Carbonation and taste

[retourrbx]

Does anyone find that force carbonating alters the taste of a brew - I assume that the increased acidity does something... do you get the same taste difference (if there is one) when priming with glucose?

[Garth]

I find my bottle conditioned stuff a bit smoother than force carbonated beer from the cornie, I too prime the bottles with glucose, but I thought that glucose was 100% fermentable so shouldn't really alter the taste? I think that would come form the yeast or lack of it in the cornie maybe?

[retourrbx]

I know what you mean about the smoothness... the thing is I would rather prime with glucose and then carbonate in 2L PET bottles than forcing carbonation. For one it seems more natural and for aother I'm not keen on forking out for gas.

The issue I have is that after the secondary, the ale looks so clear I am unsure whether there is enough yeast in suspension to do its business on the glucose.

Also I don't particularly want to agitate the yeast that I have spent time on getting settled in the secondary to convert the glucose.

[johnmac]

I was wondering the same thing. I'm going to go back to priming my cornies with 40g of glucose. I never has a problem with yeast deposits or lack of yeast in the clear beer.

Sometimes, I pour beer from one vessel to another a few times to knock out the co2 and add o2.

[retourrbx]

http://jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... 5646#95646

[mysterio]

Exactly the same in my experience, however if I try to force carbonate by shaking the keg, the beer takes on a harsh, carbonic taste, which disappears over a few days. Much better to do it gradually IMO. Any kind of carbonation is going to alter the flavour of the beer though, and it's also very easy to overcarbonate if you're not careful.

[Dan]

force carbnate very slowly under as lower presure as is needed for 2 weeks and you will get a very fine bead without that hard fizz or prime the keg. Its definately worth it the results are much better.