What is force carbonation when kegging beer?

If you've just got into kegging your beer, you may have read about force carbonation. 

No, it's not what happened to Han Solo in Empire Strikes Back...

Force carbonation is a method of carbonating beer in which CO2 is injected into the beer under pressure to dissolve into the liquid, rather than allowing the beer to naturally carbonate through fermentation. This method is commonly used in commercial brewing and also in home brewing, it allows for precise and consistent carbonation levels in a shorter amount of time.

When force carbonating, the beer is transferred to a keg and the keg is connected to a CO2 tank. The beer is then pressurized with CO2, usually at a rate of around 12-14 psi. The keg is sealed and agitated to ensure that the CO2 is evenly distributed throughout the beer. 

The beer is then stored at the desired temperature and pressure for a period of time, typically a couple of days, allowing the CO2 to dissolve into the liquid.

Once the beer is fully carbonated, the pressure is reduced, and the beer is ready to be served. 

One of the advantages of force carbonation is that it allows for precise control over the carbonation level of the beer, which is particularly important for certain styles of beer such as lagers, pilsners and stouts. 

Additionally, it allows for a much faster carbonation process than bottle conditioning, which can take weeks.

It's important to note that force carbonation is not a substitute for aging or conditioning the beer, it's a way to carbonate it, the beer should still be left for the appropriate amount of time to mature and develop the desired flavors and aromas - as always beer brewers need to be patient brewers - but force carbonation sure does speed things up!

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