Glossary
Volumes of CO₂
The standard measure of carbonation: how many times the beer’s own volume of carbon dioxide, at standard temperature and pressure, is dissolved in it.
Also called co2 volumes, carbonation level, volumes.
Cask ale sits around 1.0–1.5 volumes, British keg bitter and stout around 2.0–2.3, most lager around 2.4–2.7, and a bottle-conditioned Belgian tripel can reach 3.5 or higher. The differences are large enough to change the beer’s texture entirely.
Related
- Forced carbonation — One way of reaching a target level.
More vocabulary
ABV · ABW · Alcohol unit · Alkalinity · Alpha acid · Apparent attenuation · Attenuation · Beta acid · Cohumulone · Degrees Lovibond
See every term on the glossary index.
Last reviewed 2026-08-16.