They say that expensive paints don’t make an artist, but when it comes to making beer the quality of your ingredients and equipment has a profound effect on the final product. If you have ever wondered about how the quality of your beer gas can affect your brew, you have come to the right place.
WHAT IS BEER GAS?
Beer gas is a crucial element of the beer making process and is often formed from carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or a mix of the two. While most breweries opt for the tried and tested carbon dioxide formulas, there are a select few craft companies who prefer to opt for nitrogen, claiming that it results in a creamier beer.
CARBON DIOXIDE FOR BEER
When carbon dioxide is introduced to a beer brew, it improves the aroma and adds a slight bitterness to the flavour.
NITROGEN FOR BEER
By using a nitrogen mix, you can create a creamy beer for high pressure dispensing. This typically results in a frothy beer, like a Guinness.
HOW TO FORCE CARBONATE YOUR BEER
It is possible to let your beer ferment naturally when you’re making a homebrew, but this takes a lot of time, patience, and can go very wrong – leaving you disheartened after months of anticipation.
The equipment required to force carbonate your beer requires an initial cost but is a far quicker method for beginners who want to focus on exploring flavours and techniques, rather than halt their learning process with months of waiting between tastes.
You can discover the initial steps to making your beer in our blog, How to Start Your Own Microbrewery at Home, but once you have your chilled wort solution, here is what you need to do to force carbonate it:
Siphon your beer into a specialised Corny keg.
Connect the gas and set the pressure. This should usually be set to around 40psi, but you should always check the limits of your keg and the recipe’s instructions.
Check your keg and gas line for leaks. A leak could lead to a loss of gas as well as a ruined keg of beer! You can check for leaks by spraying soapy water around the connections – if it bubbles a lot then this means that there is escaping gas.
Leave the keg in a cool place, preferably a fridge, and leave for the recommended time. This is usually around twenty-four hours.
Adjust the pressure for the next twenty-four hours, usually by halving the original pressure.
Test the carbonation level by turning the regulator down to ten psi and releasing the excess through the pressure relief valve.
Sample the beer! If more carbonation is needed (if your beer tastes flat and sour), continue to carbonate the beer for another day.
Sample the beer again! Hopefully, it should be ready now.
There are two ways to ruin your beer through force carbonation. The first is to fail to carbonate your beer enough – leaving your beer tasting flat. The second is to over carbonate the beer, which could be caused by a few things and results in a bubbly beer.
Over carbonation could be caused by any of the following:
Sugar can cause over carbonation if you used too much or failed to disperse it properly.
Infections can occur in your beer if you fail to properly clean your equipment between uses. Failure to thoroughly clean your equipment can cause bacteria to gather on the remaining alcohol and will be present when you’re making your next batch. This bacteria creates more CO2 than you’re planning for, and could ruin your beer. At worst, it could lead to the creation of a bottle bomb which is quite dangerous.
Temperature is the final factor that could lead to poor carbonation. If you fail to cool your beer properly while it is carbonating, it won’t take as much CO2. This leads to beers that foam a lot, but this quickly fades and the drinker finds the solution hasn’t actually retained much CO2.
When it comes to creating your own beer, you can’t compromise when it comes to beer gas. Settling for subpar gas can have a huge effect on the final brew, so be sure to use a trusted and reliable gas supplier for your next brew. A great beer should use expertly mixed beer gas, sold in a safe canister from an experienced supplier, and Adams Gas can provide you with what you need.
We are pleased to offer both home bar gas for domestic users, as well as beer and cellar gas for trade customers, so you can rest assured we have the right solution for you.
If you require any guidance on the right gas or cylinder size for your requirements, please do feel free to get in touch with us by calling 01843 220 596 or using our online enquiry form.
