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Nitrogen users unite


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#1 matt6150

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Posted 19 September 2017 - 03:48 PM

So I just picked up a Nitrogen tank. I have had a faucet and regulator for some time now but just never got around to getting a tank.  I will be using it primarily for coffee but will do beer as well. So do you guys carb as usual with CO2 and then serve it with Nitro, or carb it with Nitro as well? What sort of pressure?



#2 HVB

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Posted 19 September 2017 - 03:59 PM

I would carb as normal and serve with nitrogen mix at 30psi. Have not used it in a bit, need to brew up a Stout soon.

#3 Bklmt2000

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Posted 19 September 2017 - 04:03 PM

Matt, I normally carb lightly w/ straight CO2, and then switch over to beer gas.

 

Serving pressure w/ beer gas (i use a 3/1 ratio of N2/CO2) is at 30 psi.

 

A timely post, as my next batch next week is an export stout, to be served on nitro.



#4 matt6150

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Posted 19 September 2017 - 04:11 PM

This is a straight nitrogen tank if it makes any difference.



#5 Bklmt2000

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Posted 19 September 2017 - 04:18 PM

This is a straight nitrogen tank if it makes any difference.

 

Doesn't make a whole lot of difference.  The nitro will push the beer, and if you have enough CO2 in solution, that will get you the nice waterfall/cascade effect.

 

That said, you don't need a lot of CO2, so light carbonation before switching over to N2 will be the ticket.



#6 matt6150

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Posted 19 September 2017 - 06:29 PM

Ok, so maybe try carbing with CO2 half as long as I normally would?

#7 Bklmt2000

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Posted 19 September 2017 - 06:37 PM

Not a bad way to start. 

 

That said, I use beer gas (3/1 N2/CO2) rather than straight N2, so you might need to do some trial and error to find what works best for your system.  As the keg is emptied, a tank of beer gas will deliver 3 parts N2 to 1 part CO2, so that the carbonation in the keg, albeit light, is maintained until the keg is empty.

 

I might suggest a bit of poking around on the intertubez to see if others have pushed nitro beers w/ straight N2, and what their experiences were.



#8 matt6150

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Posted 25 September 2017 - 03:18 PM

So i kegged up my Porter and lightly carbed it with CO2. I now have it hooked up to the straight N2 tank sitting at 30psi. Do I need to let it sit now for a period of time and absorb N2? Or is it as good as it's going to get?



#9 DieselGopher

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Posted 25 September 2017 - 06:11 PM

It's there. N2 doesn't dissolve into the beer, it's just push it. I have all the stuff for my Nitro setup, I just need to assemble everything. Then, beer and mead on tap! :frank:

#10 Bklmt2000

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Posted 26 September 2017 - 01:38 PM

It's there. N2 doesn't dissolve into the beer, it's just push it. I have all the stuff for my Nitro setup, I just need to assemble everything. Then, beer and mead on tap! :frank:

 

This.  The N2 is so barely soluble in beer that it's considered to be effectively insoluble.

 

So long as the keg has no leaks, then the CO2 (and the N2) won't escape.

 

Pics of your work would be nice, too.  Just sayin'.  :D



#11 matt6150

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Posted 26 September 2017 - 06:42 PM

I will get a pic soon.



#12 neddles

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Posted 26 September 2017 - 06:56 PM

It's there. N2 doesn't dissolve into the beer, it's just push it. I have all the stuff for my Nitro setup, I just need to assemble everything. Then, beer and mead on tap! :frank:

 

 

This.  The N2 is so barely soluble in beer that it's considered to be effectively insoluble.

 

So long as the keg has no leaks, then the CO2 (and the N2) won't escape.

 

Pics of your work would be nice, too.  Just sayin'.  :D

I thought the N2 was dissolved but quickly came out of solution causing the cascade and creamy head, no?



#13 Bklmt2000

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Posted 27 September 2017 - 10:35 AM

I thought the N2 was dissolved but quickly came out of solution causing the cascade and creamy head, no?

 

No, the N2 doesn't dissolve; it's the low amount of CO2 being forced thru the restrictor disc in the faucet that creates the cascade/creamy head.



#14 neddles

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Posted 27 September 2017 - 10:38 AM

No, the N2 doesn't dissolve; it's the low amount of CO2 being forced thru the restrictor disc in the faucet that creates the cascade/creamy head.

 

Huh. News to me.



#15 matt6150

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Posted 27 September 2017 - 12:17 PM

No, the N2 doesn't dissolve; it's the low amount of CO2 being forced thru the restrictor disc in the faucet that creates the cascade/creamy head.

This is new territory to me but I'm not so sure about that. I kegged a batch of cold brew coffee and pushed it through with N2 and I get the same cascade/creamy head I do with beer. NO CO2 in the coffee.

#16 Bklmt2000

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Posted 27 September 2017 - 01:50 PM

This is new territory to me but I'm not so sure about that. I kegged a batch of cold brew coffee and pushed it through with N2 and I get the same cascade/creamy head I do with beer. NO CO2 in the coffee.

 

You know, after yet more searching online, I'm not so sure anymore either.  :blush:

 

BTW, has the porter been tapped yet?  and if so, how did it turn out?



#17 matt6150

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Posted 27 September 2017 - 04:25 PM

You know, after yet more searching online, I'm not so sure anymore either. :blush:

BTW, has the porter been tapped yet? and if so, how did it turn out?

Yes it has and it is delicious. Definitely roasty, but not over the top. I'll post pic in pint thread.

#18 BlKtRe

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Posted 28 September 2017 - 06:31 PM

Ive had great luck carbing and serving with beer gas. Carbing with c02 then serving with BG I could never get that good nitro pour we love so much. Instead the co2 would create to big of bubbles and never a nice cascade.

#19 Big Nake

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Posted 29 September 2017 - 04:52 PM

This is intriguing me. When I go to a place and they have something like Boddington's Pub Ale on tap, what's going on there? It has that NITRO-y cascade and the bubbles are very soft. I'm not really interested in getting into nitro but I would like to know how one carbs and serves it and whether the carb is made up of CO2 and nitro, CO2 only, etc.

#20 Bklmt2000

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Posted 29 September 2017 - 05:51 PM

This is intriguing me. When I go to a place and they have something like Boddington's Pub Ale on tap, what's going on there? It has that NITRO-y cascade and the bubbles are very soft. I'm not really interested in getting into nitro but I would like to know how one carbs and serves it and whether the carb is made up of CO2 and nitro, CO2 only, etc.

 

Most places that serve Guinness, Boddington's, etc., use a beer-gas mix of 3/1 N2/CO2.

 

Using beergas to push the beer, rather than straight N2, can help ensure the beer maintains a mix of N2/CO2 from beginning to end of keg.  However, some have found no difference in using straight N2 to push the beer vs. using beergas.

 

Matt might need to make some tweaks as he goes, depending on how his beer is doing, or he might've hit pay-dirt and is totally happy with what he has now (hopefully he's happy).

 

Carbing such a beer at home is usually done one of 2 ways: light carb with straight CO2, then to a beergas or straight N2 to push the beer, or (if using beer-gas), one could also just hook up the beer gas, let the keg sit a few days, and it will be carbonated enough to run through a stout faucet.

 

Many ways to attack this.




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