Carbon dioxide shortage

[adam2]

For those not already aware, there is currently a serious shortage of carbon dioxide caused by a combination of factors including seasonal shutdowns and increased demand.

 

For venues that use carbon dioxide in cylinders for special effects, it would be well to obtain extra stocks whilst you still can. If your venue has a bar, remember that carbon dioxide is also used for dispensing keg beer and carbonated soft drinks. A shortage of canned and bottled beer and of carbonated soft drinks is possible, and it might be worth increasing stocks of these products.

 

Dry ice may also be in short supply, though not much can be done about that since it does not keep. It might be worth looking at alternatives to dry ice.

 

Drifting slightly O/T, if you expect much consumption of beer and fizzy soft drinks at home, it might be worth buying now rather than the day before the party/football match/barbecue.

 

Historically, most of the carbon dioxide sold in the UK was produced by Distillers PLC, a company noted for the production of distilled spirits. Recently however it has been found more economic to capture, process and sell the carbon dioxide that is a by product of fertiliser production. Fertiliser demand is limited at this time of year resulting in many fertiliser plants shutting for maintenance. The present high price of natural gas has made fertiliser production in the UK less profitable, and some factories are extending the maintenance shutdown until either natural gas gets cheaper, or fertiliser prices increase.

 

 

 

[timsabre]

Interesting. Very coincidental timing (I presume) but just saw that Jem/Martin have released the new Glaciator Dynamic for CO2 free low fog, has anyone used one yet? I'd be interested to know how it compares to the old one. Maybe there will be a rush on refrigerated low fog machines...

https://www.martin.c...aciator-dynamic

Edited June 21, 2018 by timsabre

[MarkPAman]

Landlord of my local has ordered extra ale! They will not let him have extra gas.

I look forward to sitting in the pub garden with my usual beer & laughing at the larger drinkers http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif

[adam2]

I am a larger drinker, about 120 kilos I fear. But I normally drink ale and not lager.

 

More seriously it is possible to dispense lager and keg ale without carbon dioxide if this be in short supply.

 

 

 

[MarkPAman]

'kin' spell checker http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

 

Can you get a drinkable lager with no gas in it? (can you get a drinkable lager.)

 

 

 

[themadhippy]

I look forward to sitting in the pub garden with my usual beer & laughing at the larger drinkers

Hope your brewery dont use co2 to transfer the ale from the fermenter to cask,or us it to purge the air out of the casks before filling.

There seems to be conflicting reports with some saying its only food grade co2 thats affected whilst others are saying its co2 in genral

[alistermorton]

'kin' spell checker http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

 

Can you get a drinkable lager with no gas in it? (can you get a drinkable lager.)

 

 

 

 

Many years ago I saw it dispensed direct from the keg using a standard car-tyre style foot pump to pressurise. Not being a lager drinker (even back then, in my yoof), I've no idea what it tasted like but it looked the part in the glass. Well, at first, anyway.

 

However, I've had German lager served straight from the barrel into the glass and that was great without extra blanket pressure.

[adam2]

Compressed air from a foot pump or an electric air compressor can indeed be used to dispense keg beer instead of carbon dioxide. It only works well if the keg is sold promptly once started. If the started keg is not sold within a couple of days, then the air causes the beer to oxidise and spoil.

[Brian]

...can you get a drinkable lager.

 

Having just got back from Belgium the answer is 'yes'.

[andy_s]

'kin' spell checker http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif

 

Can you get a drinkable lager with no gas in it? (can you get a drinkable lager.)

it depends on the location. Somehow, lager tastes OK out of bottles in foreign countries like Spain or Mexico...

 

I occasionally make the mistake of thinking it will taste like that back in the UK...

Edited June 21, 2018 by andy_s

[paulears]

Well, I'm in trouble as I can't drink alcohol (I can't metabolise it) so since my first pint in 1975, I've drunk Coke - and without C02, fizzy drinks will be off the menu. You can drink flat beer or the non-fizzy stuff, but flat Coke is vile!

[themadhippy]

Compressed air from a foot pump or an electric air compressor can indeed be used to dispense keg beer instead of carbon dioxide. It only works well if the keg is sold promptly once started.

The short life span is no more with key kegs,the drink is in a plastic bag inside a plastic barrel,the air is pumped into the barrel compressing the bag forcing the drink out,no air can enter the bag so the drink stays fresh for much longer

[sandall]

flat Coke is vile!

ALL Coke is vile, unless heavily diluted with Navy Rum.

[nuttytechy]

flat Coke is vile!

ALL Coke is vile, unless heavily diluted with Navy Rum.

 

 

I'm very sorry sandall but I have to agree there. It has to be malibu ** laughs out loud ** as I like the fruity taste of drinks ** laughs out loud **

[Cerbertech]

"I occasionally make the mistake of thinking it will taste like that back in the UK"

 

That's because it is often actually a different drink.

 

European is brewed there, we just have our own version made here, am sure they don't achieve the same recipe. Indeed some like Stella are actually different strengths.

 

Lots of contract brewed in the UK product using licensed brands.