Force Carbonation Chart - Brewer's Friend
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Force Carbonation Chart

Force carbonation is done by infusing (“forcing”) carbon dioxide (CO2), a gas, into your beer. Carbonation is a function of time, temperature, and pressure. To do this, you will need a regulator for your CO2 cylinder that can be adjusted.

Looking at the chart below, you can see there are temperatures on the left side vertically (the Y axis). Choose the temperature your beer will be during the carbonation period. Across the top, on the X axis, is a list of pressures in PSI (pounds per square inch) for your regulator setting.

You can see that there are various colors in the graph.  This is how you select the setting for the regulator.  Generally, you want to select one of the boxes to be in the green area of the graph for beers like amber and pale ales, most lagers, etc., to have a carbonation level similar to most bottled beers. There are some beer styles that are often served at other pressures, as you can see on the graph.

You will also notice that there is a range of acceptable carbonation levels for the style of beer you are carbonating. If you prefer a lower carbed beer, you can set the regulator to the lower pressures shown. If you prefer a more highly carbonated beer, setting the regulator to the higher end of the acceptable pressure will be desirable.

This is often called the “set it and forget” it method, and will result in a reliably carbonated beer in approximately 10-14 days.

PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
30°F 1.82 1.92 2.03 2.14 2.23 2.36 2.48 2.60 2.70 2.82 2.93 3.02 3.13 3.24 3.35 3.46 3.57 3.67 3.78 3.89 4.00 4.11 4.22 4.33 4.44 4.66 4.77 4.87 4.98 4.98
31°F 1.78 1.88 2.00 2.10 2.20 2.31 2.42 2.54 2.65 2.76 2.86 2.96 3.07 3.17 3.28 3.39 3.50 3.60 3.71 3.82 3.93 4.03 4.14 4.25 4.35 4.46 4.57 4.68 4.78 4.89
32°F 1.75 1.85 1.95 2.05 2.15 2.27 2.38 2.48 2.59 2.70 2.80 2.90 3.00 3.11 3.21 3.31 3.42 3.52 3.63 3.73 3.84 3.94 4.04 4.15 4.25 4.36 4.46 4.57 4.67 4.77
33°F 1.71 1.81 1.91 2.01 2.10 2.23 2.33 2.43 2.53 2.63 2.74 2.84 2.96 3.06 3.15 3.25 3.35 3.46 3.56 3.66 3.76 3.87 3.97 4.07 4.18 4.28 4.38 4.48 4.59 4.69
34°F 1.68 1.78 1.86 1.97 2.06 2.18 2.28 2.38 2.48 2.58 2.69 2.79 2.90 3.00 3.09 3.19 3.29 3.39 3.49 3.59 3.69 3.79 3.90 4.00 4.10 4.20 4.30 4.40 4.50 4.60
35°F 1.63 1.73 1.83 1.93 2.02 2.14 2.24 2.34 2.43 2.52 2.63 2.73 2.83 2.93 3.02 3.12 3.22 3.32 3.42 3.52 3.62 3.72 3.82 3.92 4.01 4.11 4.21 4.31 4.41 4.51
36°F 1.60 1.69 1.79 1.88 1.98 2.09 2.19 2.29 2.38 2.47 2.57 2.67 2.77 2.86 2.96 3.05 3.15 3.24 3.34 3.43 3.53 3.63 3.72 3.82 3.92 4.01 4.11 4.21 4.30 4.40
37°F 1.55 1.65 1.74 1.84 1.94 2.04 2.14 2.24 2.33 2.42 2.52 2.62 2.71 2.80 2.90 3.00 3.09 3.18 3.27 3.37 3.46 3.56 3.65 3.75 3.84 3.94 4.03 4.13 4.22 4.32
38°F 1.52 1.61 1.71 1.80 1.90 2.00 2.10 2.20 2.29 2.38 2.48 2.57 2.66 2.75 2.85 2.94 3.03 3.12 3.21 3.30 3.40 3.49 3.59 3.68 3.77 3.87 3.96 4.06 4.15 4.24
39°F 1.49 1.58 1.67 1.77 1.86 1.96 2.06 2.15 2.25 2.34 2.43 2.52 2.61 2.70 2.80 2.89 2.98 3.07 3.16 3.25 3.34 3.44 3.53 3.62 3.71 3.81 3.90 3.99 4.08 4.18
40°F 1.47 1.56 1.65 1.74 1.83 1.92 2.01 2.10 2.20 2.30 2.39 2.47 2.56 2.65 2.75 2.84 2.93 3.01 3.10 3.19 3.28 3.37 3.46 3.55 3.64 3.73 3.82 3.91 4.01 4.10
41°F 1.43 1.52 1.61 1.70 1.79 1.88 1.97 2.06 2.16 2.25 2.34 2.43 2.52 2.60 2.70 2.79 2.88 2.96 3.05 3.14 3.23 3.32 3.41 3.50 3.59 3.68 3.77 3.86 3.95 4.04
42°F 1.39 1.48 1.57 1.66 1.75 1.85 1.94 2.02 2.12 2.21 2.30 2.39 2.48 2.56 2.65 2.74 2.83 2.91 3.00 3.09 3.18 3.26 3.35 3.44 3.53 3.62 3.70 3.79 3.88 3.97
43°F 1.37 1.46 1.54 1.63 1.72 1.81 1.90 1.99 2.08 2.17 2.26 2.34 2.43 2.52 2.61 2.69 2.78 2.86 2.95 3.04 3.13 3.21 3.30 3.39 3.47 3.56 3.65 3.74 3.82 3.91
44°F 1.35 1.43 1.52 1.60 1.69 1.78 1.87 1.95 2.04 2.13 2.22 2.30 2.39 2.47 2.56 2.64 2.73 2.81 2.90 2.99 3.07 3.10 3.24 3.33 3.41 3.50 3.58 3.67 3.76 3.84
45°F 1.32 1.41 1.49 1.58 1.66 1.75 1.84 1.91 2.00 2.08 2.17 2.26 2.34 2.42 2.51 2.60 2.69 2.77 2.86 2.94 3.02 3.11 3.19 3.28 3.36 3.45 3.53 3.62 3.70 3.79
46°F 1.28 1.37 1.45 1.54 1.62 1.71 1.80 1.88 1.96 2.04 2.13 2.22 2.30 2.38 2.47 2.55 2.64 2.72 2.81 2.89 2.98 3.06 3.15 3.23 3.31 3.40 3.48 3.57 3.65 3.74
47°F 1.26 1.34 1.42 1.51 1.59 1.68 1.76 1.84 1.92 2.00 2.09 2.18 2.26 2.34 2.42 2.50 2.59 2.67 2.76 2.84 2.93 3.02 3.09 3.18 3.26 3.35 3.43 3.51 3.60 3.68
48°F 1.23 1.31 1.39 1.48 1.56 1.65 1.73 1.81 1.89 1.96 2.05 2.14 2.22 2.30 2.38 2.46 2.54 2.62 2.71 2.79 2.88 2.96 3.04 3.13 3.21 3.30 3.38 3.46 3.54 3.63
49°F 1.21 1.29 1.37 1.45 1.53 1.62 1.70 1.79 1.86 1.93 2.01 2.10 2.18 2.25 2.34 2.42 2.50 2.58 2.67 2.75 2.83 2.91 3.00 3.07 3.15 3.23 3.31 3.39 3.47 3.56
50°F 1.18 1.26 1.34 1.42 1.50 1.59 1.66 1.74 1.82 1.90 1.98 2.06 2.14 2.21 2.30 2.38 2.46 2.54 2.62 2.70 2.78 2.86 2.94 3.02 3.10 3.17 3.25 3.33 3.41 3.49
51°F 1.18 1.26 1.34 1.42 1.49 1.57 1.64 1.71 1.79 1.87 1.95 2.02 2.10 2.18 2.26 2.34 2.42 2.49 2.57 2.65 2.74 2.82 2.90 2.97 3.05 3.13 3.19 3.27 3.34 3.42
52°F 1.16 1.23 1.31 1.39 1.46 1.54 1.61 1.68 1.76 1.84 1.92 1.99 2.06 2.14 2.22 2.30 2.38 2.45 2.53 2.61 2.68 2.76 2.84 2.92 3.00 3.06 3.13 3.22 3.30 3.37
53°F 1.14 1.21 1.29 1.36 1.44 1.51 1.59 1.66 1.74 1.81 1.89 1.96 2.03 2.10 2.18 2.26 2.34 2.41 2.49 2.57 2.64 2.71 2.79 2.86 2.94 3.01 3.09 3.16 3.24 3.31
54°F 1.12 1.19 1.27 1.34 1.41 1.49 1.56 1.63 1.71 1.78 1.86 1.93 2.00 2.07 2.15 2.22 2.30 2.37 2.45 2.52 2.59 2.66 2.74 2.81 2.89 2.96 3.04 3.10 3.17 3.24
55°F 1.10 1.17 1.24 1.31 1.39 1.46 1.53 1.60 1.68 1.75 1.82 1.89 1.97 2.04 2.12 2.18 2.26 2.33 2.40 2.47 2.54 2.62 2.69 2.76 2.83 2.89 2.97 3.04 3.11 3.18
56°F 1.07 1.15 1.22 1.29 1.36 1.43 1.50 1.57 1.65 1.72 1.79 1.86 1.93 2.00 2.08 2.15 2.22 2.29 2.36 2.43 2.50 2.57 2.64 2.71 2.78 2.85 2.92 2.99 3.06 3.13
57°F 1.05 1.12 1.19 1.26 1.33 1.40 1.47 1.54 1.62 1.70 1.77 1.83 1.90 1.97 2.04 2.11 2.18 2.25 2.32 2.39 2.46 2.53 2.60 2.66 2.73 2.80 2.87 2.94 3.00 3.08
58°F 1.03 1.10 1.17 1.24 1.30 1.37 1.44 1.51 1.59 1.67 1.74 1.80 1.87 1.94 2.01 2.08 2.15 2.21 2.28 2.35 2.42 2.48 2.55 2.62 2.69 2.75 2.82 2.88 2.95 3.02
59°F 1.02 1.09 1.16 1.22 1.29 1.36 1.43 1.49 1.56 1.64 1.71 1.77 1.84 1.91 1.98 2.04 2.11 2.17 2.24 2.31 2.38 2.43 2.50 2.57 2.64 2.70 2.77 2.84 2.91 2.97
60°F 1.01 1.08 1.15 1.21 1.28 1.34 1.41 1.47 1.54 1.62 1.62 1.75 1.82 1.88 1.95 2.01 2.08 2.14 2.21 2.27 2.34 2.40 2.47 2.53 2.60 2.66 2.73 2.79 2.86 2.92
61°F 0.99 1.05 1.12 1.18 1.24 1.31 1.37 1.44 1.50 1.57 1.63 1.69 1.76 1.82 1.89 1.95 2.02 2.08 2.14 2.21 2.27 2.34 2.40 2.47 2.53 2.59 2.66 2.72 2.79 2.85
62°F 0.96 1.02 1.09 1.15 1.21 1.27 1.34 1.40 1.46 1.52 1.59 1.65 1.71 1.78 1.84 1.90 1.97 2.03 2.09 2.15 2.22 2.28 2.34 2.41 2.47 2.53 2.59 2.66 2.72 2.78
63°F 0.93 0.99 1.06 1.12 1.18 1.24 1.30 1.36 1.42 1.49 1.55 1.61 1.67 1.73 1.79 1.85 1.92 1.98 2.04 2.10 2.16 2.22 2.28 2.35 2.41 2.47 2.53 2.59 2.65 2.71
64°F 0.91 0.97 1.03 1.09 1.15 1.21 1.27 1.33 1.39 1.45 1.51 1.57 1.63 1.69 1.75 1.81 1.87 1.93 1.99 2.05 2.11 2.17 2.23 2.29 2.35 2.41 2.47 2.52 2.58 2.64
65°F 0.88 0.94 1.00 1.06 1.11 1.17 1.23 1.29 1.35 1.41 1.46 1.52 1.58 1.64 1.70 1.76 1.82 1.87 1.93 1.99 2.05 2.11 2.17 2.23 2.28 2.34 2.40 2.46 2.52 2.58
  • Under-Carbonated0 – 1.49 volumes CO2
  • Stouts and porters1.50 – 2.19 volumes CO2
  • Lagers, Ales, Ambers, most beers2.20 – 2.59 volumes CO2
  • Highly carbonated ales, Lambics, Wheat beers2.60 – 4.0 volumes CO2
  • Over-carbonated (except for certain specialty ales)4.01+ volumes CO2
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Legal Disclaimer: The Force Carbonation Chart is for entertainment purposes and should not be used for professional brewing. No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided on the information provided by this chart.