So… I got a 20 lb cylinder of mixed gas for free! CO2 & Nitrogen. It was used for beer prior to me getting it.
Sweet score!
It’s the type of cylinder that has a “female” adapter on the tank and requires a “male” regulator. Exact opposite of the current CO2 set up I have all around.
Can I / Should I use this at home for my regular beers? Mostly, APA/IPA/Lagers/occasional stouts? Is there any difference in the gas itself for these type beers? Pretty sure this was used commercially for Guinness prior to me getting it.
I’m sure my Oatmeal Stout would be really nice with this gas but… I don’t drink that many stouts. It may take me years to go through what’s left in the tank.
I might be able to score the appropriate regulator for this but… if I can’t, I’m not sure I feel like popping $80 for a regulator for something I don’t drink that often.
Maybe I should just swap it for a regular CO2 tank at the “filling shop”?
You can use it to carbonate the beer, but it will have a different affect. I think you would want a nitrogen tap as well to make full use of the beer gas.
[quote=“Duder”]Great. Thanks for the responses and info.
Can I use this gas to carbonate as well as to “push” \ dispense?
I thought I read somewhere that this gas was not to be used for carbonating the beer.
Thanks again[/quote]
Some bars will use a nitrogen mix to push regular beers. If they have a long beer line, they can “up” the pressure to get the beer to the tap. But because nitrogen doesn’t go into solution, the beer doesn’t become over carbonated.
So you need to carbonate with straight CO2 or sugar. Then you can push it with the N mix.
Like I mentioned before, you can “carbonate” with the beer gas. The nitrogen doesn’t go into solution like the CO2 does. So the beer will be flat.
You could carbonate with CO2 like normal. And see if putting 30-40psi of beer gas mix pushing it changes the taste/texture of the beer. Of course, you will need to lengthen the line to compensate for the higher pressure or you will get a glass of foam.
[quote=“Nighthawk”]Like I mentioned before, you can “carbonate” with the beer gas. The nitrogen doesn’t go into solution like the CO2 does. So the beer will be flat.
You could carbonate with CO2 like normal. And see if putting 30-40psi of beer gas mix pushing it changes the taste/texture of the beer. Of course, you will need to lengthen the line to compensate for the higher pressure or you will get a glass of foam.[/quote]
I had a stout faucet and a nitro tank I just carbonated to a volume of around 1.5 with CO2 then put it on tap at around 30 psi using the same length hose about 6 ft that I always used never had a foam problem
[quote=“chuck”][quote=“Nighthawk”]Like I mentioned before, you can “carbonate” with the beer gas. The nitrogen doesn’t go into solution like the CO2 does. So the beer will be flat.
You could carbonate with CO2 like normal. And see if putting 30-40psi of beer gas mix pushing it changes the taste/texture of the beer. Of course, you will need to lengthen the line to compensate for the higher pressure or you will get a glass of foam.[/quote]
I had a stout faucet and a nitro tank I just carbonated to a volume of around 1.5 with CO2 then put it on tap at around 30 psi using the same length hose about 6 ft that I always used never had a foam problem[/quote]
Chuck taught me this a long time ago and it works great. It is also basically the standard procedure described in the Classic Beer Styles volume “Stout” (worth reading), although psi will change a bit depending on serving temp of your kegerator. I normally would start at 28 psi beer gas to dispense and adjust upwards a couple pounds if needed. I haven’t hooked up my nitro tap recently but it sounds like a good idea!
