CO2-nitrogen question

[Teewinot]

I wasn't sure whether to put this in the bottling/kegging area, but since I'm a beginner, I decided to put it here.

My first question is why do we need nitrogen for stout when using a "stout" faucet (nitrogen faucet?)?

My second question, is how would it affect my other beers (non-stouts) if I were to use a CO2-nitrogen mix for them.

I guess to sum it up, is there a way to use one gas container and dispense high-quality stouts and IPA's for instance?

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

For Dispensing. Yes. For Carbing. No.

 

[cglkaptc]

ditto

 

[paranode]

Stout faucets have a restrictor plate in them which is designed to push the gas through small holes and create lots of "fizz". The actual gas used for this is commonly called "beer gas" and it is usually 75% N2 and 25% CO2. It is not good for carbing because nitrogen does not absorb much into beer so you would be trying to carb with a fourth as much CO2. Usually, people carb their beer with pure CO2 to a low volume and then you hook up the beer gas to dispense it. The beer gas would be run at a higher pressure like 30psi through the restrictor plate in the stout faucet; then you get a creamy head as seen in Guinness draught.

So basically, you need CO2 to carb it and then beer gas/stout faucet/nitrogen regulator (meaning second tank) to serve it. If you try to use straight CO2 with a stout faucet you will just get a glass of foam because all that CO2 just goes straight into the beer.