Canada N2 source for nitro capsules - Page 3

Coffee preparation techniques besides espresso like pourover.
User avatar
happycat (original poster)
Posts: 1464
Joined: 11 years ago

#21: Post by happycat (original poster) »

randytsuch wrote:@happycat
Thanks for all the info, interesting.

What tip are you using in your dispenser? Being lazy here, I expect its in a previous thread.

I bought an Isi tip from their nitro coffee system
https://isi-store.com/collections/nitro ... nitro-tip About $16 with shipping

It fits on the Ico 500ml whipped cream dispenser I have. Got pretty good results with it, but I want to try your strong coffee recipe and see how tastes.

Randy
Hey thanks for the link. Can you give any more info about your experience wih it? Specifically how the results may differ.

I use a default metal tip that I crushed a bit with pliers to flatten it out. With nitro (2g cartridges) I find there is way less of a blast coming out than n2o (8g) so it comes out more or less as a nice stream for me. I watched their video and I'm not sure there is much difference.
LMWDP #603

randytsuch
Posts: 495
Joined: 15 years ago

#22: Post by randytsuch replying to happycat »

Sorry, should have provided more info.

I hadn't made any diy nitro since last year, but from memory, using this tip gave better mouthfeel than my last attempts. I was using N2 and a whipped cream dispenser with the cheap, provided tips. The foam also lasted longer, used to dissipate really quickly.

The new tip is just a narrow, metal tube, nothing inside. But I expect the smaller diameter helps. Now wondering if some kind of flow restrictor was added if it would help.

Had a busy weekend, didn't make any more nitro brew. Maybe this week, been busy with an espresso machine project that I want to finish.

Randy

User avatar
happycat (original poster)
Posts: 1464
Joined: 11 years ago

#23: Post by happycat (original poster) replying to randytsuch »

Thanks for the update. Makes me wonder if one of those cream filling injector tips might work the same.
LMWDP #603

User avatar
happycat (original poster)
Posts: 1464
Joined: 11 years ago

#24: Post by happycat (original poster) »

After having made this a few times....

I feel like I enjoy the second session from my 1 litre whipper more than the first. I feel like there is more flavour and integrated creamy mouthfeel. We usually do 2 sessions of 2 servings.

One difference is lots of gas comes out the first time, and the second time I have enough to empty the whipper but it's not generating a huge guinness effect. But it still results in creaminess and an enjoyable creamy head and I think more flavour.

This makes me wonder if too much nitrogen interferes with my experience of texture and flavour, particularly with my hot brew method which does not use a ton of beans. i.e. I am not creating a super concentrated brew.

So my wife suggested maybe doing a staged gas charge. Charge 1 for full litre. Then charge 1 after we have our first serving. That might balance it out more.
LMWDP #603

randytsuch
Posts: 495
Joined: 15 years ago

#25: Post by randytsuch »

Even with my 1/2 liter whipper, gas was low by the end of the batch. I filled the whipper about 3/4 full, maybe it wanted to be full at the beginning?

By the end, I had to keep pushing and releasing the whipper, and only a little coffee would come out each time. I gave up at some point, for the last cup I released all the gas, and opened and poured out.

I used one n2 cartridge, figured it should be enough for 1/2 liter.

I kind of remember this from last time I tried, but seemed worse this time.

Randy

User avatar
happycat (original poster)
Posts: 1464
Joined: 11 years ago

#26: Post by happycat (original poster) replying to randytsuch »

I think it's important to fill the whipper as much as possible. The whipper is designed for cream, which expands a lot into a foam. But for coffee, I think it is necessary to put in the full 500+ ml before gassing up.

I had the same issue as you when I underfilled my 1 litre. That's why I started brewing desired output + 10% to account for water trapped in coffee grounds. eg 1100 in to get close to 1000 out.
LMWDP #603

User avatar
SteveRhinehart
Posts: 295
Joined: 5 years ago

#27: Post by SteveRhinehart »

happycat wrote:I think it's important to fill the whipper as much as possible. The whipper is designed for cream, which expands a lot into a foam. But for coffee, I think it is necessary to put in the full 500+ ml before gassing up.
To be clear, cream expands into a foam in the nozzle. While it is in the siphon it remains a liquid. The N2O gas dissolved in the cream expands when it goes from the high-pressure siphon to atmospheric pressure outside it, creating larger gas bubbles within the cream. Shaking the cream inside the siphon also whips the butterfat into a fluffier consistency as it would if you were using a bowl and whisk instead of a siphon, so you can create a slightly airier and fluffier dispensed product that way. The key here is that the N2O dissolves into the cream. If it did not dissolve, you would dispense plain liquid cream.



N2 is much less soluble in water than N2O is in cream (I've read about 50x less but can't find a citation at the moment). It will be more inclined to pressurize the headspace of the siphon than it will be to dissolve into solution in your coffee. If you then also overfill the siphon past the safe max fill line, you decrease the headspace and increase the pressure in the container. Unsafely filled siphons can explode and injure or kill the user. I'd strongly advise checking your product manual for the safe max operating pressure and staying well below that.

One N2 charge is all I have ever needed for my 500 mL siphon to create a head on coffee drinks.

User avatar
happycat (original poster)
Posts: 1464
Joined: 11 years ago

#28: Post by happycat (original poster) »

If you want to make a PSA, it's definitely worth saying that a quality all-stainless whipper is the way to go, and cartridges should be charged facing away from the user. The whippers with plastic heads or plastic charging handles are certainly scary under pressure.

The reported case of an "exploding whipper" in 2017 related to a recalled item with a plastic head and plastic threads. Sadly, despite the many copy and pastes of that news report across media, few other details were given but it appears that the gas cartridge was blamed, which implicates the charging handle, perhaps due to damaged threads or cross threading.

I'm happy to say my all stainless whipper requires quite a bit of turning action to close the head or the charging handle.
LMWDP #603

User avatar
baldheadracing
Team HB
Posts: 6226
Joined: 9 years ago

#29: Post by baldheadracing »

happycat wrote:... I looked up a manufacturer (ICOtrading.ca) in Canada and on their website they directly sell N2 2g capsules for less than 1/3 to 1/4 the net price on Amazon. If you buy CDN$50 worth (7 boxes) then shipping is free and with taxes, net cost is CDN$0.90 per capsule....
baldheadracing wrote:Thanks for the measurements. I've ordered :D. ...
... and, they've arrived! :lol:

They originally sent me N20 capsules so it took twice as long ... but they did exhibit great customer service and sent extra N2 chargers.

The neck of the ICO chargers is very slightly longer than the Hatfield's ones, which is good as I had to be very fast screwing in the Hatfield's chargers; I'd lose some gas screwing down the charger about every fifth charge.

Thanks for posting the source!

As for tips, I wonder if the little aerator/screen in the NitroPress tip helps to keep up the Guinness effect across all pours. I'm guessing some fine metal mesh screens (now widely available in Canada from your local 'dispensary' as a pipe accessory 8) ) might have the same effect

-"Good quality brings happiness as you use it" - Nobuho Miya, Kamasada

User avatar
happycat (original poster)
Posts: 1464
Joined: 11 years ago

#30: Post by happycat (original poster) replying to baldheadracing »

Glad you got your order in the end.

I actually forgot that I stuffed a stainless mesh screen into the nozzle when I first got it so that might make a difference.

Enjoy!
LMWDP #603

Post Reply