Hi all. I've seen a post on this before but can't find it for the life of me. Could someone tell me the instances where one blend would be better than the other? We're setting up a kegerator to dispense from 1/6bbl kegs. We'll be carbing with CO2 and pushing with Draft Blend (beer gas) through a stout faucet. I think I remember something about the length of line the beer has to travel having something to do with it but the details escape me. Thanks.
75/25 vs 60/40 Draft Blend
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Brewerforlife
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75/25% is stout gas!! 60/40 and other high co2 blends are for long draw systems mainly!! So you can push at higher pressures, without over-carbing the beer!!
JuanMoore
Getting the banned back together
Here's a calculator that shows the equilibrium pressure for various blends-
http://mcdantim.mobi/easypsig.html
Typically nitro faucets work best with carb levels between 1.0 and 1.8 vol, and a serving pressure between 20 and 45psi. If you have a choice between gas blends, use the one that puts the equilibrium pressure closest to the middle of that range given your serving temp and carbonation level.
You can use extra long lines to reduce the pressure at the faucet if needed, but in general line length is more or less irrelevant for serving with a nitro faucet.
Not necessarily. Depending on serving temp and carb level, a 70/30 or 60/40 blend is often a much better choice for stouts so that the serving pressure doesn't need to be ridiculously high. This is especially true for serving temps higher than ~40°. Many people simply ignore the equilibrium pressure when using beergas, and just adjust the pressure until they get a good pour. Unlike when using 100% CO2, a serving pressure different from the equilibrium pressure won't result in large or fast changes in the carbonation. The changes will be so small and happen so slowly that a lot of people won't even notice it. Bars typically don't worry about it at all since they'll empty the keg long before there's a noticeable difference. If you want the carbonation to remain constant though, a gas blend other than 75/25 might be required.
http://mcdantim.mobi/easypsig.html
Typically nitro faucets work best with carb levels between 1.0 and 1.8 vol, and a serving pressure between 20 and 45psi. If you have a choice between gas blends, use the one that puts the equilibrium pressure closest to the middle of that range given your serving temp and carbonation level.
You can use extra long lines to reduce the pressure at the faucet if needed, but in general line length is more or less irrelevant for serving with a nitro faucet.
Not necessarily. Depending on serving temp and carb level, a 70/30 or 60/40 blend is often a much better choice for stouts so that the serving pressure doesn't need to be ridiculously high. This is especially true for serving temps higher than ~40°. Many people simply ignore the equilibrium pressure when using beergas, and just adjust the pressure until they get a good pour. Unlike when using 100% CO2, a serving pressure different from the equilibrium pressure won't result in large or fast changes in the carbonation. The changes will be so small and happen so slowly that a lot of people won't even notice it. Bars typically don't worry about it at all since they'll empty the keg long before there's a noticeable difference. If you want the carbonation to remain constant though, a gas blend other than 75/25 might be required.
Thanks for that calculator, JuanMoore. I'm guessing its calculations are for dispensing from a standard faucet and not a stout faucet? I was getting a recommended pressure of like 18psi. Sounds awfully low but I am new at this.
JuanMoore
Getting the banned back together
Nope, any faucet. At only 18 psi you may not get the nice cascading head effect. Some of it also depends on the restrictor plate used and the carb level though. A higher carb level or a restrictor plate with smaller holes might be ok at a lower pressure. A lot of people have good luck around 25-30 psi.
