Kegging with Nitrogen

[Ernie Diamond]

What is the benefit to kegging with Nitrogen vs. CO2? Is it a matter of a more delicate bubble and smoother mouthfeel?

What styles do you think it is appropriate for besides a stout? Cask-conditioned ales?

Are there particular gains to Nitrogen? Drawbacks?

Thanks!

 

[shafferpilot]

100% nitrogen isn't normally used for beer, though it could. A beer mix is more common which is mostly CO2 with some nitrogen. The only difference I've ever heard of is the smaller bubbles and a head that has better holding power.

 

[DIY Brewing Company]

The smaller bubbles give it better mouthfeel. Their really isn't any drawbacks to it besides the fact it is more expensive. I would only use it to serve. You should force carbonate with CO2 first then serve with nitrogen. Of course you should buy a guinness tap for this too. As far as styles you can add this to any style you would want more of a creamy mouthfeel too.

 

[rdwj]

Most people don't use pure nitrogen at all. The mixer is super expensive. Typically, people buy a "beer gas" mixture which is aprox. 25% C02 and 75% nitrogen. You get more of a guiness pour that way.

 

[Buford]

The only use I can see for straight nitrogen in a beer system (without a gas blender) is to push an uncarbonated lambic or uncarbonated apfelwein/cider so they never dissolve any CO2.

Beer gas mix allows the beer to be pushed at higher pressure without upping the carbonation or losing the carbonation already present in order to force the beer through a stout tap or through a long run of beer line. The N2 is mostly just there as an inert filler gas for pushing the beer as it does not dissolve readily.

 

[willkere]

What are we talking "super expensive" is for the mix?

 

[Buford]

I can get my 20 cu ft N2 tank filled with beer gas here for $18.

A gas blender on the other hand is super expensive. Those are used for mixing pure CO2 and N2 to make the beer gas mix. The most likely application is a commercial bar because they can get straight CO2 and N2 and mix it as necessary rather than getting premixed tanks. Gas blenders run anywhere from $500 to over $1000.