Natural Carbonation V's Fprced

[gone_fishing_]

Hi All,

Just wondering your thoughts on natural carbonation of kegs versus force carbonation with CO₂?

I have kegged hundreds of kegs of beer but have NEVER primed the keg)s) with a small amount of dextrose (or similar).

Some of my beers "hang around" for quite a while.

Should I be filling my kegs almost to the brim, adding priming sugar, then sealing for storage or continue to force carbonate with gas?

GF

(I do understand that you will eventually need added gas to at some time in the future to push the beer out of the lines)

 

[barls]

i naturally carb most of my beers, i find it works better for me as i only need half the sugar and a gas bottle lasts me even longer. as people will tell you the sediment is a problem and for me its only the first and last glass that cloudy unless the keg gets disturbed.
also you only need half the sugar that you would normally use if bulk priming

 

[gone_fishing_]

Do you know if it still works following secondary storage or filtration?
thanks
GF

 

[barls]

filtration depends on how fine the filter your using.
secondary conditioning is fine though, i do it all the time.

 

[gone_fishing_]

Great, Thanks.

 

[barls]

not a problem mate, give it a go and report back if you have any problems

 

[Housecat]

i naturally carb most of my beers, i find it works better for me as i only need half the sugar and a gas bottle lasts me even longer. as people will tell you the sediment is a problem and for me its only the first and last glass that cloudy unless the keg gets disturbed.
also you only need half the sugar that you would normally use if bulk priming

+1 to this, the first time I tried this, I used the normal amount of dex to prime the keg and got way too much carbonation (so much so, the beer pushed out though the disconnect!). I have been using less and less each time and getting better results. In a keg less is definitely more!!

I also force carb but that is only if I have run out of beer!

HC

 

[Innes]

filtration depends on how fine the filter your using.
secondary conditioning is fine though, i do it all the time.

What size (micron) filter cartridge should I be using if I want to filter the beer, but still have enough yeast left to naturally carbonate the keg?

 

[barls]

no idea i dont filter

 

[mwd]

What size (micron) filter cartridge should I be using if I want to filter the beer, but still have enough yeast left to naturally carbonate the keg?

Dosen't it kind of defeat the object of filtering if you then go and naturally carbonate as you will produce more yeast sediment as by product of the carbonation. I presume there is a hell of a lot less with filtered than without though.

 

[barls]

have you tried it tropical brews?
there isnt that much in there just a thin film in most of mine. just like a good bottle conditioned beer in a bottle.
you dont create any more yeast, just use whats already in suspension.

 

[BoilerBoy]

What size (micron) filter cartridge should I be using if I want to filter the beer, but still have enough yeast left to naturally carbonate the keg?

A 1 micron filter, will give you a clear beer and still allow enough yeast for carbonation.

Cheers,
BB

 

[mwd]

have you tried it tropical brews?
there isnt that much in there just a thin film in most of mine. just like a good bottle conditioned beer in a bottle.
you dont create any more yeast, just use whats already in suspension.

No can't say I have just curious that's all good point so if the beer is filtered there should be next to nowt left in the keg.

 

[Innes]

A 1 micron filter, will give you a clear beer and still allow enough yeast for carbonation.

Cheers,
BB

Is that 1 micron absolute or nominal?

 

[BoilerBoy]

Is that 1 micron absolute or nominal?

Absolute.

I only bottle and have been using a 1 micron filter for several years now, it just takes a little longer to carb up and I imagine for your purposes it would be similar.

Cheers,
BB