[bo]

Do you guys carbonate your beer in the fermenter by allowing it to build pressure toward the end of the fermentation or is this done at a different stage of the brewing process?

[majorvices]

i carbonate in bright tanks after fermentation is finished via forced co2.

[bo]

i carbonate in bright tanks after fermentation is finished via forced co2.

If you didn't do it with external CO2, would it be done like I described? Of course, it night be difficult to move to the bright tank if it was carbonated,

[majorvices]

Just depends how which breweries do it what way. I believe most small craft brewers finish in the primary fermenter and either rack to a bright tank or their primary fermenter doubles as a uni-tank. Most of my fermenters are not pressurizable, but I have two jacketed conicals that are presssurixable and when I put them on line I could cap and naturally carbonate. I know there are some breweries who will cap and carb up to about 3-5 vol and then finish off in a bright or, in some cases, naturally bottle condition.

The only issue with naturally carbonating is that you just really have to have your process dialed in. I'd like to be able to do it someday if for the only reason to improve my skills.

[bo]

I've thought about getting a Sanke keg, adding a pressure gauge port/regulator to it and fermenting in it to give this a try. I would remove the spear and then come up with a way to seal it. Might even just reinstall the shortened spear when it's ready to carbonate. That would not only seal it, but give me a way to transfer the beer when it's ready.

It's not something I have to have, but it would be fun to try.,

[a10t2]

I've done it both ways. The potential problem with carbonating using a PRV on the fermenter is that, like Keith said, you really have to be hitting your FGs dead on. The ~30 psi of head pressure is really tough on the yeast, and if you cap the fermenter too early they could flocculate prematurely.

[Gribble]

I would remove the spear and then come up with a way to seal it.

Leave the spear in and carbonate down the liquid side of your sanke tap.