How do you guys carbonate your brews?

leondz · Jun 21, 2009

I guess that says it all! Priming I'm happy with, but the whole filtering / CO2 thing goes right over my head, how's it work?

tubby_shaw · Jun 21, 2009

I don't know of anyone (homebrewers) who filter before force carbonating, most of us just use finings.
As for force carbonating you will need a cornelius keg and a source of pressurised CO2.
Firstly fine your beer using Isinglass, gelatine or propitiatory finings, allow the finings to work and then transfer your clear beer to the corny keg and seal.
Then depending on your beer style choose the appropriate carbonation level using the information HERE.
Then using the carbonation table on that site pressurise to the correct level for your temperature. Leave 'til the pressure stabilises, reduce pressure and serve :thumb:
This is what I do, this then allows me to bottle clear carbonated beer with no sediment :party:

prolix · Jun 21, 2009

me I do it the real lazy way cornie keg after 10 days purge the top space with co2 then pressurize to 20 psi to get the seal. That's been enough to get a beer with mouth feel and no bubbles as the beer still has carbonation in and some fermentation still takes place in the keg.

Vossy1 · Jun 22, 2009

I do the same as prolix for most of my beers :thumb:

Reviled · Jun 23, 2009

Another way to force carb, albeit it not very accurate, chill down to about 4*c, transfer to the keg, then crank the gas up to 300kpa and 'shake and bake' the keg for approx 60 seconds ( 40 seconds for a bitter or similair) then turn the gas bottle off and shake the Co2 into the beer and stop when the guage gets down to around 100-160kpa... Wait an hour (or overnight) then vent the keg down to serving pressure and serve!

It takes a couple of days for the carbonation to come right, but its still drinkable straight away...

I do this every time, mainly cos im impatient and it means I can be drinking carbonated beer an hour after its into the keg :thumb:

Just be carefull when doing this that you dont rock the keg for more than 60 seconds or you will overcarbonate which isnt cool...

Wez · Jun 23, 2009

I do this every time, mainly cos im impatient and it means I can be drinking carbonated beer an hour after its into the keg

Have you met Vossy yet - he has a FV straw :thumb:

Hawks · Jun 24, 2009

I'm another one for the lazy way :thumb: ... no finings used, keg it and pressurise to 20psi to seal, after that I hold it around 10psi for a week then set the regulator to about 5-7 psi to serve until the keg is empty.