plan is.

If the beer is kegged and carbonated to your liking, and you just want it to stay carbonated while in storage, you don’t have to do anything. A keg is just a big beer can and, if it doesn’t have any gas leaks, will keep your beer carbonated.

 

[cubalz]

12 psi for most beers I typically keep on tap.

 

[Broken Crow]

Leaving a keg in storage (waiting for space in my kegerator) in my basement at about 68°, I leave it under 28-30 PSI... once I've put it in the kegerator, the pressure will drop on it's own as it cools according to the carb chart @grampamark provided above.

 

[Knightshade]

I live by the chart that @grampamark put up. My lines are usually running between 8-10 for my ales. I'll take a slower pour vs. foaming any day of the week. I usually run my ciders around 13.

 

[doug293cz]

In order to maintain the level of carbonation that you achieved, the headspace CO2 pressure (rigorously the CO2 partial pressure) has to be maintained at the pressure that is in equilibrium with the current carbonation level at the current beer temperature - i.e. the "chart" pressure. If the headspace pressure is reduced from chart pressure, then the beer will lose carbonation. If the headspace pressure is greater than chart pressure, then the carbonation level will increase.

If a beer is fully carbonated, and in a leak free keg, then CO2 gas can be disconnected, and the headspace CO2 pressure will stay steady (unless the temperature changes.) No additional CO2 will be absorbed by the beer from the headspace, nor will CO2 escape the beer into the headspace. If for example, the keg temperature is increased (while disconnected from the CO2 tank) then CO2 will diffuse out of the beer into the headspace, thus increasing the headspace pressure, and lowering the carbonation level. If you then cool the keg back down to the original temperature, some CO2 will diffuse from the headspace into the beer, reducing the headspace pressure, and increasing the carbonation level. The process is completely reversible, since the total amount of CO2 in the keg is constant.

Once you start serving, you have to replace CO2 in the headspace in order to maintain the equilibrium CO2 pressure and carbonation level. If you don't backfill CO2 when serving, your carbonation will slowly decrease, as more and more CO2 diffuses from the beer back into the headspace.

Brew on

 

[user 336313]

In order to maintain the level of carbonation that you achieved, the headspace CO2 pressure (rigorously the CO2 partial pressure) has to be maintained at the pressure that is in equilibrium with the current carbonation level at the current beer temperature - i.e. the "chart" pressure. If the headspace pressure is reduced from chart pressure, then the beer will lose carbonation. If the headspace pressure is greater than chart pressure, then the carbonation level will increase.

If a beer is fully carbonated, and in a leak free keg, then CO2 gas can be disconnected, and the headspace CO2 pressure will stay steady (unless the temperature changes.) No additional CO2 will be absorbed by the beer from the headspace, nor will CO2 escape the beer into the headspace. If for example, the keg temperature is increased (while disconnected from the CO2 tank) then CO2 will diffuse out of the beer into the headspace, thus increasing the headspace pressure, and lowering the carbonation level. If you then cool the keg back down to the original temperature, some CO2 will diffuse from the headspace into the beer, reducing the headspace pressure, and increasing the carbonation level. The process is completely reversible, since the total amount of CO2 in the keg is constant.

Once you start serving, you have to replace CO2 in the headspace in order to maintain the equilibrium CO2 pressure and carbonation level. If you don't backfill CO2 when serving, your carbonation will slowly decrease, as more and more CO2 diffuses from the beer back into the headspace.

Brew on

Thanks!!

 

[Beermeister32]

I run my setup at 9 PSI. I used to run 10 PSI, but am enjoying 9 PSI better currently.

 

[scrap iron]

I keep my kegerator at 40 degrees and the gas regulator at 10-12. This has the beer around 2.4-2.5 vols of co2. I also leave the gas lines connected the whole time. The chart above is a good reference.
I might add this setting is pretty standard for American style Ales and Lager.