Can't get Guinness gas?

[dr.diesel]

All local welding shops refuse to fill the popular 10lb tanks and will only sell huge > $250 tanks.

What happens if I run straight CO2? Will it only effect the head?

Thanks

[edramshaw]

Yes it will. The smaller bubbles created by nitrogen are what help to create the classic Guinness head. I would ask bars that serve Guiness where they got their gas. I have a few options in my area so it may just be a matter of locating a different dealer. Good luck in your search.

[dr.diesel]

Thanks Ed, I can get gas, just not in reasonable 10lb tanks. Only 80cu ft and bigger!

[Dirtbag]

Dr. Diesel-

Are you talking about using straight CO2 on a keg of Guinness?
The instant 100% CO2 hits that keg of Guinness it is ruined. There is a reason Guinness needs a 75N / 25CO2 mixed gas.
Guinness has a very low internal CO2, it is made with N. Putting anything more than a 75N/ 25CO2 ruins it.

[gtpunch]

At first the CO2 will simply push the guinness out of the keg and not cause any problems. Over time however more of the CO2 will disolve in the Guinness and the head will become more and more like a CO2-dispensed beer.

The flavour of the Guinness will also change considerably as this happens- dissolved CO2 has a bitter taste (think of it's effect on sparkling water such as Perrier).

I brew stouts and home and carbonate & dispense them with CO2, so if you're doing this for yourself go ahead and try CO2 if you don't mind the different head and more intense bitter flavour.

[brewski121]

My question is the opposite, friend wants a kegerator that run's Guinness and also say bud light. Could he run it of one mixed gas tank, or will the bud turn flat and taste odd because of the nitrogen.

[Beer Dr]

He'll need two tanks, one straight CO2 for the Bud, 75/25 for the Guiness

[edramshaw]

unless the Bud will be consumed in a few days, in which case it would be fine.

[gtpunch]

I reckon after a while the Bud would start coming out like one of those smoothflow-dispensed beers- think Kilkenny/Boddingtons/Smithwicks etc.

Not sure if this would be a good or a bad thing, it could hardly make Bud Light taste worse (sorry, couldn't resist)

[Tim Fleming]

Ask your weld shop for "Gold Gas" instead. It is a blend of CO2 and Argon, another inate gas, like Nitrogen. It comes in the same size cylinder as your 20lb CO2.
The Argon, being inate, serves the same function as the Nitrogen; allowing a high psi dispense without further carbonating your beer.

[Scott Zuhse]

Unless you have money growing on trees, why would you dispense beer out of specification.

If you dispense Guinness with CO2, you will end up with beer pudding within hours. Closer to mousse. You will not even be able to dispense it out of the faucet. There is so little CO2 (1.2 vols.) in it that it will act like a sponge and absorb excess gas immeadiatley. Use the gas specified for Guinness. Unless your tree's leaves are falling!

As to the Bud keg, it still costs money and therefore you would desire to maintain the flavor and gas integrity the life of the keg. If you push it with the same gas (25% CO2 / 75% nitrogen) specified for Guinness, you will allow the product to become flat. This Lager has 2.5 vols. of CO2. It requires either 100% CO2 at the correct PSIG based on temp. & elevation or 60% CO2 / 40% nitrogen @ 22 PSIG or so. Unless you are raking leaves today under your money tree, dispense your Bud as above!

Argon costs three times more than nitrogen.