Ask The Brewmasters

  • 1.  Maintaining Carbonation in n/a Seltzer

    Posted 08-29-2022 19:44
    Edited by Lars Larson 08-30-2022 14:14
    We recently released an n/a THC seltzer, and seem to be having some trouble maintaining carbonation overnight and weekend. We've been cooling and carbonating via recirculation through glycol chilled forced carb skid to 3.00vols, setting the tanks for 35DegF to avoid freezing, and maintaining the appropriate head pressure to maintain carb at the tank temp (15psi). We will often get a reading of 2.65-2.75vols the next day, and noticing head pressure drop to around 10psi. We have verified there are no leaks in the tanks, multiple times - and they have been holding pressure perfectly when empty or beer is in them. 

    35DegF with a head pressure of 15PSI should be able to maintain 3.02vol. I'm totally scratching my head over here. Where the hell is the pressure going if it's not being absorbed into the seltzer?






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    Jon Eager
    R&D Brewer / QC Technician
    Indeed Brewing Co
    Minneapolis MN
    jon.eager@indeedbrewing.com
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  • 2.  RE: Maintaining Carbonation in n/a Seltzer

    Posted 08-30-2022 15:58
    Jon,

    How are you measuring you volumes of co2 in solution? Zam? C-box?

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    Alex Campbell
    Denali Brewing Company/ Alaska Ciderworks/ Denali Spirits
    Talkeetna AK
    (907) 733-2540
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  • 3.  RE: Maintaining Carbonation in n/a Seltzer

    Posted 08-30-2022 23:55
    Alex - we have a Pentair Haffmans c-DGM that is calibrated regularly.

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    Jon Eager
    R&D Brewer
    Indeed Brewing Co
    Minneapolis MN
    jon.eager@indeedbrewing.com
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Maintaining Carbonation in n/a Seltzer

    Posted 09-02-2022 00:02
    Hi Jon,
     From experience with a variety of beverage types and that same CO2 meter, you can achieve precision but not accuracy in non-beer beverages. There are some interesting quirks to the instrument in how it behaves with different product types, seltzers in particular, but also wine spritzers, kombucha, and other non-beer beverages. After a lot of frustration and many ongoing discussions and troubleshooting with Pentair, we sort of agreed to find a spec by sensory (figure out the carbonation level you desire), get a reading using the beer program, and stick to that. It's not ideal, but it will work well for you in the long run.
     Feel free to reach out here or off line if you have any other questions.

    Cheers,
    Kevin

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    Kevin McCabe, PhD
    Founder
    Double Strand Consulting
    kevin@doublestrandconsulting.com
    https://www.doublestrandconsulting.com/
    ASBC Alternative Beverage Subcommittee Chair
    ASBC Technical Committee
    MBAA Webinar Committee Vice-Chair
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Maintaining Carbonation in n/a Seltzer

    Posted 09-02-2022 15:55
    Thanks Kevin. Yeah I've seen some skewed results in non-beer with the DGM, but we have managed to develop an effective technique to get accurate seltzer and non beer readings. We also do sensory every time a reading comes up short and the carb levels do feel accurate to the read out.  

    This loss of carb and pressure has been happening in 60bbl BBTs and 210bbl BBTs.

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    Jon Eager
    R&D Brewer
    Indeed Brewing Co
    Minneapolis MN
    jon.eager@indeedbrewing.com
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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