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Brammer
All beer leaves the brewer carbonated. This is accomplished in one of two ways – natural and forced carbonation. In both cases, beer and carbon dioxide (CO2) are sealed in a container. The beer absorbs the CO2 giving the beer its fizz.
Natural carbonation results from the fermentation process. Fermentation produces alcohol and carbon dioxide as yeast digests the sugar in the wort. Although most of the carbon dioxide is allowed to escape during fermentation the brewer will seal the beer in a container when it is almost complete. This is how natural carbonation is used to carbonate beer in holding vessels at the brewery and in casks.
For forced carbonation a measured amount of CO2 is pumped into a sealed container full of cold, flat beer. More gas than can actually fit in the container is pumped in creating a positive pressure. Overtime, the beer will absorb the gas and become carbonated. This is how beer and other carbonated beverages continue to fix even after the initial release of pressure when their containers are opened. In order to accurately gauge the amount of CO2 injected into the beer during forced carbonation at Heineken’s Royal Brewery in Manchester, Brammer procured several Metal Tube VA Flow Meters from ABLE’s flow division. The VA meters were supplied with dual scales for both CO2 and Nitrogen, the latter being used to create stable, long-lasting foam for keg beers.