So when I started brewing I was lucky enough to have someone in the restaurant industry give me an extra Co2 tank for my setup. (probably saved me about $100+ for a deposit fee.) and it worked great, couldn't have been happier.
I got it refilled at a Liquor store no less for like $25... the guy just took the tank into the backroom filled it and came out. But he told me, "needs to be hydro-tested soon, so after the new year you'll need to get that done before I can fill it again."
So I went to Airgas the other day to have my Co2 tank exchanged for one that was Hydro tested, (because that's where the tank was from initially). The guy at the counter asked, "what do you use it for...? oh, homebrewing give the guy the 75/25 mix."
So now my beer doesn't seem to react to the carb pressure like it used to. I used to be able to carb my beer at like 30 pounds and then turn it down to 10-15 for pouring. Now I'm at 40 pounds and my beer is hardly getting carbonated at all.
I'm not complaining! Quite the contrary, my beer now has this great thick head, and I'm not fighting over-carbonating at all... I'm thinking the Liquor store gave me a higher percentage of Co2 and now that I have what the Airgas company knew would work better so I'm actually getting what I should have all along.
What are other brewers using out there to Keg with? And am I just crazy thinking I have a different percentage of Co2?
I know some brewers use Nitrous for Stouts and Porters, what are the percentages I should be looking for when I go back to get my keg refilled?
And final question, what do different styles of beer have to do with the affect of Co2? Does higher or lower gravity make a difference? Does alcohol content? I can't imagine that a beer under 8% (at the highest) is going to make it pour differently, would it?
I got it refilled at a Liquor store no less for like $25... the guy just took the tank into the backroom filled it and came out. But he told me, "needs to be hydro-tested soon, so after the new year you'll need to get that done before I can fill it again."
So I went to Airgas the other day to have my Co2 tank exchanged for one that was Hydro tested, (because that's where the tank was from initially). The guy at the counter asked, "what do you use it for...? oh, homebrewing give the guy the 75/25 mix."
So now my beer doesn't seem to react to the carb pressure like it used to. I used to be able to carb my beer at like 30 pounds and then turn it down to 10-15 for pouring. Now I'm at 40 pounds and my beer is hardly getting carbonated at all.
I'm not complaining! Quite the contrary, my beer now has this great thick head, and I'm not fighting over-carbonating at all... I'm thinking the Liquor store gave me a higher percentage of Co2 and now that I have what the Airgas company knew would work better so I'm actually getting what I should have all along.
What are other brewers using out there to Keg with? And am I just crazy thinking I have a different percentage of Co2?
I know some brewers use Nitrous for Stouts and Porters, what are the percentages I should be looking for when I go back to get my keg refilled?
And final question, what do different styles of beer have to do with the affect of Co2? Does higher or lower gravity make a difference? Does alcohol content? I can't imagine that a beer under 8% (at the highest) is going to make it pour differently, would it?