[jeffy]

I tried the shake method twice, once on my very first kegged homebrew and again on the second kegged homebrew just to make sure I did it right.  I will never bother with that again.  You get "carbonated" beer, but like the others said it's large bubbles that don't stay in solution like soda and there is a sharp carbonic bite; then once you do turn pressure down the beer seems to almost go flat for a few days and then your waiting again.

I set to 30PSI for first 24-36hrs then turn down to serving pressure.  Generally about 7-10 days from kegging before the brew is fully carbonated.

I'd say you didn't do it quite right.  I always use the shake method mostly because I hate to leave a CO2 bottle open for any length of time.  (I'm skeered of leaks.)  Done properly the carbonation and head retention is the same, only faster.

[BurghBeezer]

I tried the shake method twice, once on my very first kegged homebrew and again on the second kegged homebrew just to make sure I did it right.  I will never bother with that again.  You get "carbonated" beer, but like the others said it's large bubbles that don't stay in solution like soda and there is a sharp carbonic bite; then once you do turn pressure down the beer seems to almost go flat for a few days and then your waiting again.

I set to 30PSI for first 24-36hrs then turn down to serving pressure.  Generally about 7-10 days from kegging before the brew is fully carbonated.

I'd say you didn't do it quite right.  I always use the shake method mostly because I hate to leave a CO2 bottle open for any length of time.  (I'm skeered of leaks.)  Done properly the carbonation and head retention is the same, only faster.

Not sure what I could of done differently; but going from grain to glass in 14-21 days is fast enough for my needs.  Leaks are easy to identify and prevent and I can't imagine needing to set the pressure every time I pour a pint.

[Joe Sr.]

14 -21 days is very fast.  No argument there, though speed is not my thing even though I shake to carb.

Since you say it goes almost flat after a couple days, you're either not shaking it for long enough or at high enough pressure.  Or a leak, even though as you say they are not usually difficult to track down.  Regardless, something is going on there.  I have kegs that are aging since last year that were only shaken to be carbed and I need to bleed the head pressure to pour a decent taste.  They're only at cellar temp (60 or slightly less) so the carb and pressure would drop some if I put them in the fridge, but they certainly wouldn't be flat.

[BurghBeezer]

14 -21 days is very fast.  No argument there, though speed is not my thing even though I shake to carb.

Since you say it goes almost flat after a couple days, you're either not shaking it for long enough or at high enough pressure.  Or a leak, even though as you say they are not usually difficult to track down.  Regardless, something is going on there.  I have kegs that are aging since last year that were only shaken to be carbed and I need to bleed the head pressure to pour a decent taste.  They're only at cellar temp (60 or slightly less) so the carb and pressure would drop some if I put them in the fridge, but they certainly wouldn't be flat.

The only 2 times I tried the shake method was 3+ years ago.  Looking at my few Beersmith notes from the time, I wrote that the beer had lots of foam, but once through the head, the beer was undercarbonated.  It was my limited experience with it.  Same thing if you shake a soda-pop-cola bottle, a lot of the CO2 comes out of solution, so you would need to let it sit for quite some time for it to dissolve back into solution otherwise it will taste flat.

I could perfect that method, but that's extra work that does not improve my finished product.  Taking a week to let it happen without lots of shaking/rolling is a win in my book. 

[Joe Sr.]

The way that works for you is the right way.

You are correct about beer seeming flat under a big rocky head.  You'll get that when you're serving pressure is too high regardless of how you carbonate.  While the shake method will get the beer carbed quickly, you do need to let it settle a bit after shaking and serve it at a lower pressure.  I've only done it once where I served on the same day and that was hours later and I did have some issues getting a decent pour initially.

[quattlebaum]

Personally i mostly set to 38F and set to 11 or 12psi and leave it alone however, depending on the style i use a homemade spunding valve.  I will rack the beer to keg when it is around 6 to 8 gravity points away from finial attenuation and set pressure to desired setting for temp and let sit for 2 weeks then hook up to co2 to maintain that level. I enjoy this method and it has its challenges but produces a finer/lacier mouth-feel. 

[BrewBama]

Personally i mostly set to 38F and set to 11 or 12psi and leave it alone however, depending on the style i use a homemade spunding valve.  I will rack the beer to keg when it is around 6 to 8 gravity points away from finial attenuation and set pressure to desired setting for temp and let sit for 2 weeks then hook up to co2 to maintain that level. I enjoy this method and it has its challenges but produces a finer/lacier mouth-feel.

Though I did not know how to describe it, this "finer/lacier mouth-feel" is what I must be missing in forced carb beer. I've been reading more about Cask Conditioned Ales and may try this. I'm just not satisfied with the results of my force carbonating.

[denny]

Personally i mostly set to 38F and set to 11 or 12psi and leave it alone however, depending on the style i use a homemade spunding valve.  I will rack the beer to keg when it is around 6 to 8 gravity points away from finial attenuation and set pressure to desired setting for temp and let sit for 2 weeks then hook up to co2 to maintain that level. I enjoy this method and it has its challenges but produces a finer/lacier mouth-feel.

Though I did not know how to describe it, this "finer/lacier mouth-feel" is what I must be missing in forced carb beer. I've been reading more about Cask Conditioned Ales and may try this. I'm just not satisfied with the results of my force carbonating.

CO2 is CO2 no matter what the source.  Properly applied CO2 from a tank, allowed to fully dissolve into the beer, will be indistinguishable from any other source.

[tommymorris]

Personally i mostly set to 38F and set to 11 or 12psi and leave it alone however, depending on the style i use a homemade spunding valve.  I will rack the beer to keg when it is around 6 to 8 gravity points away from finial attenuation and set pressure to desired setting for temp and let sit for 2 weeks then hook up to co2 to maintain that level. I enjoy this method and it has its challenges but produces a finer/lacier mouth-feel.

Though I did not know how to describe it, this "finer/lacier mouth-feel" is what I must be missing in forced carb beer. I've been reading more about Cask Conditioned Ales and may try this. I'm just not satisfied with the results of my force carbonating.

CO2 is CO2 no matter what the source.  Properly applied CO2 from a tank, allowed to fully dissolve into the beer, will be indistinguishable from any other source.

Thanks for clarifying. I was wondering about that.

[Stevie]

CO2 is CO2 no matter what the source.  Properly applied CO2 from a tank, allowed to fully dissolve into the beer, will be indistinguishable from any other source.

Placebo effect?

[denny]

CO2 is CO2 no matter what the source.  Properly applied CO2 from a tank, allowed to fully dissolve into the beer, will be indistinguishable from any other source.

Placebo effect?

I think so.  When I did a test maybe 14 years ago with different carbing methods and sugars, after 2 months no one could tell one from another or had a preference for any of them.

[HoosierBrew]

CO2 is CO2 no matter what the source.  Properly applied CO2 from a tank, allowed to fully dissolve into the beer, will be indistinguishable from any other source.

+2

[quattlebaum]

CO2 is CO2 no matter what the source.  Properly applied CO2 from a tank, allowed to fully dissolve into the beer, will be indistinguishable from any other source.
[/quote]

Yes i agree Co2 is Co2 no matter what source however for some reason there is a distinct difference to me in natural verse forced carb. The mouthfeel seems to be smoother along with head retention is "always" better on my natural carb beers.  There is just something different to me. Perhaps it could be proteins, yeast and what not suspended in solution that gives me this sensation but it is definitely there.  I will say that once naturally carbed i hook it up to co2 to maintain the level and can not tell the difference as time goes on so i suppose it could be all in my head:)   

I guess the difference could be more related to the process and not the co2 itself.

[hopfenundmalz]

I'm now firmly in the camp that sees no difference in quality of carbonation via force carbonation.

[denny]

Yes i agree Co2 is Co2 no matter what source however for some reason there is a distinct difference to me in natural verse forced carb. The mouthfeel seems to be smoother along with head retention is "always" better on my natural carb beers.  There is just something different to me. Perhaps it could be proteins, yeast and what not suspended in solution that gives me this sensation but it is definitely there.  I will say that once naturally carbed i hook it up to co2 to maintain the level and can not tell the difference as time goes on so i suppose it could be all in my head:)   

I guess the difference could be more related to the process and not the co2 itself.

Have you tried a blind triangle on beers carbed each way, say 2 months after carbonation?