Maybe dumb question, I dunno?

[DarrellQ]

A friend gave me what looks to be a very old Co2 steel tank filled with Co2. I'm using it to carbonate my latest keg of a beer that I've brewed many times and am using the exact same psi, time, and process as before. However, the beer just doesn't seem to be reaching anywhere near the level of carbonation that it usually does, even after an extra week (for a total of 3 weeks un 10 psi). Here's the dumb question, could the very old co2 tank be causing this?

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I wouldn’t think so. Pressure is pressure Are you sure it’s co2. Maybe a beer mix or nitrogen cylinder??

 

[grampamark]

Is the tank clearly marked Co2 or were you just told it was Co2? If it was used as welding gas it might be C25 which is 75% Argon/25% Co2.

 

[DarrellQ]

Is the tank clearly marked Co2 or were you just told it was Co2? If it was used as welding gas it might be C25 which is 75% Argon/25% Co2.

I was just told it was Co2. Would that make it harmful to drink? It still tastes great although, as I said, it's under-carbonated.

 

[grampamark]

I was just told it was Co2. Would that make it harmful to drink? It still tastes great although, as I said, it's under-carbonated.

Argon is one of the Noble gases. It doesn’t readily go into solution. I have read about using Argon to serve beverages under pressure without creating carbonation, much as nitrogen is used. I think it’s not as commonly used as nitrogen because it’s generally more expensive.

If you don’t know exactly what’s in the tank you have it might not be a bad idea to just find out if you can exchange the tank at a gas supplier. What you don’t know can, sometimes, hurt you.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, Argon is commonly used with wine dispensers, so I expect it's a safe practice...

Cheers!

 

[MaxStout]

Is your regulator designed for CO2? If it threads onto the tank, it's CO2 (uses a CGA-320 connection). If the tank is mixed CO2/nitrogen or inert gas, it uses a CGA-580 tank connection, which would not be compatible to a CO2-only regulator.

https://www.concoa.com/docs/catalog...og/Charts/ADC3010 AF CGA selection charts.pdf

 

[DarrellQ]

Is your regulator designed for CO2? If it threads onto the tank, it's CO2 (uses a CGA-320 connection). If the tank is mixed CO2/nitrogen or inert gas, it uses a CGA-580 tank connection, which would not be compatible to a CO2-only regulator.

https://www.concoa.com/docs/catalog...og/Charts/ADC3010 AF CGA selection charts.pdf

Yes it is. Very helpful, thanks, that settles it for me. Will check regulator gauge next, maybe it's malfunctioning and I really haven't been carbonating at 10 psi.