Small Batch carbing

[chubbytaxman]

Evening Brewers,
I am looking at doing some small batches - about 10 litres thereabouts and have a question on carbonation.
With this small of a batch, I want to start with a Dry Stout and bottle (cos it wont fit in a keg ) so I am confused how I would get the beer in the bottle to act like a beer on nitro (i could lower the carbonation (but to what) and use the syringe trick when pouring.

As always any input is valued.

Cheers

chubby

 

[Lionman]

Guinness is served with a 70/30 mix of N2 and CO2. Not sure exactly what's its pre carbed at but I think it's 1.2 volumes. Could be wrong.

 

[chubbytaxman]

Guinness is served with a 70/30 mix of N2 and CO2. Not sure exactly what's its pre carbed at but I think it's 1.2 volumes. Could be wrong.

Thanks Lionman

So if I add sugar solution to bottles to get it to the 1.2 volumes mark ... can I use the syringe to "shoot" the beer into the glass to foam up the head? Hope that makes sense

 

[Grott]

Guinness in 1978 would supply a syringe with cans before the widget so yes it can be done.

http://publin.ie/2015/giving-guinness-a-head-with-a-syringe-how-it-used-to-be-done/

 

[koshari]

Thanks Lionman

So if I add sugar solution to bottles to get it to the 1.2 volumes mark ... can I use the syringe to "shoot" the beer into the glass to foam up the head? Hope that makes sense

sounds about right to me, i use a beer engine however its just an elaborate syringe anyway, you might need to model some king of sparkler on the tip of the syringe however,

 

[Lionman]

Need a sparkler bottle attachment. push it onto the neck of the bottle and pour it through it to help aerate it.

Yeah never tried this method. I would be included to maybe up the carb level a bit, but I'm not a big stout drinker so my opinion is probably worthless.

 

[S.E]

For dry stout keep the carbonation as low as you can in the bottle, pretty much the same as a fermenter with an airlock and no kitten.

For a 10L batch you would be better off carbing it and serving from a cube if you have one. The syringe will work best with a lot less co2 than is usual with normal bottle conditioning.

As far as I know or saw Guinness only ever supplied syringes with bottles not cans. Once the can widget was invented the bottled draught version disappeared. I may be wrong on that though and just missed the syringe widget changeover in cans.

 

[good4whatAlesU]

Why won't it fit in a keg?

 

[S.E]

I guess just doesn’t want to tie up a keg half full, or maybe worried about oxygenation?

 

[chubbytaxman]

For dry stout keep the carbonation as low as you can in the bottle, pretty much the same as a fermenter with an airlock and no kitten.

For a 10L batch you would be better off carbing it and serving from a cube if you have one. The syringe will work best with a lot less co2 than is usual with normal bottle conditioning.

As far as I know or saw Guinness only ever supplied syringes with bottles not cans. Once the can widget was invented the bottled draught version disappeared. I may be wrong on that though and just missed the syringe widget changeover in cans.

Thanks S.E for the input ... I do have a cube but it is a 20L size so oxygenation is a worry .. I assume though just a standard plastic tap on the cube and then the syringe to squirt for the thick head ..

 

[chubbytaxman]

Why won't it fit in a keg?

Hi good4whatAlesU .. I want to do small batches to try and get firstly, a variety of beers - only one of me drinking them and secondly to try to get better at the head atop a pint of Guinness - want to transfer that knowledge to an Irish Red etc then build it up to kegging ..Hope that makes sense

 

[GibboQLD]

G'day chubby -- your thread reminded me of this one from a few years ago: https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/ghetto-beer-engine-for-under-10-bucks.81619/

 

[good4whatAlesU]

Hi good4whatAlesU .. I want to do small batches to try and get firstly, a variety of beers - only one of me drinking them and secondly to try to get better at the head atop a pint of Guinness - want to transfer that knowledge to an Irish Red etc then build it up to kegging ..Hope that makes sense

The little 9.5L kegs are perfect for this type of application.

I've always had good foam on my stouts, never had to use artificial methods..

 

[good4whatAlesU]

https://m.ebay.com.au/itm/Keg-King-...L-LOCK-KEG-Home-Brew-/292141858559?nav=SEARCH

 

[S.E]

Thanks S.E for the input ... I do have a cube but it is a 20L size so oxygenation is a worry .. I assume though just a standard plastic tap on the cube and then the syringe to squirt for the thick head ..

You can get 10L cubes from Bunnings: https://www.bunnings.com.au/search/products?q=water carrier&redirectFrom=Any

Yes the standard plastic tap is fine. You will need to pop it apart in hot water and smear a little keg lube inside to stop it dripping under pressure.

Pour from the cube then use the syringe for a creamy head.

 

[S.E]

Dry Irish through a sparkler. No nitro required.

 

[Digga]

What pressure do you use for just co2?

 

[S.E]

What pressure do you use for just co2?

No pressure, it was pulled from the cube pictured below with a beer engine and sparkler. As this is a 20L cube it has a collapsible bag of co2 attached so co2 is drawn in to replace the beer as it’s dispensed.

You won’t get a head as thick and creamy as the one above with a syringe but it will be near enough.

 

[koshari]

splendid cascading head forming there SE.

 

[S.E]

splendid cascading head forming there SE.

It’s not actually the best example. A bit too much head.

I brewed a batch in September with a perfect tight Guinness like head but don’t seem to have taken any photos.