Our atmosphere is made up of 78% Nitrogen. Nitrogen is not only used throughout the food and beverage industry, but surprisingly it is a huge part of it. Starbucks uses nitrogen to infuse cold brew coffee for a creamier smoother taste and feel. The fruit and vegetable industry uses nitrogen as well by storing it in non-oxidizing coolers to keep the fruit from perishing faster. Making your own nitrogen is efficient and sustainable. It reduces CO2 use and consumption by 70% when nitrogen is used as a replacement specifically in breweries, switching out all taps for nitrogen use. In high-traffic companies, for instance, Breweries. Healthier environments bring in happier and healthier customers.
Not only do we have a happier, healthier atmosphere in the brewery after making nitrogen tap changes, and if I haven’t grabbed your attention yet, but we are also saving MONEY!! Who doesn’t like the sound of that?
Nitrogen doesn’t have oxygen in it as Carbon Dioxide does. This means that there is less possibility for contaminants to get involved in the keg/tap. Nitrogen is used for more than just filtering through the tap but also for pressurizing cans, lids, and kegerators. It also adds a different flavor and feel to the perfect beer for certain types of beers. such as, cream ales becoming smoother and creamier, the heavier beer becoming less heavy and lighter, and you can fit a lot more beers in your gut without all that oxygen that creates that uncomfortable bloating feeling. I know we all want to drink Uncle John under the table, and breweries want to sell more beers to those who can now (thanks to Nitrogen) fit more without becoming uncomfortable so quickly in their beer bellies.
Another reason we should all think about replacing some, if not all, carbon dioxide with nitrogen is because there are increasing shortages occurring which in turn are driving up prices and wait times which could set your company back quite a bit when in need. Keeping up with customer demand and ultimately not having to raise your prices will keep those customers happy and coming back to your brewery.
Replacing CO2 in the air with nitrogen decreases oxygen levels but can also reduce humidity levels as well. This extends the shelf life of fruits and vegetables without changing the color or flavor or benefits of the food. It increases travel options for those who are in winter months receiving farm fresh items from a warmer climate. By using an air compressor and pairing it with a nitrogen generator, food and beverage suppliers can significantly save money, time, and product while also giving benefits to not just their customers, but the atmosphere.
GO GREEN!
Reverting to nitrogen from carbon dioxide is even easier than you’d expect, especially if you already have an air compressor in your brewery. All you would have to do is add a small nitrogen generator. Using compressed air, this generator will separate oxygen from nitrogen molecules creating purified nitrogen for use.
Nitrogen generators are as low maintenance as ground cover plants. You start it up, basically, forget about it and just watch as the atmosphere changes around you. Obviously, you will need to change the filter, but only after every 4,000 hours. You would need to be in touch with a service team, but the great news is that the same team servicing your air compressor will also service your nitrogen generator.
Done and done!
If you aren’t convinced yet, let me add this cherry right on top by saying that nitrogen generators come with remote and monitoring capabilities, and yes, there’s an app for that.
Sources
Considering the Switch from CO2 to Nitrogen in Your Brewery (thecompressedairblog.com)
Why Replace CO2 with Nitrogen in your Brewery (thecompressedairblog.com)