priming

[Andy]

Hi Guys 

A question on priming.  i have fermented at 18 c for 7 days, raised to 22c for two days then cooled to 4 c for 5 days.  For priming do i use the 4C, or the 22C which was the last fermentation temp?

I am not sure how much more co2 would have been produced after the ferment has finished.

[Paul Fraser]

I would go with 18C. Possibly could be 22C but it was only for 2 days. Def won't be 4C. Someone should be able to explain in more detail. Cheers

[Sam DT]

I'd go for 22 as you're not likely to have had much if any activity at 4 degrees (and should hopefully have reached full attenuation already at the higher temps anyway).

You should usually go for the highest temperature (unless it was only for a short time earlier in fermentation). Either way with a 19L batch the difference between 18 and 22 deg is only around 10g of dextrose or .1 of a volume of CO2.

The beer holds more CO2 the lower the temperature is - as soon as you raise it begins to release it so even though you would have had more CO2 in solution at 18 deg the rise to 22 deg would have released it. Without being under pressure and any further fermentation you're not likely draw in or produce any more once you've cold crashed to 4 deg.

[Kevin Sharp]

It's always a bit of guess, but I would generally go with 22C. The basis is that at 18C the beer was saturated with CO2. When you raise the temperature to 22C it will reach equilibrium for CO2 solubility at 22C quite quickly. How long do you need to leave a beer out for it go flat? Turbid beer will go flat even quicker because there are plenty of nucleotides.

When you drop the temperature to 4C some of the CO2 in the blanket covering the beer will be redissolved but this is a relatively minor effect. Also it's not uncommon for brewers to let the beer come up to room temperature before priming and bottling.

Whilst wildly over-carbonating a beer will ruin it, it's much easier to remove CO2 from a bottled beer when you serve it than to add it. If you find that you've overdone the primimg just make a note and adjust the amount next time.

[Andy]

Hi Guys 

Just to let you know, i primed at 22C, the beer is drinking beautifully, perfectly carbonated.

thanks for the advice.  

Cheers

[Steve Hinton]

how many days did you leave it carbonating at 22C?

[Andy]

Two weeks.  It is now in the garage, cold conditioning.

[Andy Woolhouse]

I don't prime, I bottle from secondary, store at 22C for 14 days then cold condition for a further 6 weeks. Carbonation is then fine for me. Previously I have found that primed beers after 6 weeks have become frothy sediments monsters. I do however drink my beer at British temps.