stout faucet with Co2?

[BlindLemonLars]

I've always bottled my stouts, but today I got a nice brass stout faucet with restrictor plate as part of my CL score. So it's got me thinking.

I'll admit to being rather ignorant about stout faucets. Is there any point to using such a faucet with Co2? Or do I need "beer gas" or nitrogen to get any benefit from it? I'd rather not invest in a nitrogen tank and regulator.

 

[EdWort]

I have a stout faucet too. From what I understand, you carb with CO2, but dispense with Beer Gas, and you dispense at 35 psi. I have a keg of Guinness clone ready, but I need to drill a hole and install a bulkhead in my kegerator for the Beer Gas bottle. You use a standard regulator though.

This is only if you want the Guinness pour.

 

[Buford]

Beer gas is usually stored in tanks that use CGA-580 threads. CO2 tanks use CGA-340. You need the correct regulator, or get a N2 adaptor for a CO2 one.

 

[EdWort]

Beer gas is usually stored in tanks that use CGA-580 threads. CO2 tanks use CGA-340. You need the correct regulator, or get a N2 adaptor for a CO2 one.

I have a Beer Gas bottle from Airgas and it has the CO2 threads. It uses the same regulator as I use for CO2.

 

[mr x]

That's interesting. I have never seen Beer Gas in a C02 bottle.

 

[howlinowl]

Early last year, I was "thrown" into a job installing a beer system in at one of the large "hang a bunch of crap on the walls" chain restaurants. Kegs were in the walk-in in back, glycol system to keep the lines cool. The system came with a CO2/Nitrogen gas mixer, both gases went in and it mixed them for whichever beer was being served. Guiness got the CO2/nitro mix and everything else was straight CO2. Dunno if there is anything like that available for the home market. I didn't set the mix, I left that for the beer guys to do.

Worse part was that I asked the General contractor which taps were to be Guiness. He called the main office, two days later they told him. I installed it. Weeks later, they call back that it wasn't working right. I go there and they got all the kegs on different lines than what I was told to set them up. I just told them the easy fix was to move the Guiness keg to where I had installed it, Otherwise, I'd have to reroute lines, and move the faucet and charge them for it.

Allan

 

[Orfy]

Beer gas should not be used with a normal CO2 regulator because of the increased pressure.

Beer gas should use a beer gas regulator.
and
C02 should use a C02 regulator.

 

[bandit77]

Early last year, I was "thrown" into a job installing a beer system in at one of the large "hang a bunch of crap on the walls" chain restaurants. Kegs were in the walk-in in back, glycol system to keep the lines cool. The system came with a CO2/Nitrogen gas mixer, both gases went in and it mixed them for whichever beer was being served. Guiness got the CO2/nitro mix and everything else was straight CO2. Dunno if there is anything like that available for the home market. I didn't set the mix, I left that for the beer guys to do.

Worse part was that I asked the General contractor which taps were to be Guiness. He called the main office, two days later they told him. I installed it. Weeks later, they call back that it wasn't working right. I go there and they got all the kegs on different lines than what I was told to set them up. I just told them the easy fix was to move the Guiness keg to where I had installed it, Otherwise, I'd have to reroute lines, and move the faucet and charge them for it.

Allan

Just this week I was talking to the town Gas supply co. (Liquidair in Canada) to inquire a co2 tank. I`m new to kegging so I was thinking all u need was a co2 to run any beer. He was telling me about some ales and all stouts requier a different procent mix co2/nitrogen. I didn`t get to detail because I was late for work. But I just went to know is their a chart or guide line?

So mix gas is available for the homebrewer

later

 

[EdWort]

Here's a shot of my BeerGas bottle from Airgas.

Here's a shot of the right hand threads on it. It takes my CO2 regulator which has the same specs as a N2 regulator, just different threading. I checked out the parts of both regulators on Micromatic and the parts are the same.

 

[Orfy]

Ed, I have no doubt your set up is correct.
Specs may be different in the US to the UK.

Pressures on our beer gas is different to C02 and it is also 75% Nitrogen and 25% C02

 

[Buford]

The local place here won't fill gas cylinders with beer gas unless they're CGA-580. I think tanks that have those threads are designed to withstand higher pressures.

I guess it all comes down to what you can get locally.

 

[buckrogers71]

not to thread jack, but what would happen if you served normal co2 beer w/ beer gas?

 

[ScubaSteve]

The "Guiness Pour" that Ed is talking about is the result. It has that creamy, cascading effect when you pour it, and the beer tastes much smoother because the bubbles are smaller and have less "bite". IMHO, I like that silky texture, and I'm sure it would be great in most styles.

 

[Buford]

It also has the effect of stripping off some of the aromatics, though. An IPA poured on beer gas would probably be a much lesser version of the same beer on CO2. The only beers I've ever seen on beer gas are cream ales, dry stouts, and some British pub ales, none of which are noted for a strong hop character.

 

[mrkeeg]

I'm not sure the intent of the original question on this thread, but I think he was asking (if he wasn't, I am now...) ...

If I don't want the bother of setting up with beer gas AND CO2 ... can I just attach a stout faucet to my regular CO2 system and get some degree of benefit from it?

Thanks,
Keegan

 

[olllllo]

You'll have to use a low carbed beer,
serve at a higher pressure to get past the restrictor plate in the tap,
then vent thge pressure after serving so as not to over-carb the beer.