stouts on nitrogen

[straight cash homey]

so my lhbs told me to get a nitrogen system that mimics a microbrewery, i would need three gas tanks, one pure nitrogen, one pure CO2, and one 70/30 mix. He said that you attach the keg to the pure nitrogen and hook it up through a diffusion stone for 7 days, then attach the CO2 for 2 days, then serve with the gas mix. Is this true? He said that if you use the beer mix gas exclusively, the nitrogen will not reach saturation. He also mentioned some technique where you just remove 5cc from the top of a normally carbonated beer with a syringe, and then fill the syringe with just air and push down the plunger while the needle sits just under the surface of the beer. This puts a nitrogen like head on the normally carbonated beer for just the cost of a syringe, or maybe crazy b has some laying around i could borrow. I LOVE YOU

[straight cash homey]

wow this post went over like gangbusters, not a single reply. one of you monkeys tell me the answer, quit holding out on me.

[BadRock]

Alright Brotha, here is what I know. I am in the same shoes as you, putting together a nitro setup. From what I can tell you do not need 3 tanks. You could do it that was but it sounds a lot more expensive. Anyway, I believe you just carbonate your keg to about 80% of the desired serving volumes, then connect your beer gas at 35 psi or so and finish carb/nitro infusion. Then you serve at a fairly high pressure through a restricted faucet which gives you that nice creamy head and cascading appearance.

Best of luck, let me know what you end up doing.

[ziggy]

I inquired at my local welding shop about nitrous and they said that they cannot sell pure nitrous oxide to anyone without a medical permit so unless you are a dentist or something you might not be able to get the pure stuff. They would sell me the 70/30 mix though which is beer gas. Just my 2 cents I don't think you can get the pure stuff so whatever you do will have to exclude that.

[straight cash homey]

nitrogen is N2
Nitrous is N2O

[BadRock]

they cannot sell pure nitrous oxide to anyone without a medical permit

No but if they could it would be funny!

They will most definatly sell you compress nitrogen, I actually carry a 64ft² bottle in my work truck for calibrating precision pressure instruments.

[Steelers&Beer]

+1 to brb. i'm pretty sure that is the correct method. there was an article in BYO's Mr. Wizard section a few months ago. you can probably find it online at byo.com. you could PM Doc, i think he has a nitro faucet.

[JediHopTrick]

Every brewer I've discussed this subject w/ has had a different regiment. At one brewery I was w/, we would charge w/ co2, blow it down the next day, charge w/ n2, blow it down the next, charge w/ n2. It was longer time in the bright tank, but a very dense head. Seems to me, most will suggest something along those lines. Don't forget the faucet, not very cheap.