Walt, Actually, yeast produces nitrogen when it ferments, but only a small amount. The rest of the nitrogen comes from a different source: air. Inserting nitrogen into beer is done to mimic the effect of how it's traditionally dispensed in Europe: they use beer engines to literally "pull" the beer into the glass. Beer engine = a device used to draw the beer up from the cellar. In use since the 18th century. Air pumps into the cask to push the beer into the pipes and upstairs. Some places use electric pumps these days, so the older ones are sometimes called "manual beer engines". (Not to be confused with a manual beer transmission, I suppose. *grin*) In the U.S. most places use carbon dioxide instead of a pump, leading to way too much foam among other things, but which makes the beer faster to dispense. In order to get the European effect those who bother have to simulate the beer engine process somehow. When they do that, the gas used to displace most beer is generally 70% nitrogen 30% carbon dioxide (i.e. close to normal "air" like that used in the beer engines), although some places use a stronger nitrogen mix. The usage of nitrogen instead of just carbon dioxide elminates the bloated, gassy feeling one gets after drinking a pint or twelve of the CO2-laden stuff, and improves the taste. Some places use air compressors to draw nitrogen from the air. I doubt anyone in the U.S. will install an old beer engine just for the taste, especially considering it will lengthen the amount of time it takes to get the stuff out. Damn. Now I'm thirsty. Time for Warsteiner Dunkel. Farrar Walter Coe wrote: > Farrar, you are the first guy I have ever heard complain that beer is too > cold. I can enjoy a dark beer at room temperature when others would gag on > it. But my preference is to have it at least chilled. > > I thought that it was carbon dioxide that is in beer. You mean it's > supposed to be nitrogen instead? I thought that CO2 was a natural byproduct > of the fermentation. > > Walt Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ADVERTISEMENT <http://rd.yahoo.com/M=244522.3707890.4968055.1261774/D=egroupweb/S=170512 6215:HM/A=1595055/R=0/SIG=124j83ehr/*http://ashnin.com/clk/muryutaitakenat togyo?YH=3707890&yhad=1595055> Click Here! <http://us.adserver.yahoo.com/l?M=244522.3707890.4968055.1261774/D=egroupm ail/S=:HM/A=1595055/rand=915071964> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: DMCForum-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> .
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