Serving nitro beer using 100% CO2 gas.

If the keg turns quickly it shouldn't be an issue. If not it may pick up some additional carbonation, as well as not run so nicely through the sparkler, meaning a less creamy head. It shouldn't be hard to balance at all though, they just run it as if it were a regular keg unless they need to throttle it back a little because of the sparkler.

Blenders are not cheap, but at the same time given what bars and restaurants are paying for everything else... they're basically cheap. If they do any volume with nitro beers they should spend the money.

 

I highly doubt distributors for Guiness would allow a bar to serve their beer without the proper nitrogen system. Most of them probably illegally give bars a stout tap and a nitro system to ensure that it is served properly.

 

As long as it's not ABI or MillerCoors, it's OK.

 

Nitro pour is the work of the devil.

 

What makes you think it was Guinness? That’s one hechuva leap in logic here.

 

I'd guess he's responding to the part of the OP where the OP says,

"I'm quite sure some bars only used CO2 to push Guinness out."

 

A friend of mine, brewer and he also cleans lines at numerous places in Casper and Glen Rock, told me that very few serve Guinness properly regarding the proper mix in carbonation.

 

Doh! Missed that somehow.

I can’t imagine any wholesaler worth their salt allowing Guinness to be poured on straight CO2. The technician installing the keg coupler would’ve (or should’ve) raised several red flags.

If it was in fact Guinness, something smells awfully fishy.

 

Well it's not any isinglass. They stopped using that fairly recently.

Right, you all?

 

Gmix is the answer. But it also poses many more questions.

 

I kind of feel like guinness is the only appropriate beer to put on nitro. I've had a lot of nitro stouts that just would have been better without the nitro in my opinion.

 

A quarter barrel in 3-5 days? Absolutely not! The blender would be a waste of time and money. Even for a half barrel that's nothing at all. It would take 3 to 5 weeks to start picking up CO2 unless the cold box was really cold. I think we should rule out the quarter barrel though as no one uses them anymore. Sixtels, now that's a different story.

As for the last part I'm not sure what you're asking. Am I a fan of nitro beers? Not particularly, but I'm not against them either. I think they have their use, and I think it definitely changes the beer quite a bit. The only thing I don't like is when it's done willy-nilly where bars run beers that weren't intended as nitro beers through the sparkler - in my mind if the brewer didn't intend it that way you shouldn't take it upon yourself to change it unless it's very clear that you've done that and quite often that's not the case. I've even seen versions of beers that have been put through a Randall the Enamel Animal with fruit and spices or cocoa nibs, whatever, and that wasn't noted on the beer menu, therefor leading me to believe that the brewery has put out a new beer.

 

I was referring mainly to time. For a short period of 3 to 5 days, AND in a small keg, there should be very little CO2 pick-up in the beer, which means very little change to the flavor/feel or appearance. Running with a nitrogen blend would be nice, but totally unnecessary - thus buying a blender, etc. would be a waste. However, I know that there are many bars that will sit on one keg of Guinness for a month or so which is entirely different. In that case I'd definitely suggest a nitro/CO2 blending box.

 

Am I the only one who thinks that if your going to run nitro beers you should buy the proper system? I know guys who do it at home and run a proper system. It isn’t that expensive really and once you buy it your going to have it for years as long as it is properly cared for.

 

Guinness hasn't been served properly for a long time.
It is often said that it tastes better in Ireland. It did once when the Guinness there was live in cask:the pouring would begin before the pub opened and the pints would be topped up ready for opening time.There would be a mixture of aged and fresh Stout.
Nitro was an attempt to replicate this and failed dismally, all it does is give it a creamy head but losing out in all other qualities.
So people drinking Guinness outside of Ireland would have heard about and perhaps have enjoyed the drinking experience to be found there.

 

My local bar - proper nitro pour of the Guinness. They do about 1/2 a barrel a week.

Busiest I've ever seen it there - 100 people or so for a fishing tournament.