Anyone know where I can get a 5lb nitrogen tank filled with food grade nitrogen? I’m trying to convert my kegerator to serve nitro cold brew and I have all the parts but not sure where to buy nitrogen… perhaps welding supply stores but wasn’t sure if they sell food-grade. Thanks
Austin Homebrew supply! They will have you covered.
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That’s where I got the tank & regulator and nitro/stout tap! Unfortunately they don’t actually fill nitro tanks, just co2. I asked where to get them filled, but they didn’t give me anywhere specific but I could maybe ask someone else there who may know.
Just a thought, maybe try restaurant suply businesses.
Peace, Wolf
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@gordoa40 I’m not sure, but very interested to find out as I’ve been thinking about a nitro tap upgrade someday soon too, so please pass along any info!
Question — what is “food grade” nitrogen? To weld, gas has to be PURE ( very very pure ) to prevent issues and contamination with the weld. Go to praxair or other gas suppliers.
I use clean paintball canisters with an adapter to fill my CO2 sodawater maker — and I get the CO2 from the local sports equipment store. The CO2 they use is industrial and again - the purity has to be excellent or it would be useless in industrial processes.
If there is “food grade” I would like to know the difference ( actual difference, not marketing difference ) and the difference in price. It’s interesting. The nitrogen used at UT for the chemistry labs also has to be quite pure — and it comes from Praxair in the same bottles that I see at the welding shops. Not “similar” but 100% the same bottles, with the same labels.
@martinbogo thats a great question. I’m not sure that there is a difference, really. I’m just repeating what I’ve read elsewhere. Perhaps it is functionally the same, but the “food grade” stuff is certified to a higher level.
It is entirely possible that it is a marketing distinction, though.
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=184.1240
The FDA regulation doesn’t seem to specify exactly but rather says it must be pure enough for the application.
So food grade is lower than some others and higher than some, it seems.
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It’s not completely about the purity, but also the type of contaminants.
Industrial grades don’t care much about hydrocarbon contaminants while food grade does.
In addition, “industrial” cylinders are generally not sent through qualification or analysis. So, if someone used the cylinder previously and backflowed it or pressurized it with compressed air, this can introduce contaminants and will not be caught.
@buzmeg that’s sort of what I had in mind. 99.9% is good but not if the .1% is chlorine or something!
@wynd I ended up just swapping out my tank for a filled one from AirGas on North Lamar. Pretty easy process and it was $22 for my 5lb 20cu tank. Not sure if I got ripped off or not but happy to have to done. They did have a “food grade”, so that gives me some peace of mind at least even if it’s functionally the same.
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…it has been “fortified with 14 Vitamins and Minerals”. LOL
Thought I’d update: I posted a few pics on my Instagram if you want to check them out, but I’ll try to post a few here too! https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ6lUy4LxIe/?utm_medium=copy_link
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