How to Force Carbonate
Force carbonation is the preferred method of carbonation for many brewrs. It's much faster and very easy to do. This step by step instructional will take you through the process.

Step 1
Once you beer is in the keg, chill it down to 4 degrees celcius.

Step 2
Release the pressure in your keg using the pressure release valve. This will prevent any chance of CO2 backflowing into your regulator.

Step 3
Force carbonation can be done in three different ways as shown in the diagram below:


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Step 3A. Gas Down Spear Technique
This method is great because the CO2 is bubbling through the beer meaning that you don't have to shake the keg too much to carbonate it. The only issue with this method is that you have to connect your gas line to the liquid(beer) post of youe keg. So if you are using cornelius type fittings, you will have to take your gas line off your grey ball lock and put it onto you black ball lock. This is made easier if you have the threadded cornelius fittings (MFL) as opposed to the barbed type. (Shown in picture below)

If you are using commercial beer kegs such as CUB or Tooheys style, you can do the same thing. Just put your gas line onto your beer line. Just remember to take the valve out of your beer side of the keg coupler so the gas can enter the keg.

Step 3B. Inverted Keg Technique
This is definitely my preferred method because it's the quickest and easiest. Just like the "Gas Down Spear Technique", this method bubbles the CO2 through the beer. This method doesn't require you to stuff around changing your gas and beer lines around. The only issue is that you cannot stand the keg completely upside down because you have the ball lock fitting sticking out of the keg. You will have to hold it at an angle insted.

Step 3C. Vigerous Shake Technique
If for some reasons you don't want to turn the keg upside down or it's too difficult to change your beer and gas lines over, you can just use this method. Just connect your ball lock fittings as you would normally. This method does require vigerous shanking though.

Step 4
Turn on your CO2 Regulator to 300kPa or 40psi. You will hear CO2 bubbling into you beer and it will gradually slow down as the pressure equilises.

Step 5
If you are using method 3A or 3B above you will only require gentle rocking back and forth as shown in the video below. However, if you use method 3C you will have to shake the keg far more vigerously. Do this for 1 minute.

Step 6
After 1 minute of Step 5, turn the gas off at the regulator. Keep rocking the keg back and forth and the gas pressure will drop quite quickly. The gas pressure should drop down to 140-160kPa. If the pressure stops above 160kPa then the keg may be overcarbonated, if it falls below 140kPa the beer is not gassed enough and you will need to repeat steps 4-5 again but for only 10-15 seconds.

 

Step 7
Wait for an hour or so and vent the excess pressure via the pressure release valve.
NOTE: The bead of the bubbles and the flavour will be improved if you leave the beer overnight before drinking so that the CO2 has sufficient time to form weak hydrogen bonds with the water molecules to become carbonic acid.

Step 8
Turn your regulator back to serving pressure (100kPa, 14psi) and dispence you beer.