Beer Gas

[DutchK9]

Can you hook up a nitrogen tank and a CO2 tank with a "T" and adjust the valves for a 30/70 % mix to make beer gas? Or does it have to come pre-mixed?

 

[wildwest450]

Can you hook up a nitrogen tank and a CO2 tank with a "T" and adjust the valves for a 30/70 % mix to make beer gas? Or does it have to come pre-mixed?

I don't see anyway to make that work properly, id just buy it mixed.

 

[Fingers]

If you have the two tanks at different pressures, you'd push gas from the higher pressure tank into the lower. If you use check valves, the lower pressure tank would contribute nothing to the keg. You'd have to somehow regulate flow at exactly equal pressure. I'm sure there are devices that can do that, but they'll cost a lot more than a tank of beer gas and a normal regulator.

 

[DutchK9]

What kind of place sells the mixed gas? I don't have any LHBS other than Friar Tuck where I live.

 

[Fingers]

You should put your location in your profile so we know where you're from. Me, I'm in Canada so any advice I can give you about locations would be specific to my location. Generally, I know that there's a large welding supply place that sells beer gas in addition to the traditional welding gases. You could just call around and see if anyone has some.

 

[EdWort]

Airgas.com - Gas, Welding, Safety Supply sells it and you can get get it in a bottle that will use your current CO2 regulator. I swapped my tank out today for about $18. It looks like the size of a 5# CO2 cylinder.

 

[DutchK9]

Thanks guys.

 

[bmckee56]

So what exactly is "beer gas"? At first I thought it was something best left to the imagination, but I suppose it's not.

Salute!

 

[EdWort]

So what exactly is "beer gas"? At first I thought it was something best left to the imagination, but I suppose it's not.

Beergas is a special mixture of nitrogen and CO2 designed to correctly carbonate beer without excessive foam. The reduced CO2 content of the gas maintains the perfect carbonation level as the nitrogen pushes the beer from keg to tap. By controlling the carbonation level, beergas greatly reduces foam at the tap. The result: a perfect glass of beer with a creamy head and no wasted foam. Cheers!

It usually is 25% CO2 and 75% Nitrogen. It's used for Nitro pours for Stouts and pushing beer through long lines without over carbonating.

 

[smashed4]

Here's the device you are looking for:

Hard set for a 40/60 mix:
Beer Gas Blender for CO2, Nitrogen

Can do both 40/60 and 25/75 mix:
Beer Gas Blender for CO2, Nitrogen (Double)

You will need to mix a lot of gas before it becomes cost effective

 

[DutchK9]

Here's the device you are looking for:

Hard set for a 40/60 mix:
Beer Gas Blender for CO2, Nitrogen

Can do both 40/60 and 25/75 mix:
Beer Gas Blender for CO2, Nitrogen (Double)

You will need to mix a lot of gas before it becomes cost effective

That's a little out of my league, but thanks anyway.

I checked around town and only one place sells it, but it is the big tank that holds about 50lbs of gas. They want $300 for the gas and deposit on the canister.
My cousins are in the steel business, so I asked one of them to check where they get their gas to see if it can be bought and in a smaller tank.

 

[DutchK9]

Airgas.com - Gas, Welding, Safety Supply sells it and you can get get it in a bottle that will use your current CO2 regulator. I swapped my tank out today for about $18. It looks like the size of a 5# CO2 cylinder.

EdWort this is the place that gave me the $300 quote. They told me they don't fill the gas themselves, so I could only get a large tank because they get it from somewhere around St. Louis.

 

[EdWort]

EdWort this is the place that gave me the $300 quote. They told me they don't fill the gas themselves, so I could only get a large tank because they get it from somewhere around St. Louis.

Bummer. I bought my tank used from a guy who got out of brewing when his wife turned tea totaller. Airgas in Austin swapped it for full one for $18.00.

Each place must do their own thing.

 

[DutchK9]

Apparently they are company owned, but ran independently by different managers. I called the one is Decatur Illinois which is 35 miles from me, and they told me they can get the smaller tanks. He told me I can buy the tank for $115, and he would fill it for free. Then any refills would be $30.
I told him to hold his last tank for me and I will drive over there on Friday to get it.

Thanks again.

 

[DutchK9]

I got my bottle of beer gas today, and ordered a regulator. It is a 60lb tank, but is slightly bigger than my 5lb CO2 tank. I am assuming Nitrogen is heavier than CO2? Will it last about the same amount of time?

For a stout, is the correct pressure on beer gas 30psi? And does hose length effect it like CO2? I am rebuilding a tower, so I want to make sure I put the correct hose length on it.