With carbon dioxide shortages and price increases, this topic keeps coming up.
Spunding valves are an increasingly popular way for breweries to naturally carbonate their beer. The process is simple: the brewery attaches a spunding valve to their fermenter, which allows carbon dioxide to be captured in the beer while allowing excess carbon dioxide to safely vent off. This allows the beer to naturally carbonate in fermentation without the need for tanks of CO2. Based on the temperature and style of beer, some minor touch up of CO2 may be needed, but this is much less that is traditionally needed with fermentation at atmospheric pressure.
There are many benefits to using spunding valves. First, it is a much cheaper way to carbonate beer. Why pay for gas that the process is already producing? Additionally, it gives the beer a more natural, “craft” feel.
Overall, spunding valves are a great way for breweries to save money and produce naturally carbonated beer. If you’re looking to add a natural carbonation process to your brewery, consider using a spunding valve.
Always clean your pressure reliefs when cleaning you tanks and never pressurize a tank higher than it’s rated for.