Nitrogen bulbs

[Darren Jeory]

Hi all,

Just thought I'd ask the brain trust this one. Trying to get my first keg dispense on the go and will be using soda stream regulator for CO2 and am gonna use oxebar PET "kegs" so that I can split my beer into smaller batches and not have to use it all in one go.

Here's the question...is it possible to somehow use nitrogen bulbs with this set up to serve stout?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Rwilts]

What would be the benefit of just serving using nitrogen? I wouldn't think you would get any of the benefits of nitro if it's not been carbonated using nitro.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I'm not sure this is a good idea, for a few reasons.

Stout isn't served on pure nitrogen, usually it's 75% nitrogen and 25% CO2, pressures to serve this are about 35psi which is at the upper limit of the PRV in a fermentasaurus. I'm not sure the levels with the Oxebar.

Using just nitrogen you will end up with uncarbonated beer after a while.

I think the only way to do this welland safely with a PET keg would be to use a low pressure regulator to supply CO2 only at say 1.3 vols ( not as easy as dialling your reg down), then use something like a micronitrobrew that injects air ( 80% nitrogen) inline just before the tap and doesn't contaminate the keg. However this is an expensive piece of kit!

I'd go beer gas cylinder,beer gas regulator, dedicated keg, tap and stout spout not cheap either but you will get the proper pour and effect.

 

[Darren Jeory]

Weirdly just round this

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/nitrogen-mini-regulator/

 

[An Ankoù]

I'm not sure this is a good idea, for a few reasons.

Stout isn't served on pure nitrogen, usually it's 75% nitrogen and 25% CO2, pressures to serve this are about 35psi which is at the upper limit of the PRV in a fermentasaurus. I'm not sure the levels with the Oxebar.

Using just nitrogen you will end up with uncarbonated beer after a while.

I think the only way to do this welland safely with a PET keg would be to use a low pressure regulator to supply CO2 only at say 1.3 vols ( not as easy as dialling your reg down), then use something like a micronitrobrew that injects air ( 80% nitrogen) inline just before the tap and doesn't contaminate the keg. However this is an expensive piece of kit!

I'd go beer gas cylinder,beer gas regulator, dedicated keg, tap and stout spout not cheap either but you will get the proper pour and effect.

A like, even though you lost me in the detail.
For about 40 quid, I've invested in a dedicated nitrogen injector and some 2 gram bulbs. I'm dying to see what happens. My understanding is that the beer is normally carbonated and then the N2 is squirted in- which isn't very soluble in the beer anyway- and the dispense is like creamflow. We'll see.
Note (to those not living in NZ) that HBC are selling N2O bulbs and they seem to think its N2. No idea how this works in beer- they're for cream!!!
Interestingly, a bottle of homebrew stout split between two glasses and each topped up from a can of "draught" Guinness, makes it all taste like draught Guinness. I don't think much N2 is needed.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Using laughing gas in your stout would not be a good idea. It's would oxidise your stout very quickly.

If you want the stout nitro pour " cheap " put some stout in a glass and then suck up some stout in a syringe, inject this forcefully into the bottom of the glass and then top up from the can.
Another option is pour the stout and stand it in a cheap ultrasonic jewellery cleaner with a bit of water in the cleaner bath and a few seconds gives the nucleation.

Nitrogen is much much less soluble than CO2