Ideal Beer Engine CO2 Volume

[LeeH]

My TT clone very close on taste, but is missing that thick tight white head. This head is light and soon diminishes. Ideal for you soft southerners, but up north we like a frothy lip.

My LPG reg is 0.7-2.2 PSI in 0.15 PSI increments.

What volume is a traditional keg at after conditioning?

Excuse the mucky glassware…

 

[LeeH]

I have a range of sparklers for my swan neck engine, 0.6mm, 1mm and one that resembles a bottle cap with slots in.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Volumes in the beer is related to temperature and pressure.
Head and lacing is multifactorial.

Does it taste like TT ( landlord) ?

 

[AnimatedGIF]

I use a 150mbar regulator, which is about 2.2psi. I don't use a sparkler and the head seems to persist. (I also have a swan neck beer engine).
My setup is based on Peebee's treatise.

 

[LeeH]

Volumes in the beer is related to temperature and pressure.
Head and lacing is multifactorial.

Does it taste like TT ( landlord) ?

I understand that but some carbonation is required.

Yes it’s close, I’m off to the local watering hole on Friday to have a pint of the proper stuff.

 

[LeeH]

I use a 150mbar regulator, which is about 2.2psi. I don't use a sparkler and the head seems to persist. (I also have a swan neck beer engine).
My setup is based on Peebee's treatise.

I have the 50-150 reg. But the keg as been conditioning on the bottom end of the range.

 

[peebee]

You've read my essay; I know you have. I did my best to cover it.

"Traditional" cask (best avoid the "k-word") beer is under zero head pressure. There isn't any other option. But once the beer is vented (head pressure released and excessive carbonation reduced) the beer is on a slide downhill as carbonation is released to the atmosphere. It can be slowed down by skilled use of hard and soft spiles, or you can "cheat" using a breather (not adding pressure but maintaining a CO2 filled headspace ... this slows down loss of CO2 by using the rules of "partial pressure"). Breathers are okay for a week or so before CO2 drops to about 0.85 - 0.90 "volumes" (CO2 saturation when in a zero PSI, 100%, CO2 atmosphere).

Or you really cheat as I do and maintain a scrap head pressure. 150mbar (just over 2 PSI) is about maximum pressure. Condition is like a freshly broached cask. Still quite lively, I expect glassfuls of froth over this. Good for lighter beers, but lower pressure is better (70-100mbar). I've got one on 50mbar which only has a trace of a head. The slightly elevated CO2 level is noticeable. but this "beer" (it's a historic ale, any carbonation is out of place) but not being served by handpump it is not subject to the turbulence and negative pressures generated by the pump (which does knock out dissolved CO2).

I'm not a fan of "sparklers" (they really can trash some beers). Worst enemy of head seems to be cold (I serve at cool household temperature - 16-18°C? Highly attenuated beer doesn't help. And trying to fix the head by whacking up the pressure (5-10PSI) can have the opposite effect! Bubbles are delicate! Fizzy beer has naff heads. And the best heads develop slowly with patience, I never add over 1g sugar primings per litre (some wouldn't use that much!). I use no "exotic" ingredients to preserve head (wheat, etc.). good basic ingredients do the trick (and that might be 100% pale malt).

 

[peebee]

My other "alterations" that might be responsible for a decent head? ...

I don't use sparklers, but I do have solenoid valves ahead of the pump nozzle. They seal the pump cylinder from air after every pour. They also create a tight constriction to beer flowing out of the pump (as do the demand valves, aka "checkvalves", before the pump). They will cause CO2 to breakout of solution. I've long thought they might be responsible for large heads.

I don't use "swan-necks" on the pumps, so can't really use sparklers anyway (have to use extensions). "Swan-necks" fill from the bottom of the glass. Stumpy "Southern Pour" nozzles (or I use "Angrams" interpretation so the nozzles which still look a bit "curvy" - once a Northerner, always a Northerner?) drop the beer into the glass. More turbulent?

I'm neither Northern nor Southern (E. Midlands originally) so may not have the expectation of long-lasting heads? I'll get piccies at varying times for @LeeH to decide (what I think is good may not be his idea!). But I'm in the middle of Government recommended weekly alcohol abstention, so hang on a few days!

 

[peebee]

Crikey, I'm back in weekly "abstention" and I haven't done this reply yet. But the photos are clicked, they are probably c..p, but'll have to do (do you want to know how hard it is hand-holding a mobile with no flash for the piccies? And before answering add some miscellaneous motor neurological hiccups). Haven't forgot, they will get posted! Nah, let's get it done now ...

Start with "just pulled piccies. Note stubby pump nozzle and no sparkler. CO2 pressure about 1.5 to 2.0psig. Where the hell did I find that pathetic little glass! Still ... plenty of head.

Five minutes later head collapsed ... perfectly normal in my book:

Five minutes later (ten total), head hanging in there! I don't see this normally; well I don't pour me beer to stare at it, do I:

And a few more minutes ...

Hoy! Who's nicked me beer!

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I have a range of sparklers for my swan neck engine, 0.6mm, 1mm and one that resembles a bottle cap with slots in.

The one with slots in is a " southern Sparkler " they shouldn't foam it at all maybe make a very loose head / flat look. A pint of Harveys should not have a throthy head on it.

 

[peebee]

All those piccies of mine and no recipe?

Measured Original Gravity: 1.062 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.0 %
Est Bitterness: 39 IBUs
Est Color: 29 EBC
https://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2022/05/lets-brew-1909-truman-x.html
Truman's 1909 X-ale? One from Ron Pattinson's grubbing about. Not a "bitter", a "mild ale" ... that fooled you? Early 20th C. "X-ales" were more like later 20th C. strong "bitter" anyway - as starting gravities fell, as did bitterness much of the time. For this Truman recipe mainly Pale and Mild Malt, a scrape of crystal malt, 12% "Invert Sugar No. 2", so not much to colour things. Next up a 1914 Courage X-ale, sporting No.3 Invert Sugar (not that daft caramelised "imitation") and even some black malt so pushing "brown" in colour? The hopping is chopped back to 22 IBU too. A few years of WWI and we'd have something a bit more recognisable as "Mild Ale"

 

[Jordang]

Crikey, I'm back in weekly "abstention" and I haven't done this reply yet. But the photos are clicked, they are probably c..p, but'll have to do (do you want to know how hard it is hand-holding a mobile with no flash for the piccies? And before answering add some miscellaneous motor neurological hiccups). Haven't forgot, they will get posted! Nah, let's get it done now ...

Start with "just pulled piccies. Note stubby pump nozzle and no sparkler. CO2 pressure about 1.5 to 2.0psig. Where the hell did I find that pathetic little glass! Still ... plenty of head.
View attachment 81640

Five minutes later head collapsed ... perfectly normal in my book:
View attachment 81641

Five minutes later (ten total), head hanging in there! I don't see this normally; well I don't pour me beer to stare at it, do I:


View attachment 81643

And a few more minutes ...
View attachment 81644

Hoy! Who's nicked me beer!

This is exactly how mine pours but long neck and occasional use of sparkler!

 

[LeeH]

Well, after another week of conditioning and cleaning the glasses with a salt and bi carb paste…

This is with a swan neck and 1mm sparkler. LPG reg set on 5.

 

[peebee]

Humm ... got to think about that.

But the purpose of the "photo shoot" was to determine what is wanted: Your piccies show a beer with a fine head, but seemingly not what you want? No arguing that mine has volumes of head but I'd be well annoyed if handed it in a pub - some foam on the outside of the glass is okay, but the inside is for beer! No foam!

Guess that makes me a southerner? (But I don't fink they want me).

My example is (typically) "heavy" ... low attenuation, lots of (basic) ingredient, etc., and no submersible pump nozzle. Whereas yours ... ?

 

[Erik The Anglophile]

I really want a proper beer engine aswell, got an offer to buy a refurbished Angram one not too long ago but it was not really a good time to start another project then.
I'd have to do some ghetto-rig and cheat a little with a low pressure regulator and external co2 aswell.
Getting through a 18 or even 12L corny in 4-5 days just won't happen...

 

[peebee]

My LPG reg is 0.7-2.2 PSI in 0.15 PSI increments.

LPG reg set on 5.

I've only just clicked! You are describing a Clesse 50-150mbar LPG regulator?

 

[LeeH]

I've only just clicked! You are describing a Clesse 50-150mbar LPG regulator?

Correct.

And yes the ‘photo shoot’ was ro show it’s how I expect it to be. Before the head was made up of large bubbles that dissipated quickly.

As you can see below, the bubbles are tight and are long lasting.

100% Golden Promise, 66degC mash.

1mm sparkler submersed.

 

[LeeH]

BEFORE

 

[LeeH]

AFTER

 

[RoomWithABrew]

AFTER

Looks drinkable to me!