How to Carbonate Your Beer the Right Way: A Guide to Force Carbonation with CO₂ Charts

When fermentation is done and your beer is cold, it's time for the finishing touch — carbonation. Whether you’re kegging in a Corny Keg or using a pressure fermenter, force carbonation is a clean, fast, and reliable method.

But here’s the key: carbonation isn’t about pressure alone. It’s about the right balance between temperature, pressure, and time. In this article, we’ll show you how to carbonate like a pro — using carbonation charts and the slow force-carb method.

🧪 What Is Force Carbonation?

Force carbonation means introducing CO₂ directly into your beer under pressure, instead of letting it carbonate naturally with residual sugars (like in bottle conditioning). You get:

• Faster results
• Better control
• No sediment or bottle bombs

You can carbonate in a Corny Keg or directly in a pressure-rated fermenter.

📊 How It Works: The Carbonation Table

The amount of CO₂ your beer can absorb depends on temperature and pressure. The colder your beer, the easier it is to dissolve CO₂. That’s why carbonation charts are so useful.

Here’s a simplified version based on brewingcalculators.com:

Temp (°C)	CO₂ Volume (2.5 vol)	Pressure (bar)
1°C	2.5	0.75
3°C	2.5	0.95
5°C	2.5	1.10
7°C	2.5	1.30
10°C	2.5	1.60

Want higher carbonation for wheat beers or sours? Just increase the target CO₂ volume — but always adjust the pressure accordingly.

🕒 The “Slow and Steady” Method

Instead of shaking your keg or blasting it with gas, we recommend slow force carbonation — it's safer and preserves the quality of your beer.

Here's how:

1. Chill the beer to 1–4 °C
2. Use a precise regulator like our Y-Type CO₂ Pressure Regulator
3. Set the correct pressure from the chart (e.g. 1.0 bar at 3 °C for 2.5 volumes)
4. Leave it connected for 5 to 7 days

That’s it. The beer will naturally reach CO₂ equilibrium. There’s no need to purge, shake, or worry about overcarbonation — as long as your regulator is set correctly.

💨 Two Ways to Introduce CO₂

When using a pressure fermenter, there are two main ways to introduce CO₂ into the beer:

1. From the top (headspace pressure)

This is the most common and gentle approach. CO₂ enters through the gas post and gradually dissolves into the beer over time — ideal for slow, steady carbonation.

To do this safely and precisely, we recommend using our 1.5" Pressure Relief Bunging Valve with Pressure Gauge.

• Built-in pressure gauge for accurate control
• Gas post for easy CO₂ tank connection
• Shut-off valve for switching between spunding and force carbonation

You can simply set your desired pressure and connect your CO₂ bottle — the system will gently carbonate your beer with minimal effort and maximum control.

2. Through a carbonation stone

For faster and more efficient absorption, you can push CO₂ directly into the beer via a carbonation stone. The fine pores create microbubbles, increasing contact area between gas and liquid.

Check out our stainless steel kit here: 1.5" Carbonation Stone Set

This method is ideal when you want quicker results or higher carbonation levels with less waiting time.

❓ Can You Overcarbonate?

This is one of the most common concerns.

The answer is simple: Not if you follow the chart and set your pressure correctly. The beer will only absorb CO₂ until it reaches equilibrium. Even if you leave the CO₂ connected for weeks, the pressure regulator will hold the system steady — and no more gas will be absorbed.

🍺 From Dan at BrewTaurus

Personally, I carbonate most of my batches using the slow method with top pressure — it’s clean, predictable, and doesn’t stress the beer. When I’m in a hurry or want to serve highly carbonated styles like wheat beers or sours, I use a carbonation stone and lower the wait time significantly.

Both methods work. The key is cold beer, stable pressure, and patience.

📁 Tools & Charts

You can find the full carbonation tables here: https://brewingcalculators.com/forced-carbonation-charts

🧰 Gear Used in This Guide

Looking to build a clean, flexible force carbonation setup? Here’s a list of recommended BrewTaurus gear that helps you carbonate with precision and confidence:

• Y-Type CO₂ Pressure Regulator
  For precise and stable pressure control from your CO₂ cylinder
• 1.5" Pressure Relief Bunging Valve with Gauge
  Dual-purpose: spunding (natural carbonation) + controlled gas input from your CO₂ tank
• 1.5" Carbonation Stone Set
  Speed up carbonation by diffusing CO₂ directly into the beer
• 1.5" Ball Lock Adapter
  Connect standard Corny keg gas or liquid disconnects to Tri-Clamp ports
• BlowTie Spunding Valve Kit (0–15 PSI)
  Compact and reliable valve for pressure control during fermentation or carbonation
• 1.5m Gas Line – Food Grade PVC
  High-quality tubing for safe CO₂ transfer
• Transfer Kit
  For clean and closed pressure transfers between fermenter and keg

Need help choosing the right parts for your setup?
Contact us — we’ll be happy to guide you step by step.