Brewers are always seeking the next breakthrough in making production more efficient and cost-effective. Recently, nitrogen has gained popularity in brewing as a lower-cost alternative to CO₂.
Traditionally, breweries relied on CO₂ throughout all brewing processes. Today, gas blends containing nitrogen (CO₂ + N₂) are widely used, and some breweries even replace CO₂ entirely with nitrogen to create new sensory profiles. Nitrogen is integrated at various stages of brewing — from ingredient storage to final packaging.
Because nitrogen is largely insoluble in liquids, nitrogenated beer develops a creamier texture and softer mouthfeel with smaller bubbles, allowing flavours to distribute more evenly. This property also enables beers with higher pressure inside containers but lower carbonation.
Brewers are always seeking the next breakthrough in making production more efficient and cost-effective. Recently, nitrogen has gained popularity in brewing as a lower-cost alternative to CO₂.
Traditionally, breweries relied on CO₂ throughout all brewing processes. Today, gas blends containing nitrogen (CO₂ + N₂) are widely used, and some breweries even replace CO₂ entirely with nitrogen to create new sensory profiles. Nitrogen is integrated at various stages of brewing — from ingredient storage to final packaging.
Because nitrogen is largely insoluble in liquids, nitrogenated beer develops a creamier texture and softer mouthfeel with smaller bubbles, allowing flavours to distribute more evenly. This property also enables beers with higher pressure inside containers but lower carbonation.
Key applications in breweries include:
- Raw material protection: Inert gas purging prevents bacterial growth and moisture damage during grain storage, extending shelf life.
- Oxidation prevention: Nitrogen purging of tanks between batches ensures that residual wort or beer does not oxidise and spoil the next batch.
- Keg cleaning: Nitrogen flushing removes oxygen and moisture from kegs, preventing oxidation and preserving flavour.
- Mixing: Due to low solubility, nitrogen forms bubbles when injected into liquids, ensuring thorough blending of beer layers — an alternative to mechanical stirring.
- Displacement and keg pressurisation: Nitrogen displaces CO₂ from storage tanks, preventing flavour degradation and excessive foaming. Pressurised nitrogen also serves as a medium to transfer beer between tanks and to pre-pressurise kegs before shipping or storage.
For breweries, investing in on-site nitrogen generation is more economical than relying on gas cylinders or cryogenic storage. On-site generators supply high-purity nitrogen, minimise CO₂ supply risks, reduce product loss, and cut water use during keg cleaning.
Advantages of nitrogen generators in breweries include:
- Lower overall production costs
- Efficient, loss-free gas usage
- Reduced downtime
- Long-term operational savings compared to bulk gas delivery
- Customisable purity and capacity, with scalability for production growth
On-site nitrogen generation is often more cost-effective than CO₂, providing breweries with both economic and competitive advantages.