Expert: Keith Patton - 9/6/2008

Question
I was wondering is there a way to force carbonate beer in the bottle or something that will do it just before filling the bottle.  I would prefer not to have to buy the Kegging equipment.
thanks

Answer
The only way to do it without kegging is to bottle condition the beer.

This is a basic concept of home brewing. After the beer is fermented out and clarified, you siphon it to a clean container and for a 5 galon batch mix in 3/4 cup of corn sugar.  I mix mine with a bit of water and and boil it first then let it cool before adding it.  It is mixed well into the beer then the beer is bottled.

The remaining yeast will ferment the sugar in the bottle and carbonate the beer after a week or two.  The amount of sugar can be varied depending on the beer style and level of carbonation desired.
Be sure the bottles are clean and that normal sanitation measures are taken.  

Most bottle grenades or exploding bottles are due to bacterial contamination and not to over priming.  They can be pretty forceful.  I had a 16 oz bottle detonate and it only had yeast starting solution in it.  It shattered my back door storm door window from about 4 feet away! No kidding.  I had set it outside after another bottle in the same batch blew up in my kitchen.  I have to assume that bacteria caused it because I had not added yeast to the starter.