Flat stout on nitro

[FlaDawg]

I am trying to turn my guinness kegerator into a homebrew set up. I carbed as usual but forgot to take the stout off co2 for 2 weeks.. I've been venting the keg for a a week but the stout still comes out with no creaminess from the beer gas. Did i mess up the beer for good or is there hope for me?

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

Have you left the keg out at room temp, or is it still in the fridge?

 

[JuanMoore]

What pressure are you serving it at? Why are you venting it? What do you mean by "carbed as usual"?

 

[FlaDawg]

The keg is still in the fridge, i carbed at 10 psi for 2 weeks. I was going to carb for 2days on co2 before switching to the beer gas. I've never done a stout on beer gas i always got a keg of guinness and hooked it up and it was good to go.

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

It will take forever to get all the CO2 out if it's still cold. Take it out of the fridge, and keep bleeding it. It should go flat in a couple of days.

The beer should be almost flat before getting tapped, but served on beer gas at high pressure. That's the magic.

 

[FlaDawg]

Allright i'll take it out and bleed it. I served the guinness at 35 psi on beer gas would i serve this on the same thing?

 

[JuanMoore]

FWIW Guinness is carbed to 1.2 vol, so that's the carb level you should shoot for if you want to maintain the same serving pressure, etc that worked for your Guinness kegs. What temp was it at when you carbed for 2 weeks at 10psi? If you're not getting a lot of foam, it's possible that you bled off too much gas, and it's now undercarbonated.

And yes, you should be using ~25-40 psi to serve it.

 

[skibumdc]

FYI, most people that nitro tap use beer-gas which is actually (75% nitro/25% co2)
If you used beer-gas @ 10psi it would equate to 2psi of carbonation.
That's why beers on nitrotap are served at 35-40psi

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

+1 to what JuanMoore said. He's right on the money.

 

[JuanMoore]

FYI, most people that nitro tap use beer-gas which is actually (75% nitro/25% co2)
If you used beer-gas @ 10psi it would equate to 2psi of carbonation.
That's why beers on nitrotap are served at 35-40psi

This phrase led me to believe they used CO2-

I carbed as usual but forgot to take the stout off co2 for 2 weeks.

but if you're right and they used beer gas, then it's most certainly undercarbed.

 

[FlaDawg]

I tried to carb on co2 then i was going to switch to the beer after 2 days on the co2. I forgot to take it off co2, It was on co2 for 2 weeks thats why i believe it is over carbed. I didn't think you could just put it on beer gas and it would carb up enough.

 

[JuanMoore]

I tried to carb on co2 then i was going to switch to the beer after 2 days on the co2. I forgot to take it off co2, It was on co2 for 2 weeks thats why i believe it is over carbed. I didn't think you could just put it on beer gas and it would carb up enough.

It will carb up eventually on beer gas, but it takes forever. That's why most people carb with CO2 and just use the beergas to serve.

Once again, what was the temp when you carbed it? Are you getting a lot of foam when you pour?

 

[FlaDawg]

I'm getting about 1/2 inch of foam but it is real thin foam, the beer tastes good but no guinness creaminess or any cascade. I carbed at about 38 degrees.

 

[JuanMoore]

And you're serving at 35 psi?

 

[FlaDawg]

Yes, i even tried 25 and 45 still the same thing.

 

[JuanMoore]

If you're only getting 1/2" of foam and no cascade at 45 psi, my guess is that it's undercarbed. The sweet spot seems to be 1.0-1.8 vol for nitro.

 

[beergolf]

Here is what I do and it works every time. I carb it at 6-8 lbs with CO2 for a couple of weeks. Then switch to beergas at 35 lbs. Nice pour and good cascade that forms a beautiful head.

 

[FlaDawg]

Allright i'll put back on the co2 at 6lbs and let it sit for a couple of weeks.