How much CO2 do you use?

[pbutlert]

The owner thinks we are using too much CO2; he is trying to get us to re-do the whole system, convinced there is a leak somewhere. We are a 1200Bbl/yr brewpub packaging everything in kegs and bottles. Our building is a little less than 2 years old, and Norco(our Co2 supplier) set up the system from our bulk tank. It feeds every CO2 use in the building-bar, brites, keg washer, etc. It also gets turned off at the tank each night at closing. We use about 100# a week. How much do those of you in similar situations use?

[nohandslance]

Do you have a soda machine as well?, 100LBS/Week is very good for all the process you are doing. What is the Bottle Machine you are using.

[pbutlert]

No soda machine; I am pouring a Montana-made(Hi Dave!) root beer on draft. We have a 22 oz. Meheen, bottling ~200 cs./wk. max....

[CallerFromLA]

At a brewpub, I got a feeling that we were overpaying for CO2. So for a month, I wrote down the amount we were using with the built-in gauges. One tank would read 3/4 full and the other tank would read 1/2 full - CO2 guy would fill them up and charge us for 2 full tanks, as if they were both empty when he arrived. He came by regularly, and did this everytime no matter what the gauges read. I informed him that in the future, he should only come in upon request when we call him, instead of set visit dates. This lowered our business costs.

Cheers,
--Jake Tringali

[GlacierBrewing]

Hi ya Pbutlert,
I'd have to dig into my NORCO invoices but thinking to how much CO2 we use just on our draft systems (in house and brew pubs, tailgates, etc), 100#/week does not seem to be out of the ballpark. Are you guys pushing beer through the filter with gas or pumps? What about purging tanks of atmosphere? A lot of the CO2 "costs" (read: usage) pays for itself in eliminating potential infections, overly-agitated products, and product losses. But, it is always good to give your gas system a physical audit from time to time. I have noticed on my system that crimp clamps have been loosening over time and need to be replaced. Especially hose clamps!
Have you plotted your usage into a spreadsheet to see it the peaks correspond with increased bottle inventory or decreases in the winter, etc? Just some ideas.

Dave

p.s. thanks for the "shout out"! :D

[Michael Murphy]

were using alot as well, we are at about 15000hl per year and we use those multi tank batteries, (8- 40kg tanks linked together) and we go through about 3-4 per week. We think by installing a heater on the line it will reduce the usage. Havent seen a differnece yet. Our CO2 supplier is also a major investor in the brewery, go figure...

Our main use of CO2 would be on the bottling line, but we use alot to carbonate and passing the beer through the filter. Any suggestions on reducing the usage would be appreciated.

[Beersmith]

Hi Paul!

Your CO2 usage seems comparable to ours. We use about 120# a week from a 600# liquid bulk tank. We do use natural carbonation to achieve the majority of our carbonation, but do use bulk CO2 to finish carbonation. That's producing 1,800 bbls and using the CO2 (along with N2 via the blender) to dispense all of our on-premise beer. Hope that helps. -Brian

[Larry Horwitz]

We are a brewpub doing about 1000 bbls per year with about another 200 bbls going outside. We force carb and purge our tanks and we use about 200 pounds per week. The same system also serves our soda and the rest of the soda in the restaurant. If your owner thinks 100#s per week is too much he's not thought very much about how much it takes to even dispense the quantity of beer you are producing. There are many better ways to save $$$ in a pub....for instance: How much beer do bartenders give away / pour down the drain every week.

at retail 1 bbl of beer is worth about $900....so every time a bar staff wastes a keg could pay for about 6 months of CO2

[GlacierBrewing]

Hey Paul,
After digging through our records, I see that our CO2 usage is right in the ballpark with the figures you stated.

Prost!
Dave