Carbonation has been around for centuries. In its natural form, carbon dioxide – eh source of carbonation, has produced a variety of drinks. Natural carbonated springs have provided people with carbonated water. Fermentation has produced carbonated beer and other spirits. Today, however, breweries tend to rely on a quality beer carbonator to produce the product desired by both the producer and its customers.
Why Carbonate?
Carbonated drinks have been popular on and off since around 1797. People have developed a taste for these drinks for a variety of reasons. Research indicates that while, theoretically, people should dislike carbonated beverages such as beer, they do not. In fact, the need to use a beer carbonator depends upon people deciding that the process:
* Makes the drink seem colder
* Creates a light, refreshing taste sensation
* Provides it with the aroma associated with beer
* Will simply taste a little flat or off
Overall, the perception or reality of carbonation, forced or natural is why people prefer carbonated brews and other beverages. A beer carbonator forces the process to occur in vats, casks or bottles.
Beer Carbonator
May companies today rely on specialized equipment to provide their drinks with carbonation. In the beer industry, this piece of machinery is a beer carbonator. The production methods will differ with each company. The amount of carbonation will also vary. The brewers base the amount according to the style of beer.
Beer Carbonator Equipment
In the modern brewing industry, two chief types of beer carbonator equipment brewing exist. These are the brite or bright tank and inline system.
* Brite/Bright Tank: This method employs carbonated stones within a large tank. Labor intensive in nature, the product varies in both quality and carbonation levels depending upon the type of beer carbonator used.
* Inline Beer Carbonator: As the name suggests, this method does not employ a tank. Instead, the process of carbonation occurs within a pipe. The technology of this specific type of beer carbonator allows for complete control over such things as carbonation levels and overall quality control. Inconsistency is not in its vocabulary.
While many companies continue to use the older method of beer carbonation, many are turning to the newer technology to improve the cost-efficiency of their operation.
Beer Carbonator
For a major commercial brewery, the natural way of carbonation is not a viable option. Consistency of quality, high volume of production and controlling costs dictates the implementation of a mechanical system. In brewing beer, the most common methods of achieving such results is through one of the two types of carbonating systems: a brite tank or an online beer carbonator.