Cider on Nitro

[Restonbrewer]

I'm about to purchase a Nitrogen Regulator, used nitro tank and a stout faucet. As of right now I only have a cider and a 2xIPA (Plinian Legacy) on secondary.

I was thinking a creamy cider might be interesting? Anyone tired a nitro cider?

Also if I don't like it I was thinking all I have to do is purge it and put it back onto my CO2 system.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[drgonzo2k2]

Well, in order for nitro beers to be served properly you need to "carbonate" them with nitro as opposed to taking a normal beer in a keg (force carbonated with CO2) and hooking it up to a nitro setup. If you do that you're just going to get entire glasses of foam. I learned that the hard way my first go around with nitro.

So if your cider is already carbed up, it's not a good idea to hook it up to your new nitro setup.

If you completely de-carbed it (lots of shaking and venting) then you could probably re-carb with your nitro setup, but that seems like a really big hassle.

Also, keep in mind that a cider can't really hang on to a head like a beer can, and it fizzes out pretty quickly. I've not tried it, but I think with nitro that is going to be an even bigger concern.

I'd probably start with a fresh keg of cider and maybe only try a gallon or so the first time to see how it works out.

 

[cyberbackpacker]

Hate to disagree with drgonzo, but he is incorrect with regards to carbonation. If your cider is carved, he is correct, you cannot put it on your nitro as is; but you said it is in secondary.

If that is the case, you most certainly carb with co2-- it actually is the way to go. Carb it to about 1.0-1.2 volumes of CO2, and then when ready to serve, put it on nitro.

Unless you have a co2/nitro mixer (and most don't) there will be zero carb if you try to just use nitro (or argon).

As for the cider... Try it. If you don't like it, pull it off nitro, purge the keg with co2, and then leave on co2 to carb to your preferred levels.

 

[Restonbrewer]

Thank you both, yes my cider is still on secondary so I will take both your advice. I Will carb a gal of it to 1.2 in a 2.5 gal keg and see what happens.

 

[drgonzo2k2]

Oh, sorry, by "on" secondary I thought you meant on your second tap!

Regarding carbing, I think it depends on whether you're using pure nitrogen or beer gas. I personally use beer gas (75%/25% nitrogen/CO2) to serve both beer and wine from kegs.

Going that route you also want to carb up the kegs with your beer gas mix.

If you're using pure nitrogen, then cyberbackpacker is totally correct. You want to use CO2 to carb to low volumes and then serve with the nitro.

 

[Restonbrewer]

Yeah I am going to be using Beer gas, I have just started to read up on using Beer gas and a stout faucet. I have read conflicting things about carbing with the beer gas. Some say you can use CO2 then switch over to beer gas to dispense, however I have read that some of the Nitrogen does dissolve into the beer so I'm thinking that you would want to carb with the beer gas. I'm still researching not really sure...

 

[Paps]

Some say you can use CO2 then switch over to beer gas to dispense, ...

These people are correct.
I have both a regular CO2 set up and a beergas set uo (70-30 mix)
I'll carb at 12-15ish PSI on the straight CO2 for a few days then swap over to the nitr-beergas mix which is set to 40-PSI and pour immediatly
(i do the keg shake while hooking up to both,my gasses whistle sorta when i fill the kegs, YMMV)
I do this with both beers AND cider. Yes you do get the cascading head with the cider, yes it does give the mouthfeel a creamier texture,no it doesn't come out all foam with the cider, and as mentioned before the head retention is much less than a beer done this way.....Hope this helps you out.

 

[Restonbrewer]

These people are correct.
I have both a regular CO2 set up and a beergas set uo (70-30 mix)
I'll carb at 12-15ish PSI on the straight CO2 for a few days then swap over to the nitr-beergas mix which is set to 40-PSI and pour immediatly
(i do the keg shake while hooking up to both,my gasses whistle sorta when i fill the kegs, YMMV)
I do this with both beers AND cider. Yes you do get the cascading head with the cider, yes it does give the mouthfeel a creamier texture,no it doesn't come out all foam with the cider, and as mentioned before the head retention is much less than a beer done this way.....Hope this helps you out.

Thanks for the info Paps, I hadn't had any input yet on the actual taste of cider on Beergas. I'm excited!

 

[OlDirtyJohn]

Are you done with this yet? LOL. I had the same thought about trying out a cider on nitro. I am looking forward to hear about the results.

 

[Restonbrewer]

Are you done with this yet? LOL. I had the same thought about trying out a cider on nitro. I am looking forward to hear about the results.

Still waiting for my cider to settle. It is close though, I'm getting excited!

 

[1bottlerocket]

I have often wondered about this too. I even would like to try Rootbeer nitro.

 

[Restonbrewer]

I have often wondered about this too. I even would like to try Rootbeer nitro.

That sounds wonderful.

BTW just got this toy to dispense my cider with;

 

[1bottlerocket]

That looks cool! Who makes that?

 

[Restonbrewer]

That looks cool! Who makes that?

Thanks!
It's a Ukeg 64 by Growlerwerks.

 

[1bottlerocket]

What a great idea. They seem to be very popular too--everything is sold out!

 

[Restonbrewer]

What a great idea. They seem to be very popular too--everything is sold out!

Yeah I'm glad I got the second shipment though, the first was rife with quality control issues in the china manufacturing.

Only complaint is a very very slow dripping faucet that ended up being fixed with a $.15 new silicone gasket. The Chinese one had a nick in it.

I enjoy it for when company comes over and we sit out on the patio and I enjoy it for traveling with my home brew. It's smaller and easier to carry than my mini cooler and honestly I also like not having to get up.