Can I use the Keg carbonation calculator for unflavoured sparkling water as well?
- Thread starter Salmeen
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Dissolved CO2 in 'water' is the same, no matter the 'impurities' in the water.
Seltzer is often very fizzy, 4 volumes or more.
No idea of the calculation used on BF, but formulas can be found with a google search.
Seltzer is often very fizzy, 4 volumes or more.
No idea of the calculation used on BF, but formulas can be found with a google search.
So it means I can use it for sparking water too? In some places I saw they have two different charts for sugary water and non sugary water which made me confused thus asked this question!
about the formula: I tried to find the formula in Google but no luck! maybe doing something wrong
As far as I know, dissolved CO2 in a liquid is the same whether it has sugar or not, BUT it could be that the flavor effects change with sugar content, or the sugar reduces the ability of the liquid to absorb CO2. I don't know. But comparing the 2 charts here, they are not very different, sugared versus sugar-free. Worst case I can see is less than 0.25 volume CO2.
But it is a simple gas law thing: You are dissolving CO2 in water. How much you can dissolve changes with temperature. How much IS dissolved changes with pressure. What it dissolves as, exactly, changes with pH. I can imagine what is in the water has an effect, but it must be small.
For carbonation, read the part labeled "Carbonated Beverages" here.
For one such formula, look here. Read it all the way so you understand the formula given almost at the bottom. Rearrange it as needed to solve for Volumes CO2 at a given pressure (the formula shows the pressure for a given CO2 volume). There are others out there too.
All that being said, if you use a CO2 tank to carbonate your beer in a keg, do the same with water. Maybe add just a touch of a flavoring if desired, a little goes a long way. And after a few days, try it: Not fizzy enough? Increase the pressure. Too fizzy? Reduce pressure. In other words, the tables are a good guide, but your taste should be the final arbiter.
But it is a simple gas law thing: You are dissolving CO2 in water. How much you can dissolve changes with temperature. How much IS dissolved changes with pressure. What it dissolves as, exactly, changes with pH. I can imagine what is in the water has an effect, but it must be small.
For carbonation, read the part labeled "Carbonated Beverages" here.
For one such formula, look here. Read it all the way so you understand the formula given almost at the bottom. Rearrange it as needed to solve for Volumes CO2 at a given pressure (the formula shows the pressure for a given CO2 volume). There are others out there too.
All that being said, if you use a CO2 tank to carbonate your beer in a keg, do the same with water. Maybe add just a touch of a flavoring if desired, a little goes a long way. And after a few days, try it: Not fizzy enough? Increase the pressure. Too fizzy? Reduce pressure. In other words, the tables are a good guide, but your taste should be the final arbiter.
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I do seltzer water all the time. Unlike beer, head really isn't an issue so over carbonating is less of an issue. I turn my gas to 30# and shake or roll till I no longer hear gas being absorbed. At this point I pretty much call it done. I let off the pressure and turn my gas reg back to 10-12 psi where my serving pressure is. It's OK at this point, but much better after a day or two. Spirits and flavoring have not really had any affect on how I carb my water.
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I don't know how much use the calculator is, as the pressure you need is purely your personal preference. I set my system to 20psi for the soda water and use inline regulators to step down for the beer. I'm also happy with it any time it gets past about 10-15 psi.
