Suggest CO2 Level for Heavy Beer

Brewing Processes
1

My wheaty fake Belgian ale is not as fizzy as I would like. I have had it at 2.73 volumes of CO2 at 35 degrees. What’s a good level of carbonation for this kind of beer? It has excellent head retention. although it is not making much head at 12 psi. It started out at 1.084, and I kegged at 1.017.

I just moved it to 18 psi for 3.32 volumes. Sound reasonable?

5 lbs Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM)
4 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM)
2 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
1 lbs 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM)
1 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)
1 lbs table sugar

2

Could it be that your serving pressure is too high, so you’re knocking out carbonation when you serve?

3

Most style guides would say you were in the right range for that style … Upper 2s.

I’m a rank amateur at draft systems, but it could also be that your system is out of balance, and as Denny suggested, you’re knocking the CO2 out of solution when you serve.  ???

4

I have a somewhat unusual setup.

I replaced all my tubing, gas and liquid, with EVAbarrier, and I have Duotight fittings. I use Kegland plastic flow control disconnects and Nukataps. The Nukataps do not have flow control. I don’t bother measuring the tubing length because I rely on the disconnect adjustments. I would say the liquid tubes are around a yard long. Works for my other beers as well as my beer gas stout faucet. I had a lager on this same line before the fake Belgian, and I was happy with it.

Am I doing it right? I am never sure. It has worked, though.

Thought I should mention all this so people know what’s happening.

I can get foam with this beer if I open up the flow control, but I lose fizz in the beer itself, so it’s a little flatter than I want. When I tighten the disconnect, the beer is better, but it lacks foam. These are my impressions, anyway. As I understand it, gas either stays in the beer or goes into making foam, so if I have an imbalance between foam and fizz, I must be giving the beer too little CO2 to give me both.

I was serving at 12 psi yesterday, which works well with my other beers, but I try to get less foam with those. I don’t think I could be overcarbonated. This beer was at something like 10 psi when transferred, and I’m sure it lost some gas. I believe I put it at 20 for a day or so to compensate for the transfer loss, but I took it back down.

I was thinking a large amount of head would be good with this beer because the aroma is a big feature, and the foam seems to carry the aroma well. I was thinking around 1-1/4" of foam. Also, I got myself some pint Libbey’s tulip glasses, and drinking a full pint glass of this strong beer at a whack seems excessive. I can convince myself 12 ounces are acceptable.

I don’t really know if this beer matches a style. I thought tripel might be closer than anything, but it’s full of wheat.

5

Following up, it has been 3 days since I went to 18 psi. Right now, the beer is really nice. I get about a third foam, plus a fair amount of carbonation. I think once the CO2 is done dissolving, this will be perfect. Has to be poured very slowly, though.

6

Following up again, I think I’m going up to 20 psi. This beer is magnificent, but it loves CO2 and low temperatures. It wants some foam plus little zingy bubbles sticking to the glass. Is it weird to serve a heavy wheaty ale at 35?

7

That’s the benefit of making it yourself: you control all the inputs in an effort to get a personalized outcome. Make it the way you like it.

We’re just asking Mother Nature to cooperate a bit. When it all works it’s a thing of beauty.

8

I’m not totally sure 20 is enough to bring out everything this beer has to offer. It’s great, but I may go up more.

This stuff is a dream come true. Literally exactly what I wanted in this beer.

I don’t understand why it’s so dark, but no complaints.