Learn How to Get Guinness on Tap at Home
Friday, June 26th, 2009 by HannahFor some, Guinness is the end all, be all beer of choice, no matter what time of year it is. I’m a huge Guinness fan myself, and although I imbibe in a great number of other brews when the mood strikes (you know this if you’ve happened upon my beer reviews), Guinness is truly my favorite. For those of you out there like me, Guinness on draft is the way to go.
There’s three options to get Guinness flowing at home:
- Buy a Complete Draught Guinness Kegerator
- Build a draft system for Guinness
- Convert an existing draft beer system for Guinness
(you can switch it back whenever you like!)
The equipment that you already have (if you have any) and your budget will determine which you choose to get Guinness on tap at home. Whichever option you choose, there are three basic differences between a standard draft beer system and a stout system:
The Type of Gas Used
The Keg Coupler
The Faucet
Instead of CO2 like a traditional draft beer system, Guinness uses a nitrogen/CO2 blend to push the beer through the lines. Mixed gas comes in an all-in-one air tank that contains 75% nitrogen and 25% CO2. The nitrogen gives Guinness its creamy, tight head that makes it so unique. To find a mixed gas dealer in your area, simply check under "gas" in your local yellow pages or ask your local Guinness distributor who they recommend.
The Guinness Import Company goes to great lengths to make sure that gas dealers are properly blending mixed gas. Some gas dealers are particular and they will only fill a nitrogen tank with mixed gas. Other dealers will fill your regular CO2 tank with the mixed gas, as the only difference between the two types of tanks is the threads. You can use a standard CO2 regulator with a nitrogen tank but you will need a CO2/Nitrogen Adapter. Make sure to set the regulator for 30 psi.
The keg coupler you need depends on the brand of beer you want to serve. Kegs of Guinness, Harp and Kilkenny require a U System Keg Coupler, while other brands of stout may call for a different coupler. See our complete list of beers and matching couplers for details.
If you’ve ever watched a bartender pour a pint of Guinness, you’ve probably noticed that a stout faucet is different from other faucets. Sometimes called a European Specialty Faucet, the stout faucet has a different type of handle that pulls forward and down. There’s also a tiny restrictor disc inside of the faucet head. When Guinness and other stouts are forced through the disc, the beer forms the unique head that people love. To dispense any other type of beer (i.e. Bud, Miller, Coors etc.) with one of these specialty faucets, all you need to do is remove the restrictor disc.
Now, you’re armed with the knowledge of how to get Guinness on tap at home. So, what are you waiting for?
TAGS [ GUINNESS | GUINNESS DRAUGHT | GUINNESS ON TAP | GUINNESS KEGERATOR | GUINNESS CONVERSION KIT | STOUT FAUCET | STOUT FAUCETS ]
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May 11th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Do I need CO2 or N2 to be able to set up a draft beer system at home for SMITHWICK’s? I’ve already got a Kegerator set up for domestic beers but would very much like to drink draught Smithwick’s at home. I’m assuming I need the “U” type keg coupler?
Thanks-
Bill
May 11th, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Bill Prentice – you do indeed need a U-coupler to dispense draught Smithwicks at home, but you do NOT need mixed gas. Just get yourself the CO2 tank and a regular (not stout) faucet, with a U-coupler, and you’ll be all set.
Let me know if I can help with anything else!
January 8th, 2011 at 9:30 am
I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth it to buy a regular kegerator and convert it versus paying what looks like significantly more for the out of the box Guinness Kegerator….
Can someone that has tried to use a regular kegerator and then the Guinness conversion to move to dispensing Guinness let me know how this worked? Is it viable or do I need to consider the full — and very expensive! — Guinness Kegerator system?
Also, what was your total cost-in for converting Guinness? That is, your regular kegerator, plus the conversion kit?
Thx in advance. Building new bar and this is a major decision to be made in the next couple of days.
Jim
January 10th, 2011 at 9:11 am
Jim – have you considered the Guinness refrigerator conversion kit? You can save a lot of money by converting a fridge, instead of buying the Guinness Kegerator out of the box. Check out the full Guinness fridge conversion kit here, just $236.
Regarding pricing a ready-to-go kegerator, plus a Guinness partial conversion kit, I’d have to know which kegerator you’re looking at. The least expensive one on our site is this Haier Kegerator, priced at $660. If you went with that and the Guinness partial conversion kit, you’d be looking at about $817 total, plus tax (if applicable) and shipping.
January 31st, 2011 at 6:28 pm
I bought a Kegerator around June or July 2010. The Kegerator came with a two valve regulator. I have been buying bud lite. I contacted budweiser and was told that the the pressure setting should 12 to 14 psi. I am on my sixth keg and have not been able to get the beer to flow right. It is always foamy. It is also very difficult to keep the pressure stable. This last keg that I have is the most troublesome. I turn the regulator valve to the negative side and that usually, eventually lowers the psi, however, I am all the way down and cannot turn it any more negative. The pressure continues to stay around 18 to 20 psi. Is my regulator defunct or am I doing wrong?
February 1st, 2011 at 9:43 am
Charles Miller – I spoke with one of our resident draft beer gurus, Justin. He had this to say:
Nylon washer between his cylinder and regulator… Need a new one?
http://www.kegworks.com/product.php?productid=16447
The starseal in the valve may be jacked up -
http://www.kegworks.com/search/search.php?keywords=star
Or the whole regulator may be shot. I would try those first- as a couple of bucks and parts that one can use anyways is usually preferable.
March 10th, 2011 at 4:43 pm
I new to the whole kegerator thing. Buying a house soon and would def like Guiness on tap! Does the gas tank fit inside the Kegerator? Or does it just fit the beer keg? Sorry if this is a dumb question. Where does the gas tank go?
March 10th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
GTOTHEK -
The gas tank should always be inside the kegerator, so the gas is the same temp. That way you won’t have weird foaming issues. Also be sure you get a Guinness kit, as it takes different equipment than a regular CO2 based draught system.
March 15th, 2011 at 1:33 pm
Hi Hannah,
I have a Model KC2000 – EdgeStar Full Size Kegerator and Keg Beer Cooler
set up for domestic beers. Can I use this model to set it up for for Guinness?
March 15th, 2011 at 2:02 pm
Jaytheboot – you sure can! All you need is a Partial Guinness Conversion Kit, a nitrogen air tank and a keg of the good stuff.
The great thing about the Guinness partial conversion kit is that it’s not permanent, so you can go back to pouring domestic beer anytime.
April 30th, 2011 at 5:21 pm
Does the 10lb N2 tank you sell for Guinness use fit inside the Complete Draught Guinness Kegerator you sell? The Dimensions listed are: 20”H x 7”D but when reading the “questions to ask the gas dealer” it states: “This is why we do not include the air tank with our system. If you are purchasing your tank elsewhere, keep in mind that to fit inside the unit behind the keg, the tank must be no more than 19″ tall. If a taller tank is used, you will have to drill a hole in the side of the unit to pass the air line through and store the air tank outside.” Since the 10lb N2 tank is 20 inches in length, will it not fit in the Guinness Kegerator?
Also, can the complete kegerator be installed under a counter top like dishwashers are?
Thanks!
Charles
May 2nd, 2011 at 10:22 am
Chaz – I passed your question along to our draft beer guru, Pete. Here’s his replies:
Q: Since the 10lb N2 tank is 20 inches in length, will it not fit in the Guinness Kegerator?
A: Correct, it will not fit.
Q: Also, can the complete kegerator be installed under a counter top like dishwashers are?
A: No, it cannot. Only kegerators specifically designed for undercounter use can be installed in an enclosed undercounter space.
Let me know if we can help with anything else!
May 11th, 2011 at 1:48 pm
Thanks Hannah for the follow up to my questions. Can Keg Works offer a solution to my dilema with the N2 tank length? Do you sell one that will fit in the Guinness Kegerator? Any other options?
Cheers,
Chaz
May 11th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Chaz – I just spoke with Justin, our other draft beer guru, because you bring up a very good point! One option that people try is to drill a hole in the unit and keep the gas tank on the outside. This isn’t a great idea, however, because a warm air tank will create foamy beer.
My sincere recommendation is to convert a fridge with a Guinness conversion kit instead. If you find an old fridge with 4.5 cu. ft. of space inside (best if the compressor isn’t creating a bump inside the fridge) you’ll have plenty of space to fit the 10lb nitrogen air tank. This is a cheaper way to get Guinness on tap and to make sure it pours properly.
According to our customer service reps, nitrogen tanks don’t usually come smaller than this 10lb size, so I think a conversion kit would be your best bet.
Cheers, and keep me posted if I can help with anything else!