Forced Carbonation temperature and time

[STR87]

Hello,
trying to understand how to properly force carbonate my beer, need help

In this forum I have found this link:
http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

Few questions

1. For how long I should shake a keg to get specified CO2 volume in the table? In some youtube video people do it for 4min, in this forum I found post which says you need to do in for 20-30 min...
2. In carbonation table highest temperature is 65 F. Can't I carbonate beer in 68-70 F (that's my room temp)? The question is basically why this table have only such low temperature?
3. And if I would get keg colder (let's say 55F), carbonate it and then move it to warmer room (70F), wouldn't CO2 dissolve in keg's headspace air?

 

[Dcpcooks]

Cold beer carbs far better and faster than warm beer. As temps increase the required pressure increases. It’s a combo of time, temp, and pressure.

I do 40 degree beer at 13 psi with a Blichmann quick carb for 45 min.

You can do 30 psi at 40 degrees for a day then purge and set your regulator to serving pressure and go.

You can do set and forget it at serving pressure for two weeks.

I’d suspect you’d need 30 psi for a two weeks at 65 degrees. I don’t carb at warm temps.

 

[day_trippr]

Unlike our favorite carbonation table, the Brewer's Friend keg carbonation calculator has no temperature limits.

- To "set and forget" carbonate 70°F beer to, say, 2.4 volumes of CO2, you would apply 27.2 psi for a couple of weeks. It'll take no longer than carbing at cold temperature using the appropriate pressure.
- For "shake and bake" carbonation at the same temperature, use the same pressure, rock the keg until no more gas is entering, let it set for an hour, give it another rocking session, repeat until done.
- For "burst" carbonation, you're on your own. I don't do it...

Cheers!

 

[STR87]

Thanks for answers and a link

 

[bleme]

In addition to the above, it should be said that each of the carbonation methods produces a different beer. In general, the quicker you carb a beer, the more harsh it is.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

My never controversial, never argued, never debated method is:
~Get beer to serving temp. (Overnight in the kegerator is fine)
~Take keg out, attach gas line, place keg on side. (gas post up)
~Set pressure to 25psi.
~Rock keg back and forth with foot. (rhythm of washing machine)
~Do this for exactly 2 minutes 10 seconds*.
~Set keg upright and unhook gas.
~Depress gas line nipple (on hose, not keg) to blow out any liquid that may have found its way in.
~Cover Relief valve with rag and pull ring to release pressure.
~Hook keg back up to serving pressure and enjoy.

I've done this for countless numbers of kegs. Never had an overcarbing issue. There are nay-sayers to this method, but I get to drink beer while they stand there saying nay all sober and stuff.

*If keg is filled all the way to the 5-gallon mark. Less filled = less time.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

In addition to the above, it should be said that each of the carbonation methods produces a different beer. In general, the quicker you carb a beer, the more harsh it is.

You're going to have to back this statement up. I have a myriad of batches under my belt carbed in different ways. With the exception of bottle sludge or waiting period, there have been no discernible taste differences between carbonation methods.

 

[bleme]

You're going to have to back this statement up. I have a myriad of batches under my belt carbed in different ways. With the exception of bottle sludge or waiting period, there have been no discernible taste differences between carbonation methods.

Like you, I can only back it up with my own experience.

 

[day_trippr]

There are differences, but not actually due to the carbonation method per se.

Rapid/burst carbonation, especially involving shaking/rocking, then quickly moving to serving leaves a lot of tiny particles suspended in the beer which provide nucleation points that will help CO2 break out of solution. The bubbles forming the head will typically appear rather coarse compared to a conventionally brewed lager, for instance, that has dropped hella bright. Or even the exact same keg of beer allowed to settle for a week or more.

As for harshness, aside from abject process failure resulting in carbon dioxide bite, again it's likely suspended yeast and hop particles that would drop and be cleared given the fullness of time regardless of how the keg was carbonated.

My pipeline and collection of fridges allows for two weeks cold carbonation before a keg hits the keezer. Giving beer a chance to drop bright while carbonating will provide the best results, if one has the patience and infrastructure...

Cheers!

 

[STR87]

I don't have kegerator, i have mobile beer cooler like this:
http://www.lindr.cz/products/pygmy-25k

So when i serve my beer, beer in keg will be 65-70F. So I want to carbonate beer at this temperature. Or it does not matter at which temperature i carbonate beer?

 

[day_trippr]

You can carbonate beer at pretty much any temperature, it only "matters" that the appropriate CO2 pressure is used for a given temperature.
Seems like the 65-70°F carbonation is ordained in your case, so that's the temperature you want to use to determine the appropriate CO2 pressure for the level of carbonation you desire...

Cheers!

 

[STR87]

Thanks again for answers

 

[day_trippr]

Note that you're not going to want to dispense at the pressure needed to carbonate ~65-70°F beer - that'd be jet-propelled beer.
You'll have to compromise by setting the dispensing pressure to match the total chiller/tubing resistance plus any lift involved.
Pretty much dial to where it works...

Cheers!

 

[STR87]

Yea, I figured that out hard way already
Now I purge gas from keg and lower pressure of CO2 tank before dispensing beer. It works