Force Carbonation Chart

This page will help you determine the pressure setting for your regulator when force carbonating a keg of beer. If your browser supports JavaScript, you can use the Force Carbonation Widget to do the calculation directly.

Otherwise, you can use the chart below to determine the proper pressure setting. Start on the left side of the chart and find the temperature of the kegged beer. Follow this horizontally until you intersect the diagonal line representing the desired volumes of CO2. Proceed downward to find the necessary pressure setting. See the table below for carbonation guidelines. See caution below.

Print this chart and tape it to your CO2 cylinder!

Volumes of CO2 is a measure of how much carbonation is in beer. "2 volumes" indicates that the CO2 in 1 liter of beer would actually occupy 2 liters if it were brought to a temperature of 0°C and 1 atmosphere pressure.

The following table lists suggested carbonation ranges (in volumes) for the various styles of beer. These are only guidelines, of course... nothing is written in stone when it comes to your own beer.

American Amber Ale 2.2-2.8
American Brown 1.5-2.5
American Lager 2.5-2.7
American Pale Ale 2.2-2.8
American Pilsener 2.6-2.7
American Wheat 2.3-2.6
Bamberg Rauchbier 2.2-2.6
Barley Wine 1.3-2.3
Belgian Dubbel 1.9-2.4
Belgian Fruit Lambic 2.6-4.5
Belgian Lambic 3.0-4.5
Belgian Ale 1.9-2.5
Belgian Tripel 1.9-2.4
Belgian White (Wit) 2.1-2.6
Berliner Weisse 3.5
Bock 2.2-2.7
Bohemian Pilsener 2.3-2.5

California Common 2.4-2.8
Cream Ale 2.6-2.7
Doppelbock 2.3-2.6
Dortmunder Export 2.6
Dunkelweizen 3.6-4.5
Düsseldorf Altbier 2.2-3.1
Eisbock 2.4
English Bitter 0.8-1.3
English Brown 1.5-2.3
English Mild 1.3-2.0
English Old/Strong Ale 1.5-2.3
English Pale Ale 1.5-2.3
Flanders Brown 1.9-2.5
Foreign-Style Stout 2.3-2.6
German Pilsener 2.5
Helles Bock 2.2-2.7
Imperial Stout 1.5-2.3

India Pale Ale 1.5-2.3
Irish Dry Stout 1.6-2.0
Kölsch 2.4-2.7
Maibock 2.2-2.7
Märzen/Oktoberfest 2.6-2.7
Münchner Helles 2.3-2.7
Munich Dunkel 2.2-2.7
Oatmeal Stout ?
Oud Bruin 1.9-2.5
Porter 1.7-2.5
Schwarzbier 2.2-2.6
Scottish Ale 0.8-1.3
Strong Scotch Ale 1.5-2.3
Sweet Stout 2.0-2.4
Vienna 2.4-2.6
Weizen/Weissbier 3.6-4.5
Weizenbock 3.7-4.7

Caution

Use this chart at your own risk. Never exceed the pressure rating of the carbonating vessel as injury to yourself or others may result. This information is provided "as is" and the author assumes no liability for its use.

More Information

Thoughts on carbonation... by Pat Babcock