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Bottling at 12.000 ft - Cusco, Peru

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  • Bottling at 12.000 ft - Cusco, Peru

    Hi everyone!!!
    First I want to apologize for my english, I'm not a native speaker.

    We are a Cusco, Peru based microbrewery at 12,000 ft of altitude, and having problems with a 4 head isobaric bottling equipment.

    We are bottling at 0°C (32°F) at 9PSI directly from the Unitank and everythings goes smooth until deataching the bottle from the filling system, when it foams inmediatly and looses almost all of the beer.

    Some times we don't get that much foam and we get to finish the process but when opening the bottle later it feels under carbonatated.

    So we have a dilema here, if we put more CO2 then we will have more problems bottling, but if not, we will get a flat beer.

    If someone could give me an advice it will kindly appreciatted

  • #2
    Unitank Gas Setting

    Originally posted by AndesPride View Post
    Hi everyone!!!
    First I want to apologize for my english, I'm not a native speaker.

    We are a Cusco, Peru based microbrewery at 12,000 ft of altitude, and having problems with a 4 head isobaric bottling equipment.

    We are bottling at 0°C (32°F) at 9PSI directly from the Unitank and everythings goes smooth until deataching the bottle from the filling system, when it foams inmediatly and looses almost all of the beer.

    Some times we don't get that much foam and we get to finish the process but when opening the bottle later it feels under carbonatated.

    So we have a dilema here, if we put more CO2 then we will have more problems bottling, but if not, we will get a flat beer.

    If someone could give me an advice it will kindly appreciatted
    Your C02 pressure on your Unitank may need to be in the range of 18-27 PSIG. 9 Sounds way low without knowing more about your setup.
    Warren Turner
    Industrial Engineering Technician
    HVACR-Electrical Systems Specialist
    Moab Brewery
    The Thought Police are Attempting to Suppress Free Speech and Sugar coat everything. This is both Cowardice and Treason given to their own kind.

    Comment


    • #3
      What is your target carbonation level? Measured carbonation level in the bright?

      What kind of bottler? How does the bottler release pressure from the bottles?

      9 psi sounds awful low even if using a beer pump.
      Timm Turrentine

      Brewerywright,
      Terminal Gravity Brewing,
      Enterprise. Oregon.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by TGTimm View Post
        What is your target carbonation level? Measured carbonation level in the bright?

        What kind of bottler? How does the bottler release pressure from the bottles?

        9 psi sounds awful low even if using a beer pump.
        Hi

        Mi target is 2.6 vol of CO2 and the carbonation charts reads 9PSI for 32F so I'm confused when both of you say that is low.

        We don't use BBT we are bottling directly from the Unitank, no pump either only different pressure.

        Yes the bottler has a pressure release valve and we use it.


        Thanks!!!!

        Comment


        • #5
          What is the carbonation level of your beer? Does your filler allow you to snift? To the bowl/filler head? To atmoshpere? A combination of both? You need to extend that step. The bowl pressure on your filler should definitely be higher. It will still be a rapid transition between filling and capping/crowning.

          Good luck.

          Pax.

          Liam
          Liam McKenna
          www.yellowbellybrewery.com

          Comment


          • #6
            There should be a restrictor of some sort in the pressure-release system. You may need to have a smaller one fabricated and lengthen the time the snifter is open to allow the bottle to more gradually release the head pressure with breaking the beer.

            We run our bottling line on pressure from the bright tank. Our instruction indicate that the feed pressure--the pressure of the beer flowing from the bright as opposed to the head pressure--should be around 2 bar. We use a very handy device from American Brew Equipment called the Watchdog, which monitors the output pressure and adds head pressure as needed.

            Pressures given are gauge pressure, so are comparable even at your altitude.

            You also need to adjust your headspace pressure to account for your altitude. The pressures given on P/T charts are really absolute, not gauge, so you need to compensate accordingly to keep your beer at or above equilibrium pressure.
            Timm Turrentine

            Brewerywright,
            Terminal Gravity Brewing,
            Enterprise. Oregon.

            Comment


            • #7
              Hi,

              According to a Demystifying Carbonation power point I have from Dave Meheen for every 2000 feet you are above sea level you need to increase your gauge pressure by 1 psi to attain the same level of carbonation. We used to use an isobaric bottle filler and had terrible times with foam until we figured out we needed to close the sight glass on our bright tank when we were bottling. The sight glass on our bright tank is attached to our product out arm on the bottom of our tank and the CIP arm at the top of the tank which also has our co2 head pressure line attached as well. Can you share some pictures of your filler and uni tank? I hope this helps.

              Cheers!

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