Franconian Beer Message Board

Excessive Carbonation
Posted by Barry on 2013-10-06 04:12:22
Many years ago, I bought (secondhand) a book by one Frank Baillie ('The Beer Drinker's Companion' - published 1973). While I was sorting out items for the local charity shop, I recently rediscovered it and have been periodically dipping into some chapters.

I've no idea who Frank Baillie is or was but it is claimed that 'he has drunk beer in 36 countries and has drunk all the draught beers at present available as well as a great many bottled and keg beers'.  He would be a good man for Rate Beer but perhaps may no longer be with us? 

A very interesting piece discussed CO2 in beer - remember, top pressure delivery was relatively new in 1973, though, apparently, first introduced by Watney Mann in Egland in 1933!  To quote:

'Beer dispensed by top pressure nearly always has a different 'palate' - what is often called the CO2 bite ... Seasoned beer-drinkers do not like the top pressure system and the impression that a gassy beer (artificially carbonated) often has a different palate from the same beer containing only its own CO2 does have some substance and a scientific explanation. CO2 as a gas is odourless and tasteless but, when it  dissolves in water, it forms carbonic acid, which has a slight sharpness and can over-stimulate the taste buds. In a beer with small CO2 content, the volatile substances tend to evaporate off when CO2 is blown through. These highly flavoured compounds are in small quantities and easily volatile (i.e. become gas and are lost), so the beer is fractionised. De-gassed beer which was previously over-gassed does not revert to its original condition flavourwise.  [so much for swirling the glass around to get rid of excess CO2!]
...there is no doubt that extraneous CO2 forced into beer nearly always masks or eliminates its characteristic and delicate flavours.'

I hope that people find this interesting - I will try to bring other such snippets to the table - unless I am shouted down, of course!
 
Followups:
   Excessive Carbonation by Nick B. on  2013-10-06 04:39:48
   Excessive Carbonation by Nick B. on  2013-10-06 04:41:45
     Excessive Carbonation by barry on  2013-10-06 05:58:01
       Excessive Carbonation by pivnizub on  2013-10-06 10:01:05
         Excessive Carbonation by Nick B. on  2013-10-07 00:24:45
       Excessive Carbonation by Gerhard Schoolmann on  2013-10-07 00:14:56
         Excessive Carbonation by Nick B. on  2013-10-07 02:27:50
         Excessive Carbonation by barry on  2013-10-07 02:26:04
           Excessive Carbonation by Gerhard Schoolmann on  2013-10-07 03:14:20
             Excessive Carbonation by barry on  2013-10-07 06:13:14
             Excessive Carbonation by Fred Waltman on  2013-10-07 07:20:11
             Handpumpen in Bayern by Nick B. on  2013-10-07 08:17:41
               Handpumpen in Bayern...URL by Nick B. on  2013-10-07 08:32:27
                 Handpumpen in Bayern...URL by barry on  2013-10-07 08:40:37
           Excessive Carbonation by Uncle Jimbo on  2013-10-07 17:20:32
         Gas mixes for kegs by Uncle Jimbo on  2013-10-07 17:24:40
             Excessive Carbonation by Nick B. on  2013-10-08 01:52:49
                   IPAs ABVs IBUs by Nick B. on  2013-10-08 01:53:53
               Excessive Carbonation by barry on  2013-10-08 03:39:16
                     IPAs ABVs IBUs by DonS on  2013-10-08 06:44:41
                 Excessive Carbonation by Nick B. on  2013-10-08 11:43:27
                 Excessive Carbonation by Uncle Jimbo on  2013-10-08 22:32:23
                       IPAs ABVs IBUs by Nick B. on  2013-10-09 00:35:30
                   Excessive Carbonation by barry on  2013-10-09 01:12:29
                     Excessive Carbonation by Mark Andersen on  2013-10-09 05:27:09