new to nitrogen, help

[drinkdrystout]

I recently got my first keging system with a nitrogen/co2 mix gas. Do i need to prime my dry stout in the keg, or will i still get forced carbonation from the gas mixture with out priming?

[Dr Scott]

I recently got my first keging system with a nitrogen/co2 mix gas. Do i need to prime my dry stout in the keg, or will i still get forced carbonation from the gas mixture with out priming?

You need to have a Stout faucet to go w/ this set up for this to work properly, a regular faucet won't do.

Now that you keg you don't have to "prime" w/ sugar anymore. You can, but it has it's drawbacks (these can be worked around)

Put the keg on straight CO2 and carbonate to ~1.8-2.0 vols co2 (low carbonation) using any number of tricks (ie. shaking, high pessure, etc.) then switch to the N2/CO2 mix at about 30psi. That will give you a partial pressure of 10 lbs CO2. (this will keep the proper level of carbonation during storage)

You can just hook it up to the mix at 30lbs, but you will need to wait for the CO2 to dissolve into solution (~ a week)

Bottom line is you need CO2 in the beer. Stouts are not flat, Just at a very low level of carbonation.

These pressure values are just approximations and will need to be adjusted for your system,temps, etc

[MNBugeater]

So i take it you can't leave stout on a stout faucet set at 30lbs or it will dissolve more CO2 and go over that 1.8 - 2.0 volumes of CO2? Do you disconnect it when not serving ? If not, how does the stout not continue to carbonate if set at 30lbs ?

[yellowcolumbia]

So i take it you can't leave stout on a stout faucet set at 30lbs or it will dissolve more CO2 and go over that 1.8 - 2.0 volumes of CO2? Do you disconnect it when not serving ? If not, how does the stout not continue to carbonate if set at 30lbs ?

It will continue to carbonate with the co2/N2 mixture, up to the pressure you have the regulator set on. However, the nitrogen will be released from the beer quickly while/after pouring, leaving a lower carbonated beer when you consume.

[Dr Scott]

So i take it you can't leave stout on a stout faucet set at 30lbs or it will dissolve more CO2 and go over that 1.8 - 2.0 volumes of CO2? Do you disconnect it when not serving ? If not, how does the stout not continue to carbonate if set at 30lbs ?

You can leave it on the N2/CO2 mix at 30psi and it won't over carbonate. But not on straight CO2 (@30psi). The pressures of the gasses work independently. W/ 30% CO2 in the(30psi) mix, The CO2 only acts like it is ~10psi of CO2 by itself.

[Mylo]

... and, nitrogen is not a soluable in beer as C02 - so even though the nitrogen is 70% of that 30 psi - not much nitrogen is going to get into solution. I bet you would get the same type of head with some other inert gas mixture, too.


Mylo