Pressure firmintation and bottling

[earlw]

I pressure firmented my last brew at 10 psi. When I bottled it the result was not as carbonated as I would have liked.
Question if I raise the firmentation pressure to say 15 psi will that increase the carbonation of the bottled beer, if nothing else in my process changes. Any thoughts?

 

[Gusso]

Yes. An increase in pressure will lead to more carbonation. Are you using counter pressure filler?

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Carbonation is also dependent on temperature. 10psi at 38° is a lot more carbonation than 10psi at 70°. What temp was the beer at bottling time?

 

[Golddiggie]

Fermenting under pressure won't completely carbonate a batch. At most, it will partially carbonate the beer. You still need to complete the carbonation process.

I'm fermenting in conical fermenters at this point, where I can ferment under pressure (rated working pressure is up to 15psi) and then attach the carbonating stone setup and finish it after I chill the beer to carbonating temperature (glycol chiller). I do this even with batches where the fermentation pressure level is close to what I'll use to carbonate it. Mostly because there's a pressure drop with the temperature drop.

I set the pressure of the fermenter depending on the yeast I'm using and if I want esters or not. If I do, I set the pressure lower (5psi max). If I don't, then I set it in the 10-12psi range. For this reason look at information for the yeast you're using to see about ester production. Some recipes do well with it, where others not so much. Don't just blindly think that more pressure is better, trying to get it fully carbonated without doing anything else.

 

[earlw]

Yes. An increase in pressure will lead to more carbonation. Are you using counter pressure filler?

Yes. An increase in pressure will lead to more carbonation. Are you using counter pressure filler?

yes, at least my version

 

[csantoni]

I don’t do exactly what @Golddiggie does but my experience with carb level after pressure fermentation is similar.

 

[day_trippr]

Fermenting under pressure won't completely carbonate a batch. At most, it will partially carbonate the beer. [...]

I'm gonna go with the ol' internet standby "Well, actually..." here, because in fact if one can maintain appropriate control of the prodigious amount of CO2 produced in the course of fermentation one could in fact end up with a perfectly carbonated product without the use of primer or exogenous CO2.

That's no miracle or anything out of left field, it's just a good application of the basics of fermentation...

Cheers!

 

[earlw]

Fermenting under pressure won't completely carbonate a batch. At most, it will partially carbonate the beer. You still need to complete the carbonation process.

I'm fermenting in conical fermenters at this point, where I can ferment under pressure (rated working pressure is up to 15psi) and then attach the carbonating stone setup and finish it after I chill the beer to carbonating temperature (glycol chiller). I do this even with batches where the fermentation pressure level is close to what I'll use to carbonate it. Mostly because there's a pressure drop with the temperature drop.

I set the pressure of the fermenter depending on the yeast I'm using and if I want esters or not. If I do, I set the pressure lower (5psi max). If I don't, then I set it in the 10-12psi range. For this reason look at information for the yeast you're using to see about ester production. Some recipes do well with it, where others not so much. Don't just blindly think that more pressure is better, trying to get it fully carbonated without doing anything else.

Thanks for the info. Looks like I need to do more research and experimentong

 

[Golddiggie]

I'm gonna go with the ol' internet standby "Well, actually..." here, because in fact if one can maintain appropriate control of the prodigious amount of CO2 produced in the course of fermentation one could in fact end up with a perfectly carbonated product without the use of primer or exogenous CO2.

That's no miracle or anything out of left field, it's just a good application of the basics of fermentation...

Cheers!

You'll need a vessel rated at the pressure levels needed to fully carbonate a batch at room temp. Plus, yeast that will handle the pressure (without off flavors) levels you'll be putting them under. My fermenters are not rated for that high a pressure level. Nor do I want what the yeast will do at those pressure levels (reduction of esters to zero) for at least some of my recipes. With how I'm carbonating my batches (IN fermenter) they're ready for packaging in a couple of days. Plus they're already at/under serving temperature (of my keezer) so completely ready to drink at that point. No need to chill a keg down (however long that takes).

 

[day_trippr]

Of course you are correct - vessel would have to handle ~28-30 psi, so yeah that's an equipment challenge.
But that's it! No actual magic needed

Cheers!

 

[micraftbeer]

Yes, to figure out what's needed, just read a carbonation chart like you do when setting up your keezer. There are tons of them in the internet. To hit my target 2.4 Vols of CO2 at 70F, I need pressure around 30 psi.

And if you're concerned about yeast fermentation flavors, you don't have to ferment the whole thing at 30 psi, you only need about the last 5 points of gravity to reach 30 psi.

FermZilla is 35 psi capable.