Nitrogen fill- 75/25 mix - Huge Cost

[Spikybits]

So just filled my 5lb nitrogen bottle with guinness blend....

$95 plus CA tax... total $104

Feeling like I got ripped off and really want to ditch my nitro tap after this bottle...

Is this the same cost for a blend fill everyone else sees?

 

[Dr_Jeff]

I called yesterday to the place that I usually bought it from and was quoted $65, and thought that surely there must be some mistake.
I had paid 35-40 when I bought the previous bottle years ago.

 

[friarsmith]

I have a 25lb capacity tank and it costs about $60 to swap out in Jacksonville, FL at AirGas. I only make maybe 2-3 Nitro/CO2 beers a year so it lasts around 3 years. I think it was $45 ish to fill back in 2019. If you use DME or corn sugar solution to carbonate your keg, then just push w/ the blend gas, the tank goes a lot farther. Or force carb partially w/ CO2 then hook up to the blend.

 

[Golddiggie]

IIRC, the gas portion of my 60 cubic nitro mix bottle wasn't over $65 when I did the swap last summer. I had the smaller (20 cubic) but it didn't last that long, so I went bigger. Especially since I've added another stout tap. When it's time to swap out the current one, I'll probably see if I can go another size increase to get more time from the bottle. I also might change to the 60/40 mix, so I can also use less pressure. Which would also extend out how long it lasts.

 

[doug293cz]

Please just leave out the political commentary (e.g. anything about tax rates vs. location.) Political commentary is only allowed in the "Debate" forum (supporting members only.) Posts have been edited/deleted to make them compliant.

doug293cz
HBT Moderator

 

[Golddiggie]

So we can't comment about how the cost of living is significantly HIGHER in some states compared to a LOT of others?? wow.

 

[doug293cz]

So we can't comment about how the cost of living is significantly HIGHER in some states compared to a LOT of others?? wow.

Not if there is explicit or implied commentary about it being related to the politics/policies in the subject states.

doug293cz

 

[RealRayDizzle]

Does straight Nitro cost less in your area? I switched off of Gmix due to availability.
Stouts have all turned out pretty good.
Fill keg, and chill to about 38F
Put on co2 @30 psi for 24hrs
Purge keg and put on Nitro (for my system I serve @30 psi

I usually will wait another day or 2 at least, before serving, but I have had consistent pours without a problem. Using this process.

 

[Oleson M.D.]

So just filled my 5lb nitrogen bottle with guinness blend....

$95 plus CA tax... total $104

Feeling like I got ripped off and really want to ditch my nitro tap after this bottle...

Is this the same cost for a blend fill everyone else sees?

I would find somewhere else to live. Those prices are insanely high. There are other locations where your gas mix will be much more reasonable.

 

[Mac's Brew]

Try Giant CO2 in Santa Ana. I filled my 20 cu.ft. tank with beer gas mix for $48 in September.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

So, I had called where I used to live and did business and was quoted $65, and called my local place, and was told that they didn't have it, after hearing $65, I recalled my local place and asked if they could get me some and how much?

She then told me that they would have to order it and it would be a few days, maybe a week, and told me it would be $10, I then asked, the gas blend?, to be sure 75/25 or 70/30, she replied yep, I then asked her to get one on the way.

 

[Spikybits]

The guy at airgas couldn't tell me the price... lol.

Looks like I'm rolling to Santa Ana next time, take the 55 to anahiem hit up radiant after to drown my sorrows

 

[odie]

my local Air Gas wanted to rip me off...make me monthly lease a bottle that will last maybe years....

Praxair swapped an 80CF tank with nitro blend for about 70 bucks.

The OP is doing 5# bottles...not even sure how that's getting done? Most places I go have to send them off and they don't do nitro any smaller than 80CF tanks. Nitro is all gas anyway, not liquid so 5# bottle is probably gonna only do a couple kegs?

 

[Spikybits]

5# bottle meaning its the same size - i do not know what CuF off the top of my head.

 

[odie]

CO2 is liquid so it's filled by weight. A 5# bottle is pretty small. I deal with 20# bottles since they cost practically the same as a 5 to fill/swap.

Nitro/CO2 mix I understand is in a gaseous state. The minimum size bottles my suppliers deal with are about 5ft tall and they call them 80 CuF bottles I think. Somehow they classify them by some cubic feet capacity.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

When I called to follow up on the gas, I was told that they couldn't do the small bottle, not enough demand for the smaller size.
I told them that I could reroute my line and I asked what size could they do and how much?
40 CuF bottle was the smallest, roughly the size of a 20# CO2 bottle, and it would take several days to get it in, $25 and asked them to get it on order and was told I would get a call when it came in, in several days.

 

[odie]

Not many home brewers use nitro. Just commercial accounts (bars, breweries, tap rooms, etc) that have large bottles delivered on a regular basis. Thus the difficulty of getting beer gas in small bottles.

I live in a sizable industrial ocean port city...the local CO2 gas producers here don't even produce the nitro blends locally. It comes in from their larger Houston plants so the only option is those large 80s that get shipped in.

 

[50calshooter]

So just filled my 5lb nitrogen bottle with guinness blend....

$95 plus CA tax... total $104

Feeling like I got ripped off and really want to ditch my nitro tap after this bottle...

Is this the same cost for a blend fill everyone else sees?

I pay $65 to swap out my 20lb beer blend tank and they come to me.

 

[Deadalus]

CO2 is liquid so it's filled by weight. A 5# bottle is pretty small. I deal with 20# bottles since they cost practically the same as a 5 to fill/swap.

Nitro/CO2 mix I understand is in a gaseous state. The minimum size bottles my suppliers deal with are about 5ft tall and they call them 80 CuF bottles I think. Somehow they classify them by some cubic feet capacity.

Ah thank you! I knew the orifice was different but I didn't understand why CO2 was by pounds and the beer gas was only sold by local Airgas in 40cuft.