What Is Pressurized Fermentation & Why Is It Better?

The methods for brewing beer today all come from the pains of brewing beer in the past. Take fermentation, for instance, since it’s one of the most important steps. Fermenting beer has become much more precise, and much easier as technology such as pressurized fermenters has developed. If you’re new to brewing, you might wonder what pressurized fermentation is and why it’s better than the older methods. This article should help you see why it’s such a massive improvement.

What Is Pressurized Fermentation?

Pressurized fermentation is exactly what it sounds like: it’s the normal fermentation process used to create beer, but performed under a certain amount of pressure that is greater than that of atmospheric pressure. The way brewers do this is by utilizing special pressurized tanks that can exert more pressure on the beer as it ferments, which has numerous benefits for the final product.

Benefits of Pressurized Fermentation

Now that we know what pressurized fermentation is, why is it better than traditional fermentation? Everything really comes down to the savings, whether it be in time, money, or failed product. These are some of the most useful benefits of fermenting under pressurized conditions.

Faster Fermenting Process

Fermenting can take a long time under normal atmospheric pressure. Pressurized fermenting allows for the beer to ferment at higher temperatures without ruining its taste. These higher temperatures speed up the fermenting process, making it much easier to push out more batches of beer and meet higher demands.

Better Carbonation

Pressurized fermentation is unique in that you don’t need to add CO2 to the mix in order to carbonate your beer. Fermentation under the right amount pressure allows you to carbonate your beer completely naturally. This is also useful, because adding CO2 manually could possibly expose your beer to foreign contaminants that might ruin its flavor.

Reduced Risk of Oxidation

When oxygen gets into your beer, it makes it taste much worse. Too much oxygen in beer can make it taste almost like carboard or paper. Usually, oxygen can enter the beer as it transfers from one tank to another for fermentation. Since everything is contained in one tank for pressurized fermentation, the risk of oxidation is far less than the traditional method.

More Flavor From Hops

If you want a very hoppy beer, pressurized fermentation can help make sure that the hop oils don’t escape from the beer. The pressurized environment keeps the hop oils inside the beer for longer, giving it a brighter flavor and a much more powerful hoppy aroma.

If you now realize you need to upgrade your tanks for your own beer, Craftmaster Stainless offers unmatched stainless steel brewing equipment, including pressurized fermentation tanks. Give us a call to find out how we can help you brew the best beer possible.