Gas mix for nitro stout

[voodoobrew]

I'm looking to get some advice on my nitro setup.

I contacted my gas supplier to inquire about 30/70 blend which I understand is the standard mix for a Guinness-style pour. I was concerned that the cylinder would have a different thread to my standard Type 30 CO2. They assured me (twice, two different people) that it would be completely compatible. So I signed up to rental and bought in the gas. And bought another Type 30 micromatic and all the stout gear.

Lo and behold, I take delivery of the cylinder only to find it's Type 50 and not compatible with my reg. So what to do?

As I see it I have the following options:

1) Get them to swap the cylinder for 40/60 blend which does use a Type 30 thread. But will this give me acceptable results through my stout tap?

2) Convert my new reg to Type 50 with a new stem (which is somewhere between $30 to $50 of additional expense). This is further complicated by my understanding that the HP side of micromatics are LH thread. Though this is the new (cheaper) form of the micromatic the PremiumPlus model - perhaps it has right-hand thread?

3) Buy yet another reg that does Type 50 out of the box. Which would be annoying from the perspective that had I been reliably informed by the gas supplier then I could have just bought one of these on kegking for less than my micromatic.

Anyway, I'm at a decision-point and would appreciate any advice that you guys might have to offer.

 

[voodoobrew]

I know that no-one bothered to reply to this, but for the sake of sharing what I've learned thought I'd update.

Got the inlet stem off the Micromatic PremiumPlus today. They're a right-hand thread, for future reference. With the threadlock that they use it takes a fair old torque to remove. I needed a socket set with a ~1m gas pipe slipped over it to make a breaker bar.

So I'll be ordering a Type 50 stem to go in its place.

 

[Bribie G]

I guess there are possibly only a few dozen nitro users on AHB so your post probably got overlooked.
For Nitro mix which is at a far greater pressure than CO2 it pays to buy a reg from a supplier who can give you the right advice in the first place, in my case CraftBrewer.

I personally (on Ross's advice) wouldn't attempt to use a standard CO2 reg on nitro even with an adapter. As you have found out the thread is the other way round on the multimix bottles, I take it that's from BOC.

 

[voodoobrew]

Cellamix 30 is well below the max operating pressure of my CO2 reg.

The issue was not that the thread goes the other way on the cylinder - it's a completely different coupler (30 vs 50). The issue was the direction of the threads on the stem that is built into the regulator. But that mystery is solved - right hand on the MM premiumplus. Just thought others might want to know for future reference.

 

[danestead]

Sorry mate I could of helped you out the other day but didnt see the thread until now.

Good to see you got it sorted.

When I setup my nitro/stout faucet setup 3 months ago I purchased a regulator which is apparently nitrogen rated from kegking with the replacement type 50 fitting. As you experienced, the type 30 fitting it came with was glued in with locktite and I had to get pretty angry with it to try get it off. The nut had rounded edges which made the spanner slip and it took some multigrips and swearing to get itoff. A couple of phone calls to keg king didnt help as their customer service was less than I had desired and as a result will not bother shopping with them again. The positive is that it is all working now and really loving having nitrogen as an option for English bitters and stouts.

 

[MastersBrewery]

I'd like to follow up the 40/60 blend question myself, I have the odd spare reg lying around, and with out a great deal more expense to set up I'd jump at the chance to have some stouts on nitro. Has any one used this before and if so what were your results?

 

[danestead]

I'd like to follow up the 40/60 blend question myself, I have the odd spare reg lying around, and with out a great deal more expense to set up I'd jump at the chance to have some stouts on nitro. Has any one used this before and if so what were your results?

I havent used it however I cant see any problems. You would need to run it at a lower psi because of the higher co2 content though. If it isnt pouring as fast as you like/require maybe shorten the beer line

 

[dannymars]

Anyone in Melbourne know where the best place to hire beer gas/nitro mix is? what is the cost?