Kegging & serving stout on nitro

[Sean_SA]

Hi all

I want to start kegging my stout and serving it on nitro.

Would someone be able to break down exactly what I need to do to be able to do this. From the moment that you've racked the beer into the keg to the moment that it is served on tap.

Thanks guys

 

[Transamguy77]

Do you already keg or is this your first time? I just started using a nitro set up myself and it’s pretty much the same as regular kegging except your pressure is significantly higher.

Right after kegging I force carb with CO2 at 30 psi for 24-48 hours and then release the pressure and then switch to Nitro and currently have it set to 35 psi.

 

[JugDog]

On my nitro setup, once the keg is filled and purged I set the reg to 30 and walk away. It takes about 2 weeks (sometimes more)to get a good pour. I’ve tried the co2 first thing which I think most people do but in my opinion it doesn’t make much of a difference. Maybe it’s quicker.

I keep it at about 25-30 for serving too. And adjust as needed as the keg empties

this is my keep it simple method

 

[Dr_Jeff]

You want the beer to carbed to about 1.2 volumes, roughly half of what beer is normally served at 2.4 volumes. This can be done by using co2, and force carbing, the set and wait method or naturally using less sugar and waiting the time it takes for that to happen. I use the natural method, as I have plenty of kegs and plenty of time, and plenty of beer. You decide which direction you want to go.
Then hook it up to beer gas 70/30 nitro/co2
From what I understand, some areas have a 80/20 mix and a 60/40 mix available, adjust your process to reflect the mixture, if you use these.
Nitrogen is not soluble in beer, the 30% co2 keeps the beer from going flat and then you serve with a stout faucet at 30-35 psi

pure nitrogen = flat beer being served real fast

Hope this helps.

 

[day_trippr]

Hi all
I want to start kegging my stout and serving it on nitro.

Would someone be able to break down exactly what I need to do to be able to do this. From the moment that you've racked the beer into the keg to the moment that it is served on tap.

Thanks guys

fwiw, I do a closed transfer to Star-San-purged kegs, then carb on straight CO2 to 1.2 volumes (as above) - at cellar temperature (60-ish °F) and 5 psi. A week or two of that and they're ready for cold conditioning. When a keg eventually moves on to the keezer it is dispensed using 70/30 beer gas at 35 psi through a Micromatic stout faucet.

hth!

Cheers!

 

[Sean_SA]

Thank you all for the helpful responses!

Do you already keg or is this your first time? I just started using a nitro set up myself and it’s pretty much the same as regular kegging except your pressure is significantly higher.

Right after kegging I force carb with CO2 at 30 psi for 24-48 hours and then release the pressure and then switch to Nitro and currently have it set to 35 psi.

This will be my first time kegging yes. Have done thorough research on it all though. According to what I've read, a nitro regulator handles the higher pressure better.... would a nitro regulator be compatible with a 100% co2 tank though? Besides from the tank fitting which I believe is different. Or will I need to get both regulators.

fwiw, I do a closed transfer to Star-San-purged kegs, then carb on straight CO2 to 1.2 volumes (as above) - at cellar temperature (60-ish °F) and 5 psi. A week or two of that and they're ready for cold conditioning. When a keg eventually moves on to the keezer it is dispensed using 70/30 beer gas at 35 psi through a Micromatic stout faucet.

hth!

Cheers!

Thanks for that! I'm interested to know, and going a bit off topic now, do you cold condition your stouts? What are the benefits?

I'm well happy with my stout but there is however this after taste which I'm not so fond of and I'm almost sure its the yeast giving this flavour. It's not really an off flavour but rather a flavour I'd prefer to exclude, can't really explain the flavour to be honest. My grain bill is 68% maris otter, 18% flaked barley, 10% roasted barley and 1.2% Chocolat malt. Yeast used is S-04 fermented at 18C for 10 days and then risen at 1C per day till it gets to 21C. I bottle after 16 days of fermentation.

Would a cold condition clean up this flavour? How long do you cold condition your stout? If you do.

 

[day_trippr]

I do cold-condition all of my beers, typically for a couple of weeks while they wait their turn in the keezer, but I'm not trying to attenuate any characters with that, just brighten the beer. So I can't answer the "will this aspect I don't like age out in the cold?" question with any authority, but it's certainly worth a try...

Cheers!

 

[Transamguy77]

You will need to get both regulators they are not compatible with each other.

 

[day_trippr]

Generally true - CO2 typically uses cga 320 cylinder valves while beer gas uses cga 580.
That said, I have read of folks getting their CO2 cylinders filled with beer gas, and there's nothing intrinsically different between CO2 and beer gas regulators aside from their cylinder valve couplers...

Cheers!

 

[Qhrumphf]

The tanks of beer gas I get all have cga 320 valves and I just use one of my normal regulators.

As others have said, 1.2ish volumes of CO2, then 30-35 PSI nitrogen. Takes a bit of time to pour well, but it's the reliable home way. (There are rigs out there to force inject nitrogen and do it a lot faster, similar to a Blichmann Quick Carb, they're annoying and dunno if they're practical/affordable at home. With a VERY high pressure capacity unitank you can do it the old fashioned way with a carb stone, don't know if any of the top end SSBT or Spike models could handle the pressure but my guess is no)

Bear in mind that some corney PRV lids blow at 30 PSI. I lost a whole cylinder of beer gas learning that the hard way.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]Bear in mind that some corney PRV lids blow at 30 PSI. I lost a whole cylinder of beer gas learning that the hard way.

Ugh. That'd be a clearly defective PRV. They should hold pressure up to around 65 psi.
The tanks are typically rated for double that, and application-wise there's no reason to support a higher release pressure than 65 psi...

Cheers!

 

[Qhrumphf]

Ugh. That'd be a clearly defective PRV. They should hold pressure up to around 65 psi.
The tanks are typically rated for double that, and application-wise there's no reason to support a higher release pressure than 65 psi...

Cheers!

Forgot where I got em from, but had three of em, all blowing at 30 PSI.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Or perhaps they call came from a defective production run, which is certainly possible too. Either way, I wasn't amused.

 

[day_trippr]

Yeah, it'd totally suck to blow a tank of beer gas (or anything, really) because of a FUBAR'd PRV...

 

[bracconiere]

I'm almost sure its the yeast giving this flavour.

on the off-topic of tannins, when i told the brew-pub owner of that problem with my homebrew...he ameditaly told me to lower my sparge temp.....

 

[odie]

Ugh. That'd be a clearly defective PRV. They should hold pressure up to around 65 psi.
The tanks are typically rated for double that, and application-wise there's no reason to support a higher release pressure than 65 psi...

Cheers!

old thread...but always wondered about the PSI. I purge my kegs at 60 psi a few times to get all the O2 out. Never had one bleed off pressure. I think the kegs are rated at 120 or there about.