CO2 Refills in Baltimore Area

Hi,

I'm a new brewer and I'm looking to keg up my first batch of beer in another week or so and I don't know where to go to get a CO2 tank filled.

Roberts Oxygen will do tank exchanges, but not refills.

Dicks 'might' do it, but the guy (kid) on the phone there really seemed confused by the concept of using CO2 for anything other than paintball and couldn't manage to quote a price filling a 10lb tank. He was "pretty sure the connections won't fit", which I don't think is correct, but still, if they can't/won't fill anything other than a tiny paintball tank then I'm out of luck there.

Where do all the Baltimore folks go for CO2? Preferably some place to the north of the city (I live off 83) but I'll drive a ways if I must.

Thanks

Check welding shops and beer distributors. Paintball co2 may contain oils. That's the rumor.

If you can drive a bit, there's a place called Annapolis Homebrew supply which is located in Severna Park. Not too far depending on where in Baltimore you are talking about and they do fill CO2 tanks.

There's also a LHBS somewhere in Ellicott City, but not sure what the name is.

I haven't had a chance to go there yet, but apparently Harford Beverage is the place to go in Northern Baltimore. Over the phone they said that they were open 10am to midnight, seven days a week (they're attached to a bar called Racers Cafe so they can sell on Sunday). A filling a 10lb tank should be about $14.

I'll post again once I've gone there and checked it out.

Odinbrewer said:

I haven't had a chance to go there yet, but apparently Harford Beverage is the place to go in Northern Baltimore. Over the phone they said that they were open 10am to midnight, seven days a week (they're attached to a bar called Racers Cafe so they can sell on Sunday). A filling a 10lb tank should be about $14.

I'll post again once I've gone there and checked it out.

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I use roberts oxygen and just do the tank exchanges.

I did get it filled once at a paintball shop with no issues.

Also I didnt know if you knew or not but there is a homebrew shop in baldwin, md.....thats probably the closest one to you.

thirstybrewer.com

Laurel Bottled Gas will fill your CO2 tank.
Fair warning: the guy that works there (or did the last time I went) is not the friendliest person in the world. Be VERY sure to tell him it's a refill; and he will give you an almost EXACT calculation for the number of days your tank expires (and then he WON"T refill it, yadda yadda yadda).

X2 on Roberts Oxygen. They traded me a new and shiny aluminum tank for my old and rusty steel tank.

Harford Beverage Co. Does exchanges.
I use paint ball tanks and have had no issues, I can get them filled at 8pm on a Friday if needed at the Sports Authority in White Marsh.

nvrlateinz28 said:

Also I didnt know if you knew or not but there is a homebrew shop in baldwin, md.....thats probably the closest one to you.

thirstybrewer.com

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I didn't know that, thank you. I thought that Maryland Homebrew was the closest, and that's a pretty good schlep for me.

Odinbrewer said:

I didn't know that, thank you. I thought that Maryland Homebrew was the closest, and that's a pretty good schlep for me.

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Yeah Maryland Homebrew is awesome and I have never been to the thirsty brewer but it is probably worth a look

Actually If you go there post in here and tell everyone how it is

nvrlateinz28 said:

Yeah Maryland Homebrew is awesome and I have never been to the thirsty brewer but it is probably worth a look

Actually If you go there post in here and tell everyone how it is

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MD homebrew in Columbia is great. I didn't know that they filled CO2 tanks though. Do they do it onsite while you wait?

I use Laurel Bottled Gas. I think the guys there are very nice. I fill my propane there as well.

Thirtsy Brewer is a great shop. Tom, the owner, is realyl knowledgeable and like to talk shop.

It's not as big as MDHB. It's in the basement under a liquor store. But Tom is great to work with. He's trying to find me replacement posts for my two 10 gallon antique cornys.

But I'm not sure if he does Co2 refills. I'll have to check.

JetSmooth said:

Thirtsy Brewer is a great shop. Tom, the owner, is realyl knowledgeable and like to talk shop.

It's not as big as MDHB. It's in the basement under a liquor store. But Tom is great to work with. He's trying to find me replacement posts for my two 10 gallon antique cornys.

But I'm not sure if he does Co2 refills. I'll have to check.

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+1
But no Co2 unless he just started.

Slipgate said:

MD homebrew in Columbia is great. I didn't know that they filled CO2 tanks though. Do they do it onsite while you wait?

I use Laurel Bottled Gas. I think the guys there are very nice. I fill my propane there as well.

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A little LTTP, but MDHB does not fill CO2 tanks. They'll send you to Laurel Bottled Gas.

The guy at Laurel Bottled Gas was a real hardon when I dealt with him. I had to have one of my tanks tested and he had to send it somewhere to have it done. It took about a month and a half and when I called him about it I must have interrupted his nap or something because he was really rude. Next time I'm just going to do the tank exchange at Roberts.

Maryland Homebrew rocks, by the way!!!

Covert said:

The guy at Laurel Bottled Gas was a real hardon when I dealt with him. I had to have one of my tanks tested and he had to send it somewhere to have it done. It took about a month and a half and when I called him about it I must have interrupted his nap or something because he was really rude. Next time I'm just going to do the tank exchange at Roberts.

Maryland Homebrew rocks, by the way!!!

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They didn't seem real excited to fill my bottle and gave me a hard time about not having a sticker on it.

MDHB is great! I just wish they'd come down on the price of their kegs a bit. Seems a tad high!

I'm late to this one, but anyway: Weld World in Curtis Bay gives me better prices than Robert's. They do refills, not exchanges, but I prefer it that way. If you go in when they aren't busy they'll just refill while you wait, takes five or ten minutes.

I've never taken longer than 5 minutes to get it done at Laurel bottled gas. Oh, and treat them like the soup nazi, put your tank down by the first opened door (NEVER bring it into the office, you'll be banned! "No CO2 for you! You banned! 2 years!"), go into the office, state "please fill my CO2 tank outside". Then move 2 steps to the right and pay.

CO2 nazi!

Slipgate said:

I've never taken longer than 5 minutes to get it done at Laurel bottled gas. Oh, and treat them like the soup nazi, put your tank down by the first opened door (NEVER bring it into the office, you'll be banned! "No CO2 for you! You banned! 2 years!"), go into the office, state "please fill my CO2 tank outside". Then move 2 steps to the right and pay.

CO2 nazi!

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I'll definitely try that next time!

Harford Beverage just swapped out my 5# tank for $12.95. It is certainly the closest and most convenient option for anyone living in the city.

imjimsmith said:

Harford Beverage just swapped out my 5# tank for $12.95. It is certainly the closest and most convenient option for anyone living in the city.

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That is $9 cheaper than Roberts Oxygen! Does Harford Beverage care if the tank came from Roberts?

FYI... Nepethene Homebrewing in Baltimore (Meadow Mill building in Hampden/Woodberry) does tank exchanges for $22.

dlyford said:

That is $9 cheaper than Roberts Oxygen! Does Harford Beverage care if the tank came from Roberts?

FYI... Nepethene Homebrewing in Baltimore (Meadow Mill building in Hampden/Woodberry) does tank exchanges for $22.

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They took my used tank that I bought five years ago without any questions. The one I got in return was not quite as shiny, but seems to hold the gas just fine which is all I really care about. They don't sell tanks there, just exchanges.

I don't brew, but have had a kegerator for my Yuengling habit over 12 years now (same kegerator all that time, some new bits and pieces). The faucet and line lasted that full time (probably should have done the line long ago, but it never tasted bad).

I've always used Fireline Inc off the Baltimore Beltway on Hollins Ferry. They are always very nice, they refill and test tanks when needed. Refill while you wait, the test took only a few days. Refills have gotten more expensive since I started there, approaching $20 now. Their company has really grown one the time I've used them--lots more trucks all brand new. I see 'em on the road all the time.

Here's why I joined the forum: Anyone know if that's safe for beverage use? I wouldn't see why not, but Google is silent on the matter. I've mentioned to them a bunch of times what it's for and they haven't said anything negative.

For beer I'm less concerned, but I've recently started carbonating with it as well.

PS: Carbonation: I'm really sorry I hadn't seen this: I really like the tire chuck idea and how the bottle just keeps all that pressure until drinking time.

If you don't mind driving to Westminster...(we live in Eldersburg, wifey gets up to Westminster a lot for some big box stores, so more convienent for us)

Westminster Fire Extinguisher:
150 Airport Drive, Unit 10, Westminster, MD 21157

Filled my 10# tank for $12.95. First time we went, my wife took it in, they filled in in 10min while she waited. Hydrostatic testing, don't know how much that costs, and isn't while you wait - next day kind of thing, they said. But for the fill, seemed a good price - better than what I was paying in Tucson.