Beer may lack fizz in Europe amid carbon dioxide shortage

[Guntrader]

I thought we had too much carbon dioxide and it was 'causing global warming'??? Not we don't have enough?
Also thought the carbon dioxide in beer was a byproduct of fermentation.
I used to make beer that was plenty fizzy and never had to bubble in CO2.
https://apnews.com/3e238478e4d24430bf05b8e8ccb08730

A British trade group says there’s a shortage of carbon dioxide in Northern Europe, sparking fears that drinks may lack fizz just as thirsty soccer fans fill pubs for the World Cup.

Gavin Partington, director-general of the British Soft Drinks Association, says the shortage is due to the closure of several production sites for various reasons, including seasonal maintenance. But industry publication Gasworld says the situation is worse this year because normal maintenance has coincided with technical issues at chemical plants that also produce carbon dioxide.

[Mr. Q]

This doesn’t make sense. Yeast converts sugar into alcohol and co2....


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[KeystoneCowboy]

This doesn’t make sense. Yeast converts sugar into alcohol and co2....


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Beer is not carbonated before it us bottled/kegged. All the C02 that is created, is during fermentation, and ceases when the yeast is dead. Now when bottling you cant add a dash of yeast carbonate it, more commonly people use little hard candy looking drops. Easy to drop in, measure, and is food for yeast, and yeast. When beer is kegged, the C02 comes from it being piped in when its cold. Which is why its understandable there can be shortage.

[Mr. Q]

Thanks man, it’s nice to learn new things all the time!


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[OhShoot!]

Beer on Nitro for the win.

[-NS]

They still use CO2 to pressurize the tap system though correct? So how much of that has an effect on the CO2 content in the beer?

[KeystoneCowboy]

They still use CO2 to pressurize the tap system though correct? So how much of that has an effect on the CO2 content in the beer?

That is the CO2 in the beer. The keg is pressurized with CO2. The cold beer absorbs it. The when the tap is open, the pressure in the keg pushes it down the line to the tap. So its not so much as the "lines" are under pressure or use the CO2 as much as the beer/keg does.

[-NS]

They still use CO2 to pressurize the tap system though correct? So how much of that has an effect on the CO2 content in the beer?

That is the CO2 in the beer. The keg is pressurized with CO2. The cold beer absorbs it. The when the tap is open, the pressure in the keg pushes it down the line to the tap. So its not so much as the "lines" are under pressure or use the CO2 as much as the beer/keg does.

Ok, so the next question would be why do they sell CO2 bottles and regulators for home use kegarator systems? Or the taps that attach directly to the kegs with the pumps on top? The kind I spent most of my college yeas using.

[KeystoneCowboy]

They still use CO2 to pressurize the tap system though correct? So how much of that has an effect on the CO2 content in the beer?

That is the CO2 in the beer. The keg is pressurized with CO2. The cold beer absorbs it. The when the tap is open, the pressure in the keg pushes it down the line to the tap. So its not so much as the "lines" are under pressure or use the CO2 as much as the beer/keg does.

Ok, so the next question would be why do they sell CO2 bottles and regulators for home use kegarator systems? Or the taps that attach directly to the kegs with the pumps on top? The kind I spent most of my college yeas using.

Answer: Home kegerators work the same as bars do. Kegs are charged/pressurized with CO2. Lines that powers the lines. The pressure goes in the keg, not the line. So a home beer keg, Corny keg (Cornelius) has a draw tube that reaches to the bottom, CO2 comes in the top. It forces ghe beer up and out of that tube amd at the same time under pressure is absorbed. As for party kegs, the keg is highly carbonate/pressurized with CO2. All the hand tap does is create air above the beer, and force it down and up and out of the draw tube. Hence why party kegs of beer are super heady tl start, and flatten out as they are drank.

[NWGunner]

Jäger has nailed it with both answers, nicely done

Your secondary nom de plume should be....

Kegerbomber

[KeystoneCowboy]

Jäger has nailed it with both answers, nicely done

Your secondary nom de plume should be....

Kegerbomber

Several years of home brewing before helps. Years sitting in bars and helping move kegs around helps too. Its not that I'm smart, I'm just experienced in this subject.

[joao01]

from what I understand, when bottled it takes about 2 weeks for the yeast to develop the carbonation. When you get say a growler at Total Wine, they'll force carbonate the top of it before sealing, so you can store that growler for several weeks. If they don't force carbonate, you have to crack it within a day or two or it will be flat.