What is burst carbonation?

Burst carbonation involves setting the regulator to a high pressure (25-30 PSI) for 24-48 hours, then reducing to serving pressure. This speeds up carbonation from 10-14 days to 2-3 days. Some brewers rock the keg at high pressure for even faster results.

What is set-and-forget carbonation?

Set-and-forget means setting your regulator to the calculated serving pressure and leaving it for 10-14 days. The beer slowly absorbs CO2 until equilibrium. This is the safest method with no risk of over-carbonation.

Does keg type affect carbonation?

Corny kegs and sankey kegs carbonate at the same rate for the same pressure and temperature. The main difference is maximum safe working pressure: corny kegs are rated to about 130 PSI, while sankey kegs vary by manufacturer.

Can I carbonate at room temperature?

Yes, but you need much higher pressure and it takes longer. Cold beer absorbs CO2 more readily. Most brewers carbonate at serving temperature (2-6 degrees C) for best results and most efficient gas usage.

How do I know when carbonation is complete?

For set-and-forget, wait the full 10-14 days. For burst carbonation, pour a test after 2-3 days. Listen for the CO2 flowing into the keg — when it stops hissing between pours, the beer is at equilibrium.

BrewCalcs

Keg Carbonation Calculator — Force Carbonation Pressure

Calculate the correct PSI and time for force carbonating beer in a keg.

Beer Temperature

Temperature for this process

Desired CO2 Volumes

Keg Type

Enter the keg type

How We Calculate This

Force Carbonation

The required PSI depends on beer temperature and desired CO2 volumes. The calculator uses a polynomial approximation of the CO2 solubility curve in beer.

Two Methods

Burst method: Apply ~30 PSI for 24-48 hours, then reduce to serving pressure. Ready in 2-3 days.

Set-and-forget: Set to serving pressure and wait 10-14 days. No risk of over-carbonation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

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Carbonation Chart Calculator

Interactive PSI chart for temperature and CO2 volume combinations.

Keg Pressure Calculator

Calculate serving and carbonation pressures for your keg setup.

Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify values and adjust based on your equipment and ingredients.