Brewery Setup Blog

How can microbreweries prevent carbonation in beer?

Because of its unique taste, craft beer has a distinct and loving following. It shares one characteristic with industrial beer: carbonation. Microbreweries are a popular choice for those in the beer world, and we'll discuss how to prevent carbonation problems in beer brewed in breweries.

The most obvious phenomenon of "bubbling", the carbonation of the beverage, is also one of beer's most iconic features. A lot of people haven't encountered or can't imagine non-carbonated beer. Especially in the case of small breweries, it brings us to the real carbonation problem, to prevent the carbonation of beer in different ways: natural carbonation and artificial carbonation.

Natural carbonation is one of the common practices for carbonated beer. It occurs during fermentation, where ingredients such as barley ferment, thereby producing carbon dioxide as a waste product. A part is lost in the production process and a part is retained. The way to achieve this is to allow the beer to continue fermenting after bottling. Considering the environment in which the bottling seals the beer fermentation, better carbonation can be achieved.

Artificial carbonation is a process of carbonation that is carried out artificially with the help of various equipment. The process is done by placing the beer in an airtight container after it has cooled. Once this is done, force the carbon dioxide into the container and let it sit for a few days. Changes in pressure and temperature allow carbon dioxide gas to be steadily absorbed into the beer and achieve the desired carbonation. Eventually, usually within a few days or at most a week or so, the carbon dioxide will be fully absorbed, giving the beer its signature carbonated taste.

Carbonation decreases over time as the gas eventually escapes into the surrounding environment unless stored under pressure. It is very similar to carbonated beverages such as Coke, any Coke that is not stored under pressure will eventually lose its "foam" due to the escape of carbon dioxide to the surrounding environment.