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Author Topic: counter pressure bottling  (Read 1295 times)

Offline colinsmith

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counter pressure bottling
« on: March 06, 2011, 06:44:20 pm »
How much do you need to adjust the force carbonation level for a keg if you are going to counter pressure bottle that beer.  I understand it should be higher (ie 2.5 normal, more than that for counter pressuring) but not how much more.  Is there a chart or formula somewhere

Offline gordonstrong

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Re: counter pressure bottling
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2011, 07:22:00 am »
If you have the carbonation correct at serving temperature, try chilling the kegs, counterflow equipment and bottles to near 32F then bottling.  The CO2 in the beer is less likely to come out of solution, so you'll lose less in the process.

Or you can hit it with some more gas ahead of time to raise the level.

The problem with giving specific answers is that most people don't have the way to directly measure the result.  So if I said "make it 0.5 volumes higher", would you have a way to measure that?

Do a test bottle and come back the next day and see if you like the results.

I might hit my keg with 30psi for 10 seconds, shaking, if I wanted to raise the carbonation a bit.  Then let it sit cold overnight.  Repeat until happy.

To lower carbonation, leave keg warm, then vent it.  Shake keg a bit, let sit for awhile, then vent again (slowly).  Repeat until happy.

This is something I do totally by taste.

Gordon Strong • Beavercreek, Ohio • AHA Member since 1997 • Twitter: GordonStrong

Offline bluesman

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Re: counter pressure bottling
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2011, 07:33:33 am »
Do a test bottle and come back the next day and see if you like the results.
I might hit my keg with 30psi for 10 seconds, shaking, if I wanted to raise the carbonation a bit.  Then let it sit cold overnight.  Repeat until happy.
To lower carbonation, leave keg warm, then vent it.  Shake keg a bit, let sit for awhile, then vent again (slowly).  Repeat until happy.
This is something I do totally by taste.

+1

I get the carbonation to the level I like, then fill one bottle to test the carb level, then adjust accordingly.
Ron Price