Brew Lab · Calculators I + II
Carbonation & Priming Estimate
Estimate residual dissolved CO₂ from temperature and a dextrose/sucrose priming mass needed to close the gap to a chosen carbonation target.
Boundary: Sealed carbonation creates pressure. Verify fermentation is complete, weigh priming sugar, and confirm the exact package/closure is pressure-rated for the intended target.
Static result contract
Worked example
A production ICU form can progressively enhance this calculator later. The method and representative result remain understandable with no JavaScript.
- Residual CO₂ estimate
- 0.86 vol
- Additional CO₂ estimate
- 1.54 vol
- Dextrose estimate
- 116.9 g
Pressure boundary: Bottle conditioning creates pressure in a sealed package. Verify fermentation is complete, weigh priming sugar accurately, and confirm the exact bottle/keg and closure are rated for the intended carbonation. If any of those are uncertain, do not use the estimate as a packaging instruction.
Method
Formula is part of the interface
BEU does not hide the calculation behind a single result number.
| Method | Formula | Interpretation boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Residual CO₂ temperature estimate | CO₂(vol) = 3.0378 − 0.050062×T°F + 0.00026555×T°F² | Temperature-based approximation; actual dissolved gas depends on process history and pressure. |
| Dextrose mass estimate | dextrose(g) = 15.195 × gallons × max(0, targetCO₂ − residualCO₂) | Priming estimate only. It is not a vessel pressure rating or proof that fermentation is complete. |
Input contract
Units and guards
Input guards keep this foundation implementation bounded. They are not style definitions, legal thresholds, or equipment ratings.
| Input | Accepted units / range | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Beer volume being packaged | l, us gallon | Use actual volume entering the package rather than nominal fermenter size. |
| Representative beer temperature | c, f | Residual CO₂ is temperature dependent; the simple model cannot reconstruct all cold-crash/headspace histories. |
| Target carbonation | unitless · 0.5 to 4.5 | Volumes CO₂. A target is not evidence that a given bottle or closure can safely hold the resulting pressure. |
Limits & safety
What the result does not prove
Limitations
- Actual dissolved CO₂ can differ from the temperature estimate.
- Only dextrose and sucrose are supported in BEU017; DME/honey/syrups are intentionally excluded from the foundation model.
- The tool cannot inspect package pressure ratings, closure condition, or fermentation completeness.
Safety / responsible-use notes
- Sealed carbonation creates pressure. Verify fermentation is complete, weigh priming sugar, and confirm the exact package/closure is pressure-rated for the intended target.
- Elevated carbonation targets receive an additional warning; no generic bottle-rating assumption is treated as safe.
Methodology sources
Follow the method back to its references
External formulas and technical claims are sourced separately from Beer Universe's own algebra, unit handling, and interface policy.
- Brewer's Friend priming calculator methodology
reputable secondary · residual carbon dioxide temperature estimate · priming sugar calculation methodology · over-priming and sealed-package caution - BEU017 Brew Lab methodology contract
beu original · BEU unit conversion implementation · BEU calculator input guards · BEU route and result-state policy · BEU algebraic scaling and rearrangement