carbonation
Force carbonation
Dissolve CO₂ into beer under applied pressure rather than producing it by fermentation, giving fast and precise control of the level.
What is actually happening
Carbonation reaches equilibrium determined by pressure and temperature, following a well-established relationship — colder beer absorbs more CO₂ at a given pressure. A brewer sets the two and waits.
It is the standard method for kegged and most canned beer because it is repeatable and quick. What it cannot do is put live yeast in the package, so it offers none of the oxygen-scavenging that bottle conditioning does.
What goes wrong here
Risks rather than certainties. This step does not cause these faults; getting it wrong can.
- Overcarbonation — Too much dissolved CO₂, from over-priming, incomplete fermentation before packaging, or contamination.
- Undercarbonation — Too little dissolved CO₂, leaving the beer flat and dull — carbonation carries aroma as well as providing texture.
Related steps and concepts
- Bottle conditioning — The natural alternative.
- Volumes of CO₂ — How the target is expressed.
Also at the carbonation stage
Bottle conditioning · Krausening · Nitrogenation · Priming
See the whole process in order on how beer is made.
Last reviewed 2026-08-16.
Evidence
What BeerHQ knows about this, and how. Every statement carries the state of the evidence behind it rather than being presented flatly as fact.
On Bottle conditioning
Whether naturally conditioned beer has a perceptibly finer carbonation than force-carbonated beer at the same level is disputed; what is not disputed is that bottle-conditioned beer contains live yeast that continues to scavenge oxygen.
— Widely repeated trade and enthusiast position that secondary fermentation produces smaller, finer bubbles and a softer mouthfeel.
— Carbonation level and dispense conditions determine bubble behaviour, and no controlled work establishes a difference attributable to the carbonation route itself at matched volumes.
BeerHQ separates the contested sensory claim from the uncontested functional one: live yeast measurably slows staling regardless of whether the bubbles differ.
Genuinely contested Credible sources disagree, so both positions are given rather than one.
Sources: Brewing: Science and Practice — print; Campaign for Real Ale