Natural Keg Carbonation?

There are only two ways to carbonate... force carbing and fermentation of sugars. So assuming they are carbonating via fermentation, they are either adding fermentable (priming) sugar, or they are retaining CO2 from primary fermentation, with something like a spunding valve to release pressure above the desired level.

FWIW, I have never noticed any difference in mouthfeel between force carbonated and naturally carbonated beers. They key is to give the CO2 enough time in solution.

 

Agreed with everything you said and would like to add that they could be krausening, which falls under the category 'carbonating via fermentation.'

 

My favorite keg carbonation method is natural carbonation. Blast with 20 psi to seal the keg then let set for two weeks on priming sugar. The outcome is better to me, though I doubt inherently better than force carbing. The difference is likely the additional time.

 

I actually meant enough time for the CO2 to hydrate. At least that's the theory that seems best suited to explain why foam is finer in a beer that's been fully carbonated a little longer than a beer that has just reached full (force) carbonation.

 

I posted the below in a previous thread:

Below is something that Martin Brungard posted on another beer forum:

“We know we can infuse CO2 into solution fairly quickly. The soda manufacturers do that every day. Nice coarse and effervescent bubbles are formed. But with time, CO2 is hydrated and I feel that this mechanism is key to the change in carbonation quality that we brewers desire. The hydration of CO2 is a very time-dependent process and it cannot be accelerated. That is why you can force carbonate a keg in minutes, yet not have acceptable foam for a few weeks.”

Cheers!

 

FWIW, I am starting to brew wild ales again and will be doing natural keg carb. My plan is to do primary -> oak barrel with brettanomyces x1 month (inoculation) -> to keg with priming sugar for 2.5 volumes of CO2. Will account for about 0.75 volumes CO2 from both a) inherent carbonation in "flat beer" and b) the additional attenuation from brettanomyces in the keg.

I plan to lay the kegs horizontally at room temp and allow to naturally carb over two months.

 

What is your thought process with laying the kegs horizontally during carbonation?

 

More surface area of liquid for CO2 to absorb in.

 

I don't think that will have any effect. All of the CO2 produced is going to equilibrate between the beer and the headspace volumes according to gas laws. Increasing the surface area won't change the volumes.

Now, if you were force carbing, you could possibly speed up the process that way (but ultimately end up in the same place given a constant pressure).

 

That only applies when force carbing, since the surface is where the CO2 is trying to get in. With natural carbonation, the gas originates from components already in the beer, so the surface area is irrelevant. And frankly, if you're doing it for two months, it won't make a difference if you're force carbing, either.

 

I'm going to send my beers into orbit on surplus Juno-1 rockets so I can carbonate in zero-g. I think that's the key.

*cough*spunding*ahem*

 

So I am wrong and everything I said previously has made everyone in the room more dumb for having read that. I am awarded zero points and may God have mercy on my soul.

 

I think this could be a fair point if you're considering the time it takes for carbonation. It could be reasonable to think a larger surface area of beer in contact with the CO2 at pressure would allow the carbonation to occur at a faster rate.

Whether storing the keg horizontally vs vertically affects the surface area of beer exposed to gas is another thing.. and I don't know how to work that out.

What does everyone else think?