Beer Forum

Ok, so I am new to kegging and I am getting ready to buy my first co2 tank. I called a local gas distributor and told them I was looking for either a 5 or 10 pound food grade co2 tank for home dispensing. After putting me on hold, the salesman then came back and asked me if I was looking for a beer mix of co2 and nitrogen. I had originally said no, I need straight co2 and the man seemed kind of surprised. After that, I thought maybe I was missing something so I decided to turn here. I thought the beer mix was what was need for guiness or boddingtons, not regular draft beer. Am I correct in thinking that straight food grade co2 is what I needed or do I need "beer mix"?

Thanks,
Kevin

izumidai wrote: Am I correct in thinking that straight food grade co2 is what I needed?Thanks,
Kevin

You are correct.

Although I have heard of some bars that serve all their beers on beer gas. So , that may be where your distributor may be coming from. Most homebrewers, and I think, the majority of bars use plain old co2.

Yes you need the straight CO2.

Also, you don't have to get "food grade." Messed up welds are more expensive to fix than messed up food so whatever they use for welding is just as good as food grade.

Bars use the beer gas when they have to push the beer for long distances like from the basement or back room all the way to the bar in another part of the building. If they tried to do that with straight CO2 they would have to use such high pressure that the beer would be over carbonated. Straight CO2 is what you need.

Wayne

thanks guys, wanted to find out exactly this, the bn forum rocks