Carbon Dioxide or Nitrogen: Which Gas Do I Need?

The summer season is hurtling towards us, which means that many people will be heading out to beer gardens to enjoy the beautiful weather that we’re hopefully going to have.

However, why go to the pub if you’ve got your own home bar? Not only is it convenient, but it works out being much cheaper for you and your friends, too!

As there are many different drinks that you can brew yourself at home, people often wonder which gas they need to successful create their own beer. As beer and cellar gas specialists, here’s our guide on the differences between carbon dioxide and nitrogen so that you can choose the right gas for your needs!

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

CO2 is one of the most common gasses that you will encounter when brewing your own beer. It is a colourless gas which gives a beer a slight fizzy sensation in the mouth. Pubs will generally serve beer with CO2 unless it is a craft beer (which we will get on to in a minute) to give it those signature bubbles that most beers and lagers have.

The carbonation of a beer can be determined through the temperature and pressure at which it is stored. This means that you can control how fizzy (or flat!) a beer is, which is much better for those people who prefer a specific carbonation – you can just make your own!

It is also recommended that beer made with CO2 is served cool, but not too cold as this can make beers taste flat without a noticeable fizz. It’s also advisable not to serve them warm, either as there is a higher chance of the beer fizzing up and frothing over when being poured!

Nitrogen

The other gas which is used when brewing is nitrogen. Nitrogen is insoluble in liquid, meaning that it is hard to dissolve, and is used to give a creamy, smooth texture to beer.

The perfect example of a nitrogenised beer is Guinness; it has that textbook creamy, thick feel in the mouth that comes with a lot of beers which have been created with nitrogen!

You will also want to use nitrogen if you’re looking to create a beer that is less acidic in taste which is often attributed to carbonated beverages. This also means that your drink will taste less bitter than their fizzier counterparts, and are more commonly associated with craft beers.

Finding the right gas for your beer doesn’t have to be difficult, but it is handy to know which gas produces which tastes and textures! If you’ve got a home bar and are looking to get yourself prepared for the summer season, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at Adams Gas today!