| Author |
Message |
    
Richard Rennison
New Member
Username: Rennison
Post Number: 8
Registered: 04-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, September 02, 2004 - 12:53 am: | 
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Hello all,
I've been out of the brewing arena for a while and am finally back in the game!!! I've brewed a few batches (10 gallon all grain on my home made RIMS, soon to be HERMES). I think I've forgotten the secrets to effective force carbonation. I carbonated one batch, and the CO2 seems to be on top of flat beer (kegging system). I have been chilling the beer in the keg to ~38 degrees, then applying 40psi to the kegs for about 3 minutes while rocking. Apparantly this does not work well. Any suggestions???
Thanks,
Richard |
Jared Cook
Intermediate Member
Username: Jared
Post Number: 403
Registered: 09-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, September 02, 2004 - 01:19 am: |
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How full are the kegs? If there isn't enough head space, it will take a little longer. Also, 3 minutes may not be enough if you call rocking what I call rocking. I'm a bit more rough that what I would consider just rocking them. What you are doing should work, so may be be a little more vigorous with your rocking? |
Paul Muth
New Member
Username: Pjmuth
Post Number: 20
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, September 02, 2004 - 03:27 am: |
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Figure out the volume of coČ that you want in your beer for the temperature you are using and set your regulator for that pressure. Connect your coČ to the keg, purge the head space several time and then put the whole shootin' match in the refrigerator with the gas ON. Leave it there for a week to a week and a half. Perfect carb every time!! Another trick - During the carbonation process, hook the coČ to a beverage disconnect and use that on the beverage out post during carbonation. You will cut several days off of the process. (Make sure you have a check valve on your regulator and don't forget to change the disconnects before serving.)
A carb chart can be found here.
PJ |
Brandon Dachel
Senior Member
Username: Brandon
Post Number: 1189
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, September 02, 2004 - 01:42 pm: |
|
In addition to the advice about quick carbing, I've found that beers with higher final gravities take longer to carbonate than ones that finish lower. |
David S.
Member
Username: Dsundberg
Post Number: 136
Registered: 04-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, September 02, 2004 - 02:39 pm: |
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If I want to quick carb a keg, I lay the keg on a towel on the floor and roll it back and forth. I usually set the pressure to about 20 psi. If the CO2 connection is on the bottom, you can hear the gas bubble into the beer. When it won't take any more, you're done.
This works okay for a "quick beer", but I still think the carbonation gets better over time. |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 440
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, September 02, 2004 - 02:49 pm: |
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There does seem to be some improvement in the
"quality" of the carbonation over time as the CO2 is more fully dissolved and diffused throughout the beer. Some people believe the bubbles themselves are smaller. This is true whether the beer is force carbonated or primed with sugar. In the case of force carbonaion, a diffusion stone will speed up the process, but after a couple of weeks it really doesn't make any difference. |
Wykowski
Senior Member
Username: Bigearl
Post Number: 1132
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, September 02, 2004 - 03:03 pm: |
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I put my kegs in the fridge on 30psi and just leave them for 24-48 hrs (testing in between)
You remember that foul evening when you heard the banshees howl
There was lousy drunken bastards singing 'Billy is in the bowl'
They took you up to midnight mass and left you in the lurch
So you dropped a button in the plate and spewed up in the church
|
Vance Barnes
Advanced Member
Username: Vancebarnes
Post Number: 977
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, September 02, 2004 - 03:25 pm: |
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Something is not right. I carb my normal gravity beers @ 30psi and shaking back and forth for 2 minutes @ 40*. Then bleed the pressure off over the course of a couple of hours.
What can I say. I'm impatient and want a sample. |
David S.
Member
Username: Dsundberg
Post Number: 139
Registered: 04-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, September 02, 2004 - 06:38 pm: |
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I agree with Bill. When I force carbonate and immediately consume the beer, it will have a head, but I won't see a continuous stream of bubbles coming from the bottom and sides. After a week or so, under pressure, at low temperature, the small bubbles will appear. |
John
Member
Username: Txwakeskater
Post Number: 166
Registered: 09-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 03, 2004 - 04:42 am: |
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I force carbonate at 25-30psi and do the towel, roll on the floor method and then i leave it at the same pressure and put it in the fridge for 2-4 weeks. Is there anything wrong with this? |
Richard Nye
Member
Username: Yeasty_boy
Post Number: 230
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Friday, September 03, 2004 - 10:12 am: |
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John,
I think your beers would be overcarbonated if you keep the CO2 at 25-30psi in the fridge for 2-4 weeks. Usually I carb at about 13-15psi and my fridge is at about 42F.
Follow Paul Muth's advice above. It will work everytime. |
Hallertauer
Member
Username: Hallertauer
Post Number: 213
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 03, 2004 - 11:21 am: |
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I'm paranoid about leaving my coČ tank on. I got burned already and lost my whole big tank to a leak. I use John's method but I unhook the coČ bottle when I'm done and just leave it under that same pressure in the fridge for a week. After a week, I'll bleed the excess pressure and serve. |
tranquil_liza
Junior Member
Username: Tranquil_liza
Post Number: 144
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 03, 2004 - 09:58 pm: |
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i'm sure the greater majority have lost a cylinder of co2. i did. i bought a back-up cylinder. i don't worry anymore. |
Brews and Views Archive 2004 
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