Guinness Head N2 or n2o

beer_master · Sep 12, 2009

Is it possible to use n2o in place of N2 for better head in Guinness like beers?
I guess so.I dont know much about chemistry ,but i was thinking maybe if add molecule of oxygen to N2 we end up with n2o,or maybe not?
Anyway,here is the link for n2o cartridges used for tap a draf.

http://http://209.85.129.132/search?q=cache:5T41aKmBK1UJ:www.beer-wine.com/product_info.asp%3FproductID%3D1575%26sectionID%3D1+n2o+beer&cd=3&hl=hr&ct=clnk&gl=hr&client=firefox-a

Vuarra · Sep 12, 2009

I think no, as CO2 dissolves 10 times better in water (or beer) than does nitrous oxide. You would have to pressurize the nitrous beyond what most containers for beer would be able to take.

If it work, good luck

Brooklyn-Brewtality · Sep 12, 2009

the tap-a-draft systems can use NO2 for stout guiness-style pours, not N2 or N20.

With the Tap-A-Draft, I used 1 CO2 cartridge and 1 NO2 cartridge for pouring stouts.

beer_master · Sep 12, 2009

Berserker_Brew said:
the tap-a-draft systems can use NO2 for stout guiness-style pours, not N2 or N20.

With the Tap-A-Draft, I used 1 CO2 cartridge and 1 NO2 cartridge for pouring stouts.

You sure its no2 since nitrogen dioxide is toxic?

beer_master · Sep 12, 2009

So i guess i can use it in combo with co2

Brooklyn-Brewtality · Sep 12, 2009

beer_master said:
You sure its no2 since nitrogen dioxide is toxic?

Sorry, that was my dyslexia kicking in. Yes, it is N20. sorry for the confusion.

Yuri_Rage · Sep 12, 2009

To understand the concept, read my posts in this thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/what-about-guinness-133649/

beer_master · Sep 13, 2009

Berserker_Brew said:
Sorry, that was my dyslexia kicking in. Yes, it is N20. sorry for the confusion.

NO problemo m8tie

z987k · Sep 13, 2009

lmfao!!!! N2O is nitrous oxide. As in the go juice for cars laughing gas and the street drug whipits. Please put N2O in you beer and put that **** on youtube!

N2 and CO2 is what is in the "nitro" pours. I believe it's a 75/25 mix.

Orfy · Sep 13, 2009

Also know as Pub Gas mix.
It needs different regs due to the higher pressure.

You can buy it ready mixed. Some bigger places mix it themselves.

Brooklyn-Brewtality · Sep 13, 2009

z987k said:
lmfao!!!! N2O is nitrous oxide. As in the go juice for cars laughing gas and the street drug whipits. Please put N2O in you beer and put that **** on youtube!

N2 and CO2 is what is in the "nitro" pours. I believe it's a 75/25 mix.

Hey, it's what they sell.

i only used tap a draft for a few months, but these are what i used for stout pours, and it clearly says N2O on the box:

Orfy · Sep 13, 2009

I do it by turning up the CO2, not quite has creamy but still good.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1awb17K94pA]YouTube - Stout Head[/ame]

z987k · Sep 13, 2009

Berserker_Brew said:
Hey, it's what they sell.

i only used tap a draft for a few months, but these are what i used for stout pours, and it clearly says N2O on the box:

you don't carbonate with it if you will though do you?

Vuarra · Sep 13, 2009

The reason why nitrous works with Whipped Cream is that it bonds to the fat molecules in the cream... last time I checked, beer has next to no fats in it (there would be an oil slick on the top if there were). Nitrous does not dissolve well in water, whereas carbon dioxide does. I would stick to nitrogen for smaller, creamier bubbles, but if you can't get that, then CO2 would work better.

Brooklyn-Brewtality · Sep 13, 2009

z987k said:
you don't carbonate with it if you will though do you?

no, with the tap a draft, use 1 co2, 1 nitrogen. you end up with low carbonation, and creamy head.

Yuri_Rage · Sep 13, 2009

Vuarra said:
The reason why nitrous works with Whipped Cream is that it bonds to the fat molecules in the cream... last time I checked, beer has next to no fats in it (there would be an oil slick on the top if there were). Nitrous does not dissolve well in water, whereas carbon dioxide does. I would stick to nitrogen for smaller, creamier bubbles, but if you can't get that, then CO2 would work better.

NO NO NO NO NO!!!

I hate being the one to quote myself, but this topic keeps cropping up, so:

Yuri_Rage said:
It's not about getting nitrogen into the beer...

A combination of low carbonation and high serving pressure through a diffuser plate produces the effect. Nitrogen is used to achieve the high serving pressure because it's approximately 100 times less water soluble than carbon dioxide. At serving pressures, nitrogen alone will never produce an effervescent effect in water (or water based) liquids.

So, here's how it goes:
The beer is carbonated with carbon dioxide to a low level (around 1.0 volume). Then it's served with nitrogen achieve a high pressure (30-40 psi) pour without the risk of overcarbonation.

Yuri_Rage · Sep 13, 2009

I just read some information that leads me to believe that N2O is not very ideal for dispensing beer through a stout faucet. N2O is about 75% as soluble as CO2 in water. Therefore, you'd have a stout that is rather effervescent with N2O. That may present an inhalation hazard.

See these links:

Nitrous Oxide
Carbon Dioxide Microscale Gas Chemistry Experiments

z987k · Sep 13, 2009

Yuri_Rage said:
I just read some information that leads me to believe that N2O is not very ideal for dispensing beer through a stout faucet. N2O is about 75% as soluble as CO2 in water. Therefore, you'd have a stout that is rather effervescent with N2O. That may present an inhalation hazard.

See these links:

Nitrous Oxide
Carbon Dioxide Microscale Gas Chemistry Experiments

That's why I was saying I want to see that on youtube.

SMOKEU · Sep 13, 2009

Berserker_Brew said:
Hey, it's what they sell.

i only used tap a draft for a few months, but these are what i used for stout pours, and it clearly says N2O on the box:

You guys are lucky that you can get nitrous oxide so easily, it's illegal to sell it in shops in NZ.

cellardoor · Sep 13, 2009

SMOKEU said:
You guys are lucky that you can get nitrous oxide so easily, it's illegal to sell it in shops in NZ.

You can legally distill. We'll call it even.

Jsamp · Sep 13, 2009

SMOKEU said:
You guys are lucky that you can get nitrous oxide so easily, it's illegal to sell it in shops in NZ.

The only place around here is to get n2o is at a porn store. I guess some people like really fresh whip cream lol. Its obvious what they sell it for because you can get the crackers and ballons there to.

z987k · Sep 14, 2009

SMOKEU said:
You guys are lucky that you can get nitrous oxide so easily, it's illegal to sell it in shops in NZ.

The big tanks for cars have some kind of a deterrent in them. I don't know if it's a bitterant like in aerosols, but they do something. I would think they couldn't do that for whipped cream though.

beer_master · Sep 14, 2009

z987k said:
you don't carbonate with it if you will though do you?

Lmao Its combined with co2 cartridge
I also use it for whip cream,

Berserker_Brew said:
Hey, it's what they sell.

i only used tap a draft for a few months, but these are what i used for stout pours, and it clearly says N2O on the box:

Yes its used for stout pours with tap-a-draft system in combo with co2 ,ill make smilar tap-a-draft system, with mini pressure barrel

ianmatth · Jul 1, 2014

Any idea how to get the current Tap-A_draft regulator to pop an 8g N2O cartride? I read in some threads that the Tap-A-Draft could take 8g N2O cartridges, so I ordered a box of 24, however it seems the out on the 8g cartridges is too short even if I push them up into the regulator. All it seems to do is scrape the paint off the 8g cartiridge, it doesn't pop it all.

Guinness Head N2 or n2o

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