I've read just about every post on forced carbonation using head pressure and gently flowing CO2 using a carb stone to get to equilibrium. But I am having a hard time with this. I started with a Hefeweizen that fermented much quicker than I expected (1st batch) so there was no time to spund and get natural carbonation into the beer. I must say that I am lacking a flowmeter between the secondary regulator and the carb stone, but I have been able to stick my ear to the fermenter to hear when the stone is flowing and when it cuts out based on PSI from regulator. Not the best technique but at least I know there is flow. I'm going on day 3 and while the beer is getting more carbonation it has yet to saturate. Based on all the other brewer's success using this process in minimal time 6-8 hours there is obviously something wrong either in my process or with my equipment. Here is what I have done.
The FV is at 34F. 15 BBL, 12" carb stone, bulk CO2 going to carb stone, 20 pound tank applying head pressure.
Day 1 - Set head pressure to 13 PSI, closed CIP arm, turned carb stone to 15-17 PSI. Over the course of the day the head pressure dropped by .5-1 PSI. A little more head on the beer but not much. No CO2 bubbles in beer...except 5 mm below the head.
Day 2 - same head pressure, but used higher carb stone pressure upwards of 20-22 PSI. Over the course of the day the head pressure rose. So much that I backed it off as to not vent and scrub the beer. A little more carbonation in beer but not where I need to be based on others results.
Day 3 - Set head pressure to 12 PSI, did not close CIP arm (left CO2 tank hooked up to it ), flowed about 17 PSI through the stone starting at 930 am this morning. I figured 4 PSI wetting pressure, 28" of beer above stone line +1 PSI, plus the 12 PSI head pressure = 17 PSI. I put my ear to the FV and could hear CO2 flowing. I went back tonight around 830 pm and it looks like the head pressure may have dropped the slightest. This is now day 3 of what is taking others a few hours to do. Before I left I turned up the regulator to 18 PSI to see if there is a sweet spot to avoid too slow or too fast. I will say that the beer is generating a nice head with good lacing, but the time it is taking to get to this point is way too long and I still have not reach saturation.
Anybody have any ideas?
The FV is at 34F. 15 BBL, 12" carb stone, bulk CO2 going to carb stone, 20 pound tank applying head pressure.
Day 1 - Set head pressure to 13 PSI, closed CIP arm, turned carb stone to 15-17 PSI. Over the course of the day the head pressure dropped by .5-1 PSI. A little more head on the beer but not much. No CO2 bubbles in beer...except 5 mm below the head.
Day 2 - same head pressure, but used higher carb stone pressure upwards of 20-22 PSI. Over the course of the day the head pressure rose. So much that I backed it off as to not vent and scrub the beer. A little more carbonation in beer but not where I need to be based on others results.
Day 3 - Set head pressure to 12 PSI, did not close CIP arm (left CO2 tank hooked up to it ), flowed about 17 PSI through the stone starting at 930 am this morning. I figured 4 PSI wetting pressure, 28" of beer above stone line +1 PSI, plus the 12 PSI head pressure = 17 PSI. I put my ear to the FV and could hear CO2 flowing. I went back tonight around 830 pm and it looks like the head pressure may have dropped the slightest. This is now day 3 of what is taking others a few hours to do. Before I left I turned up the regulator to 18 PSI to see if there is a sweet spot to avoid too slow or too fast. I will say that the beer is generating a nice head with good lacing, but the time it is taking to get to this point is way too long and I still have not reach saturation.
Anybody have any ideas?
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