Stout tap and beergas question

Hey Guys,
Last Sunday (Dec. 17) I kegged my first AG stout. Then on Friday (Dec 22) I put that Stout on beergas and hooked it up to a Guiness style stout tap.

My problem is that even today (Dec 27) I still have none of the nitrogen type effect on the beer. What i mean is that its still flat and the beer has no head. I've even had it on 20psi the last couple of days to try and force "carb" it.

This is my first experience with this setup and I was wondering if there are any tricks or suggestions you all might have.

Thanks,
Ian

ian said:

Hey Guys,
Last Sunday (Dec. 17) I kegged my first AG stout. Then on Friday (Dec 22) I put that Stout on beergas and hooked it up to a Guiness style stout tap.

My problem is that even today (Dec 27) I still have none of the nitrogen type effect on the beer. What i mean is that its still flat and the beer has no head. I've even had it on 20psi the last couple of days to try and force "carb" it.

This is my first experience with this setup and I was wondering if there are any tricks or suggestions you all might have.

Thanks,
Ian

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Are you using a stout tap? If not, you're wasting your time.

It's not the nitrogen that causes the fine head on stouts. Nitrogen isn't very soluble into beer, so cranking up the pressure is not very helpful.

Stouts get their fine head from the taps they are served to. They contain a restrictor plate that 'churns up' the beer inside it before it is dispensed. This churning results in what CO2 in the solution to be released into the fine creamy head you are looking for. The restrictor plate is the reason why you use a nitrogen/CO2 mix. Stouts are very lightly carbed, but if you crank up straight CO2 to the pressure needed to get the beer through the stout tap, it will be WWWAAAYYY overcarbed and you would get nothing but a glass of foam.

Your pressure is too low... nitro beers are typically served around 32-34 psi. I initially pressurize mine to the upper 30's, shake it well, re-pressurize, and let it sit a day or two. Serving pressure is generally around 32 psi but it depends on the FG of the beer, keg temp, line length, restrictor plate size, etc.

Bikebryan, yes it is a Guiness style stout tap.

Nate, thanks I didn't know about the pressure. I'll crank it up. Hopefully that solves it!

also, if you are carbing with the beergas, i've heard that it carbs up faster/better with a diffusion stone. diffusion stones are good to have in general for many purposes...

Just as an update, upping the pressure seems to have worked like a charm.

But, now I have another question. This beer has a tart, "green" taste to it. I've encountered this before in other brews of mine and have chalked it up to a slight lactobacillus(sp) infection. Does anyone think that this might be an accurate diagnosis or should I just shut up and wait a couple weeks for "greeness" to go away?

ian said:

Just as an update, upping the pressure seems to have worked like a charm.

But, now I have another question. This beer has a tart, "green" taste to it. I've encountered this before in other brews of mine and have chalked it up to a slight lactobacillus(sp) infection. Does anyone think that this might be an accurate diagnosis or should I just shut up and wait a couple weeks for "greeness" to go away?

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So, your beer taste like a sweaty goat?

Sorry, never tasted a sweaty goat before.

that should be part of your research for next month.

just wait it out and see, never do anything rash with beer, as it usually turns out 'ok'. (there will always be the infection here and there, but not very often)

The whole point of nitro is to allow the use of much higher pressures but still control the foaming. Control being the stout tap's purpose. There is a very finely perforated plate in the tap which will generate the creamy head, but it takes high pressures to push the stout through the plate. If you used enough pressure with just CO2, the head would never settle.

Stouts, porters, some/most bocks and other dark beers take time to age. Be patient and don't jump the gun on dark beers. If you do have an infection, you will know. Your beer will taste sour or tart. It could also just be you don't have your gas mixed quite right. The nitro will give you a slight "twang" if it's to high.

I love watching peoples faces when they drink a nitro pushed stout for the first time - priceless.

And don't try to make it match a co2 pushed beer either, that would be a mistake. I think your stout is just young - quite young all things considered.