Quote Originally Posted by cudahogs View Post
...or like a $100 beer! I will do that.
I hear that the high alcohol content prevent any carbonation. Is this true?
-Fred
when you use a second fermentation to create the carbonation this would absolutely be true! Most yeast strains can not survive in an atmosphere that is beyond 14 to 15% alcohol. An experienced brewer can coax a little more alcohol out of the yeast, say 16 to 18% but by this time there won't be anything left for the poor yeast to give, except ofcourse their little brewing souls! For saki, the Japanese use special strains of yeast and a bacteria laden rice product called Koji which work together to create 18 to 22% alcohol! Now if they use nitrogen or co2 then I imagine that it could be carbonated, but I dont understand the nature of these gases as well as I understand the nature of yeast!!
to answer your question, no, as I remember it was not carbonated.
For your information 48 proof by U.S. standards equates to 24% alcohol.