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Quantitative carbonation charts


Volumes of CO2 generated in beer volume
PrimeTabs 12 ounces 16 ounces 22 ounces
1 0.38 0.29 0.21
2 0.76 0.57 0.42
3 1.14 0.86 0.62
4 1.52 1.14 0.83
5 1.90 1.43 1.04
6 2.28 1.71 1.25
7 2.67 2.00 1.45
8 3.05 2.29 1.66
9 NR 2.57 1.87
10 NR 2.86 2.08
11 NR 3.14 2.28
12 NR NR 2.49
13 NR NR 2.70
14 NR NR 2.91
15 NR NR 3.11

NR: Not Recommended

Saturation volumes of CO2 at specific temperatures.
Temperature Volumes CO2
55 1.09
60 1.00
65 0.92
70 0.85

If you rouse the yeast vigorously per the instructions, you will drive off the excess CO2 leaving the beer with the saturation level of CO2 for the ambient temperature.

Just add the CO2 generated from the PrimeTabs to the saturated level for your temperature to get the finishing volumes of CO2.

For example, at 70 F the green beer will contain 0.85 volumes, 4 PrimeTabs in a 12 ounce bottle will yield another 1.52 volumes, for a total 2.37 volumes.


Mini-Kegs

If you have a 5 liter mini-keg system you should use 40-45 PrimeTabs for the keg. Mini-kegs are primed at a lower rate than bottled beer. Bottled beer is about 1 ounce per gallon, mini-kegs are about 0.6 ounce per gallon. A 5 liter mini-keg is 1.32 gallons, hence you need about 0.8 ounces for a mini-keg. Since I think that 1 ounce per gallon is a little high, I suggest using 3/4 ounce per 5 liter mini-keg. This means 43 PrimeTabs.

Party Pigs

Party Pigs are 2.25 gallon systems. At 0.6 ounce sugar per gallon you need 77 PrimeTabs for 2.25 gallons. A useful range is therefore about 70-80 PrimeTabs per pig.

Tap-A-Draft

Tap-A-Draft are 6 liter systems. At 0.6 ounce sugar per gallon you need 52 PrimeTabs per 6 liter bottle. A good range is 50-55 PrimeTabs per bottle.

Check out Dave Draper's Priming Primer. It's at the bottom of Dave's Beer Page.


Last modified: Mon Mar 25 12:18:41 PST 2002