Nitrogen or co2 for a Stout

Im getting a keg system soon and want to have a stout on tap but i just saw that guiness uses nitrogen to get a nice foamy head which i want. Do i just replace the co2 with a nitrogen tank? or is it a bit more complicated? i just wanna know what i need to get to have stout on tap or even if just co2 works fine thanks

Nitrogen requires a different type of regulator as the threads on nitrogen tanks are female as opposed to male. Also nitrogen is stored at much higher pressures. In addition, I believe you also need a stout tap with a restrictor disc. Dispensing on nitro winds up being fairly expensive. On the order of $100 more than a comparable CO2 setup.
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/kegging/draft-systems/nitro-keg-system.html

+1. You'll need a little extra equipment. It's almost like having two seperate keg setups when you're done. I have, however, seen creamer taps. I'm not sure how well they work though. They might get you a creamy head, but they won't help make the beer feel thick like guiness.

Okay so I have shown a bit of my ignorance. Apparently you don't need a special regulator, just this adapter. Although I do believe you need at stout tap in order to get the correct pour. So if you have everything for CO2 $100 more plus whatever tank rent costs at your local welding supply store, gets you into nitro.

Ok as I recently got this set up I will chime in.

1. In order to force carb a keg it is still reccomended that you use straight CO2. You can however naturaly carb in the keg, or you can use the Beer Gas tank it will just take awhile. So realistically you need both a CO2 tank and a Beer Gas tank.

2. You would be asking for and using Beer Gas. Not Nitro, N2O, NO2, or straight N. Beer gas is a mix of N and CO2, the mix I have is 70% CO2 and 30% N. So your beer is still carbed with CO2, the N just makes it so you can serve at a higher PSI. Beer Gas at 30PSI will carbonate like straigth CO2 at 10 PSI.

3. There are two reasons to use Beer Gas. The first is you have really long lines and need to use a high pressure to deliver your beer and not over carbonate. The second is you want to use a stout faucet that has a restrictor plate. This plate whippes the beer into that creamy head and knockes most of the carbonation out. The origional intent is to replicate beer served through a Beer Engine with a sparkeler, but not have to deal with cask/real ales.

4. I use a regulator with an adaptor for my Beer Gas and use the same for my CO2. However my regulator is rated for CO2, N, and Air. The high pressure side needs to go up to at least 2000 PSI.

So if you are looking to get a Beer Gas set up the cheapest way I have found and what I have done is the following:

Kegorator
Stout Faucet with removable restritor plate.
CO2 Tank
Beer Gas Tank
Regulator that can handle both CO2 and Beer Gas
Adapter for CO2 to Beer Gas.

I am able to serve beer either on Beer Gas or CO2 this way.

Where I exchange they will take a CO2 tank and give you a Beer Gas tank. Sometimes I recive a CO2 tank that has been fitted with a different adapter changing it into a Beer Gas fitting. I then take their adapter off and use my CO2 regulator with out needing my Beer Gas adapter. Another thing to note is that at the place I exchange CO2 cost $10 and Beer Gas cost $24 both for 5 LB tanks. The Beer Gas will also not last for nearly as many kegs, because you are using a higher PSI and not as much product can be put in the same size tank.

I'm going to agree with Mitch but also add that there are other gases you can use.
Yuri uses straight argon for dispensing after getting the desired carb level on straight co2, and says he has no loss of carb over a 3 week period. Also there have been sightings of Guinness being served on straight nitrogen at events. So apparently you could use straight nitrogen or argon for dispensing, at least on the short term.
I use beergas, I get it at a local Airgas shop, but they (one location in my area only) do fills for this gas on a friday (thursday drop off) since it is not a normal gas they blend. They also fill it in my co2 valved cylinder, which is convenient for me.
75/25 argon/co2 is a common welding blend and I suppose that would work as well.
Once you have it dialed in, it's very nice.

Agreed except it is Nitrogen not Nitrogen Dioxide.

What is the advantage of Argon over Nitrogen? Just curious, I know we just a can of Argon to preserve wine when we close up at the NYWCC. I also sometimes give a shot of my Beer Gas to wine at home if I don't plan on finishing it within a day or two.

mitch171 said:

Agreed except it is Nitrogen not Nitrogen Dioxide.

What is the advantage of Argon over Nitrogen?

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None really. It's just a common MIG mix that the welding shops will usually have in small bottles for home MIG users. (I've got one)

so can i get a Co2 that also runs the beer gas as well as support 2 kegs like if i wanted to run a stout and an ale at the same time could i do that? Im guessing i could only run either the beer gas to 2 kegs or the co2 to 2 kegs

You would need two tanks and two complete regulators to run a beer of each. You can use the one reg to run two beers on the same type of gas.

Correct. You'd have to connect each style by itself. By the way...a stout is an ale. I'm sure you knew that...I just wanted to point it out.

okay so what iu think i should do is just get a decent regulator and all other components for a co2 keg system then after im ready to do a stout just but the beer gas capable regulator and beer gas tank does this sound right?

Steven4est said:

okay so what iu think i should do is just get a decent regulator and all other components for a co2 keg system then after im ready to do a stout just but the beer gas capable regulator and beer gas tank does this sound right?

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You will need a Stout faucet too.

If you don't get a seperate tank I would get two stouts ready and keg them force pressurize them. Then go back to whatever other beers you are doing. Once your CO2 tank is empty exchange it for a Beer Gas tank and use that to serve your two stouts. I am almost through one keg and I am about 1/3 empty on my Beer Gas tank. So at the point you have finished the two stouts you wouldn't be wasting all that much to go and get an exchange for a CO2 again.

And yes you will need a stout faucet to make the creamy head.

Another way you can go in the mean time is with a Perlick creamer faucet. Not all stouts are on Beer Gas. This faucet is used with CO2 and you can push back to get some nice cream. It won't be the same, but will be less of a hassle until you can get a second tank and stout faucet.