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Force carbonation via headspace

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  • Force carbonation via headspace

    My equipment only allows carbonation of beer via headspace - force carbonation. Could you share your experience with this kind of carbonation if you are doing it. I am interested in temperature of beer, headspace CO2 pressure and mainly: how long do you keep your beer in this condition?

    I would also be thankful for other info that you think might be useful for this topic.

    Yury

  • #2
    Will take a loooong time

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    • #3
      How long will it take?

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Yury View Post
        How long will it take?
        Days. If not even longer. Being able to bubble through will cut that a lot. And a carb stone will bring it to hours.

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        • #5
          can you pump out through a side port, run it through an in line carbonation stone or venturi and then back in the bottom?
          if you have a side sample port, replace with a butterfly valve.

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          • #6
            Thank you for the answers about carbonation stone (I know that possibility). But I am looking for information about carbonating via headspace.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Yury View Post
              Thank you for the answers about carbonation stone (I know that possibility). But I am looking for information about carbonating via headspace.
              the information is that it is a poor idea, will take a very long time and not be very reliable.

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              • #8
                We would need to know much more about the equipment and your setup in order to offer suggestions.

                Volume? Type of tank? Jacketed? Temperature of beer? Pressure rating? Ports on tank?

                Why not carbonate during fermentation via spund valve?

                Suggestion #1, explore other alternatives.
                Todd G Hicks
                BeerDenizen Brewing Services

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                • #9
                  Carbonating 1/2 bbl kegs with headspace pressure alone takes about 3-5 days in our 35F cooler. How long can you tie up a ferm?
                  Timm Turrentine

                  Brewerywright,
                  Terminal Gravity Brewing,
                  Enterprise. Oregon.

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                  • #10
                    Put 10-12# of head pressure on your fermenter when you start the crash cooling at the end of the fermentation. The beer will be carbonated in roughly the same time as it takes the yeast to settle out, or will at least be very close to a proper carbonation level. Carbonating in the fermenter really does not have to lengthen the time the batch of beer ties up a fermenter.
                    Have never understood it, but the beer seems to absorb the CO2 quicker while it crash cools.

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                    • #11
                      Convection....

                      The beer carbonates faster while cooling because it is rolling inside the fermenter. Convection of cooling jackets bring undercarbonated beer to the liquid/gas interface and promotes faster CO2 uptake. It will still take a long time if it's not spunded properly at the end of fermentation. How long? Depends. How big is your tank? What is the pressure rating? Certainly much better ways to carbonate.
                      Phillip Kelm--Palau Brewing Company Manager--

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                      • #12
                        My tank has 2500 l volume, currently it is only half filled (1000 l). It can hold pressure up to 3 bar, it is insulated and has cooling jackets (and attached cooling system).
                        I can wait for 5 days or 10 days to fully carbonate my beer.

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                        • #13
                          3 bar is a lot of pressure for a fermenter. But if you can go up to 15 psi during the crash cooling the beer will be carbonated fairly quickly. Probably within three days. Test it to follow the CO2 level, then when it gets to where you want it drop the head pressure to the proper maintenance level for the temperature of the beer.
                          This method is more repeatable than the responders have made it sound.
                          They are correct in the benefits of having a carbonation stone as it makes the process quicker - and most breweries are under a tight schedule.
                          But the head space method does work and is very gentle on the beer as there is no agitation and hence no foaming damage re head retention.

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                          • #14
                            I've been doing like this for 2 years already in a 500L brewpub system. With 2 bar of pressure and the beer at 2C (35F) I can have a carbonated beer in 3 to 4 days.

                            But I ferment under pressure most of the times (0.6 bar), which gives me a head start when cold crashing.

                            I've just now started adding carbonation stones in the unitanks

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                            • #15
                              Lol

                              Why anyone would carbonate via head pressure, in a commercial setting - has me absolutely baffled. Ok /endrant
                              Ryan
                              Viridian Brewing Company
                              [Brewery-In-Planning]

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