Force carbonating

[JuanMoore]

So, I feel like something's missing from the chart as well. Sure, the beer will carb eventually, but that's not what we're talking about here. i did notice that the colder you carb, the less pressure you need. again, no mention of time.

for grins tell me what you think and what you'd change. i just kegged a stout. should be about 8% ABV. started it at 30 psi and 70*. chilling it to 40*. will purge and set to serving pressure in the morning to see how things are going.

Also, how long should I wait after I purge to set to serving temp? it will throw off CO2 once I purge it down. Should I wait a minute or two, purge again?

FYI this is my 3rd keg batch and LOVE kegging!

Cheers!

The set and forget method usually takes anywhere from 7-18 days to reach full carbonation, depending on desired carb level, FG, ABV, etc. Beers with a higher desired carb level will obviously take longer, as will beers with a higher SG or ABV.

I'm a bit confused about what you're asking regarding purging though. Set the pressure to whatever matches the desired carb level and beer temp. If you're carbing at room temp, once you're ready to serve it, simply disconnect the gas, put the keg in the kegerator/keezer, and when it's chilled to temp reconnect the gas at the new lower pressure.

 

[denverd1]

I'm carbing at 40* - because I don't know any better.

My question is since i'm carbing at that temp, what should the pressure to get it to full carbonation in 24 hrs.

 

[JuanMoore]

I'm carbing at 40* - because I don't know any better.

My question is since i'm carbing at that temp, what should the pressure to get it to full carbonation in 24 hrs.

Nothing wrong with 40 degrees, that's the temp I carb and serve my beers at.

There are way too many variables to be able to calculate a pressure that will result in full carbonation that fast. Even if that weren't the case, we'd still need to know what your target carbonation level is first.

If you really need full carbonation in 24hrs or less, you either need to use a carb stone, or you need to set it to the equilibrium pressure and shake the keg until it stops absorbing gas. If you simply want a faster method than set and forget but don't want to deal with a carb stone, I'd suggest ~30 psi for 24-36 hrs (depending on desired carb level), and then purge and reset to serving pressure. You'll be at full carbonation within a couple days after reducing to serving pressure.

 

[denverd1]

see I know nothing about desired carb level... I need to do some homework. Thanks for answering my stupid questions!

The last one I did I think it over-carbed. started causing air to seep into the beer line right out of the keg. So i'm slowly learning by trial and error.

Carb stone??

 

[JuanMoore]

see I know nothing about desired carb level... I need to do some homework. Thanks for answering my stupid questions!

The last one I did I think it over-carbed. started causing air to seep into the beer line right out of the keg. So i'm slowly learning by trial and error.

Carb stone??

Desired carb level is whatever you want it to be. For reference, Bud/Miller/Coors, and most commercial beer is carbed to 2.7 vol. Most homebrewers who post here (myself included) prefer a little lower carb level, usually 2.4-2.6 vol. Or you can get multiple gas regulators and carb each beer to style.

Once you have a target carb level in mind, you can use a chart like this one to determine what your serving pressure should be. This is also the pressure to use for the set and forget method of carbonation.

A carb stone is like an aquarium stone, but made of stainless steel. They're also used for oxygenating wort prior to fermentation with pure O2, so they're sometimes referred to as O2 stones. They can be secured to the gas diptube on a corny keg with a piece of tubing, or you can even buy a corny lid specifically modified for use with a carb stone. It breaks the CO2 bubbles up so that they're super tiny, significantly increasing the surface area in contact with the gas, and decreasing the time it takes for the gas to absorb. This is how most commercial beer is carbonated. If you use a carb stone and start at 1-2 psi (at serving temp), then increase the pressure 1 psi every hour or two until you reach serving pressure, the beer will be carbed within 24 hrs. Here's what they look like-

 

[yohoe]

To add a wrench into the conversation, I read an article saying to hook the gas into the "out" side of the keg so you can carbinate through the bottom up. I have never heard/seen this before and wondering if anyone does this.

http://www.homebrew.com/articles/article12018101.shtml

 

[2bluewagons]

Without a carb stone as shown above, hooking the gas to the "out" post is silly. It's just going to bubble (big bubbles) up to the top and collect there anyways, with probably not a whole lot of CO2 going into solution on the way up. I suppose someone could do a side-by-side to confirm my assumption, but it's not on my list of important things to do.

 

[StalkingWilbur]

I've found the set and forget method the easiest way to get the best results. If you can't wait that long you need to buy more kegs and brew more so you can just rotate them through!


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[Brewer_JB]

First...JuanMoore, Thanks!! I used to be that generous with penmaking info. Are there different levels of carbonation for different styles and a possible link? I'm doing my first kegging Saturday of a milk stout. This will help!! Denverd1...you ask good questions!

So here's my plan...5gal Milk Stout, force carbonation at 10psi at 55*...subject to better knowledge...for about a week. Disconnect and serve at 5psi and reconnect as needed. Question...why does the length of the serving hose matter...I'm clueless on this one so education please?

 

[Brewer_JB]

I've found the set and forget method the easiest way to get the best results. If you can't wait that long you need to buy more kegs and brew more so you can just rotate them through!

After this first keg...that's the plan!!

 

[JuanMoore]

First...JuanMoore, Thanks!! I used to be that generous with penmaking info. Are there different levels of carbonation for different styles and a possible link? I'm doing my first kegging Saturday of a milk stout. This will help!! Denverd1...you ask good questions!

So here's my plan...5gal Milk Stout, force carbonation at 10psi at 55*...subject to better knowledge...for about a week. Disconnect and serve at 5psi and reconnect as needed. Question...why does the length of the serving hose matter...I'm clueless on this one so education please?

Carbonation levels for particular styles is really a subjective thing, and mostly up to personal preference. The chart I linked has color coded areas with some vague guidelines. There are a lot of different charts showing carb levels by style, but because it's so subjective, many of them conflict with each other. Here's one such chart-

Levels of Carbonation in Various Beer Styles
Style Volume of CO2
American ales 2.2–3.0
British ales 1.5–2.2
German weizens 2.8–5.1
Belgian ales 2.0–4.5
European lagers 2.4–2.6
American lagers 2.5–2.8

If you're carbing it at 55° and 10 psi, for a desired carb level of 1.75 vol, then you need to serve it at a temperature and pressure combination that also equals 1.75 vol. If you plan to keep the temp at 55° for serving, then you need to use 10 psi for your serving pressure. If you serve at a higher pressure, then the carbonation level will increase as it sits. If you serve at a lower pressure, the beer will slowly lose carbonation, and often CO2 trying to escape to reach equilibrium with the lower pressure will form pockets of gas in the beer line, and result in foamy pours.

The warmer or more highly carbonated a beer is, the slower/gentler the pour needs to be to prevent excessive foaming as it hits the glass. The way the flow rate of the beer is controlled is the diameter and length of the beer line. A beer line that's too short or too large in diameter for a particular serving pressure and temperature combination will result in a fast foamy pour.

 

[te-wa]

one issue i have is multiple kegs, but only one tank and regulator. hoses are T'd into three branches so all my beer is under the same pressure. that's all fine and dandy except a Tripel and an Oatmeal stout creates a small issue. either a "flat" tripel or an overcarbed stout. first world problems!

 

[yohoe]

You need a secondary regulator.

Above is my setup. I have a duel primary regulator so I can carbonate outside the keezer but I have a 4-way secondary for soda, hefes, brown ale, and whatever the 4th will be


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