Nitro tips?

[60sd]

I've made a few very good stout recipes and served them on co2, but after visiting Ireland and drinking Guinness every day, I want to try nitro. Here are my questions:

1. Should I look at beer gas or pure nitro, and is there a difference in the bottles/regulators?

2. Can I use my existing faucets (standard/basic faucets), or get a perlick or european faucet?

3. Do you carbonate with co2, then serve on nitro, or is it all nitro?

4. What should I expect to pay for a nitro set up? Is there any DIY tips for saving some cash?

5. Anything else I should know?

Thanks in advance!

 

[zachattack]

1) Beer gas, pure nitrogen would cause the beer to go flat eventually. Yes, it uses a different regulator since it's much higher pressure.

2) No, you need a stout faucet with a restrictor plate

3) Most people carb to a rather low level with CO2, then push it with the beergas at a relatively high pressure (25-30 psi). You can carbonate with beergas but you'll waste a lot of it; nitrogen will build up in the headspace so you'll have to purge the keg.

4) Can't help you there, sorry!

5) All that you're doing with a nitro pour is forcing a lightly-carbed beer through a restrictor plate at a relatively high pressure. The CO2 is knocked out of solution, creating the nice cascading head. This can be accomplished in other ways if you really want to save some cash: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/entries/free-the-nitro.html

 

[JuanMoore]

Zach nailed it. Only suggestions I'd add is make sure you keep the carb level under 1.8 vol, and go with a beer gas blend with a higher CO2 content if you have a choice.