Suggestions for Quick-Carbing Hop Water?

[Mont Y. Märzen]

I'm fixin' to make 2 5-gal batches for a fest this weekend and am curious about carb level for this beverage. I like the level Lagunitas uses in Hoppy Refresher. I just have no idea to gauge how much pressure to use to achieve that 'soda water' level of carb without the body of a beer in play.

Any ideas? Personal experience? Known references from soda companies?

 

[Bigbre04]

I carbonate by mouthfeel(I dont have a Zahm and Nagel yet).

I generally carbonate it until the first taste makes the bubbles "burn" on my tongue (it feels pretty accurate to an approximate 2.4vol in the glass). That level is good for beers that are pushed through a draft system.

If you are going for a soda level carb(3.0-4.0) I would carb it until you get "burn" and then crack open a fresh soda or seltzer water to gauge the difference.

Just remember that you will lose some carb to kegging it as well as to the draft system. So going a little past the feel of the soda is a good idea. You can always bleed pressure off the kegs.

The real answer is to use a carbonation chart and time. I assume you know your temp and can pressurize the vessel up to atleast 15 psi?

 

[Yooper]

I force carbonate to 4 volumes- That's 30 psi at 40 degrees. But I like it really spritzy. It takes 25' of 3/16" line to dispense that though so I have it coiled and ziptied at the top of the keg.

 

[Bigbre04]

I force carbonate to 4 volumes- That's 30 psi at 40 degrees. But I like it really spritzy. It takes 25' of 3/16" line to dispense that though so I have it coiled and ziptied at the top of the keg.

Damn I am shocked that you can even get that to pour lol! At my previous spot we shot for 2.4 for most beers 2.5-.6 for things like wit which do better with a higher carb level.

 

[Bigbre04]

IF you dont have a carb stone setup and are short on time, you can also shake carb the cold keg while under high pressure. It is not fun but atleast 5 gal batches are easier then 15.5 kegs.

 

[Minbari]

I force carbonate to 4 volumes- That's 30 psi at 40 degrees. But I like it really spritzy. It takes 25' of 3/16" line to dispense that though so I have it coiled and ziptied at the top of the keg.

Was gonna say the same thing. 2.5vol or so, I keep my reg at 15psi

 

[Donoroto]

Force carb for me is 40 psi. I store at around 20 psi (37 F) but bleed off the pressure to maybe 2 psi before dispensing. Man, I need me one of them pressure regulator taps...

 

[Yooper]

Damn I am shocked that you can even get that to pour lol! At my previous spot we shot for 2.4 for most beers 2.5-.6 for things like wit which do better with a higher carb level.

I make soda too, well I used to before I became an anti-sugar Nazi. I usually did soda at nearly 4 volumes too. No issues at all, and no problems IF the dispensing line is long enough to serve. I used to make root beer and ginger ale for the kids. With kombucha, that’s higher than most beer (3.4-3.5 ish) and that’s no issue at all.

 

[Yooper]

Force carb for me is 40 psi. I store at around 20 psi (37 F) but bleed off the pressure to maybe 2 psi before dispensing. Man, I need me one of them pressure regulator taps...

Or more line. I just have 25’ of beverage tubing (3/16 “) and it serves great and I never change the pressure.

 

[Donoroto]

Or more line. I just have 25’ of beverage tubing (3/16 “) and it serves great and I never change the pressure.

Hm. Gotta try that. Easy enough to implement.

Local hbs, here I come!

 

[Zambi]

I've only made 1 batch of soda water and carbed it at 30 psi

 

[Mont Y. Märzen]

I ended up QuickCarbing at 20psi for 45min @ 65℉. (I didn't have time to chill it in advance) That wasn't too bad, but I goosed it just prior to the festival and it was on point. There's a fair chance a cooler carb step would have been fine, but I'll definitely consider making up a 25′ line and carbing to 4vols on the next one.

This was a simple enough process, I might also start making some fruit infused soda waters to keep on hand. (no added sugar here for me either. I get enough of that with beer.)

 

[GFHomebrew]

Th

I ended up QuickCarbing at 20psi for 45min @ 65℉. (I didn't have time to chill it in advance) That wasn't too bad, but I goosed it just prior to the festival and it was on point. There's a fair chance a cooler carb step would have been fine, but I'll definitely consider making up a 25′ line and carbing to 4vols on the next one.

This was a simple enough process, I might also start making some fruit infused soda waters to keep on hand. (no added sugar here for me either. I get enough of that with beer.)

Their tasty.

Years ago I was doing dry January and made a heap of fruit based sodas in PET bottles with a carb cap not whole 19lt kegs.

Just juiced the fruit and I remember beetroot adding a great colour to them and just shaking the crap outta the pet bottle with 30psi on the head made for some nice 0 ABV refreshing drinking.