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Author Topic: How fast do you carbonate?  (Read 20453 times)

Offline bluefoxicy

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How fast do you carbonate?
« on: September 02, 2012, 10:37:09 am »
I got 49 bottles done in 40 minutes today.  Not bad, but that's the last time I bottle beer; going to build me a kegging system.

How fast do you force carbonate?  Do you leave your beer still in the keg for 2 weeks or so before pressurizing it?  CO2 interferes with yeast activity, which can change how a beer ages I guess.  On the other hand, you could just rack to secondary and let the beer age for a couple weeks before kegging.

Because of aging issues with cider, I may invest in a pair of conicals and always keep some 30 gallons on hand, tapping a keg off the fermenter when needed, just because I've yet to make a cider that was any good before it was 3 or 4 years old.

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2012, 02:26:49 pm »
have not made a cider, but I don't think most people wait a couple years to drink. post a recipe and we can see what's up with that.

My regime usually goes something like, 1-3 weeks primary, crash cool for a couple days, into the keg and force carb with gentle shaking then start drinking the next day. Only some beers need an ageing period and some others really don't want that (wheat beers, low gravity session ales) as they want to be fresh when consumed.
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Offline roguejim

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2012, 04:44:59 pm »
Generally speaking, ferment 2 weeks in primary, 3 weeks if I'm dry hopping.  Keg, and force carb at 20psi for 3-4 days.  This carbing schedule has been fool proof.

Offline liquidbrewing

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2012, 05:36:15 pm »
Let your beer ferment out.  Keg cold beer and set to your serving pressure.  Leave it on the gas for app. 7 days, you'll be good.  You can always shake the keg too, but never shake a keg with pressure over your serving pressure, you risk over carbonation. 
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Offline bluefoxicy

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2012, 06:56:43 pm »
Huh.  So you guys don't let the beer sit longer?  How's that work when you skip the whole bottle conditioning phase and go straight to carbonated?  Doesn't change the beer?

have not made a cider, but I don't think most people wait a couple years to drink. post a recipe and we can see what's up with that.

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Offline bluesman

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How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2012, 08:06:57 pm »
I let the beer decide when it's finished which is generally around 1-2 weeks depending on yeast strain and amount of sugars to be fermented. Then I like to let the beer condition for a few more days before I crash cool. At that point I'll keg the beer and force carb at 30-50psi for 1-3 days depending on the set pressure. I then set the pressure to the desired level for style to reach equilibrium.
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Offline liquidbrewing

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2012, 09:04:32 am »
Huh.  So you guys don't let the beer sit longer?  How's that work when you skip the whole bottle conditioning phase and go straight to carbonated?  Doesn't change the beer?

have not made a cider, but I don't think most people wait a couple years to drink. post a recipe and we can see what's up with that.

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I make a regular cider, simple just like the above post.  5 gallons apple jucie, 1 pack of Red Star Montrachet yeast, ferment for 4-5 weeks.  Keg, chill, carb, enjoy!
Justin
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Offline realbeerguy

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2012, 07:19:27 am »
3-4 yrs for cider???? I do 3-4 months.
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Offline Pinski

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2012, 08:23:27 am »
I apply CO2 at anywhere from 8-13 psi depending on storage temperature and preferred volumes of carbonation. Seems like it takes 1.5-2 weeks for most of my beers to get where I like.
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Offline Pi

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #9 on: September 04, 2012, 07:21:38 pm »
Just keeged a dry stout, a amber lager, and an Oktoberfest. The Oktoberfest and lager have been lagering 3 and 4 weeks respectivly. Now that it is kegged, do you FC now or wait till it's done conditioning (another 2 months at least)?
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2012, 08:50:54 am »
Just keeged a dry stout, a amber lager, and an Oktoberfest. The Oktoberfest and lager have been lagering 3 and 4 weeks respectivly. Now that it is kegged, do you FC now or wait till it's done conditioning (another 2 months at least)?

that's up to you. however, if the beer is carbed the temptation to 'sample' will be greater.
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Offline tcanova

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2012, 10:08:22 am »
I am a shaker as well.  ;)  I think the best advise is to let the yeast tell you when it is done.  Read the specs on the yeast you are using and figure out what final gravity you are looking at, but just because it reaches final gravity does not mean it is done.  Most yeasts will need some extra time to "clean up"....
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Offline corkybstewart

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #12 on: September 05, 2012, 11:00:51 am »
2-3 weeks in primary, into the kegs and into the fridge with the first keg, unless it's a lager and both kegs go in.  I let the kegs sit a couple of days, then hook the gas at serving pressure.  After 2 or 3 days I drink a pint of the flat beer.    A pint a day seems to make the keg carb faster so that after 5 days the beer is perfectly carbed.
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Offline kylekohlmorgen

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #13 on: September 05, 2012, 11:23:25 am »
I like to carbonate around 10 psi and wait. I think its easier to dial in the carbonation (by sampling daily after 4-5 days). If I overshoot and have to degas, I almost always pick up a little yeast bite, especially with lighter beers.

P.S. Its a LOT easier to wait for this method if you have a few other beers on tap already  ;D
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Offline Pi

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Re: How fast do you carbonate?
« Reply #14 on: September 05, 2012, 01:01:54 pm »
I guess what i was wondering is do you lager at serving pressure, or should you condition (sometimes months depending on style) at ambient (ie. airlock)? Or are lagering and conditioning two different animals?
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