Finding the Right C02 Regulator & Accessories for your Home

Regulating the CO2 pressure in your home draft system is vital to producing a drinkable beer. The CO2 regulator is one of the most important parts of your home draft system, so having the right CO2 regulator is a must. In order to determine the kind of CO2 regulator you should equip with, you should take into consideration how many kegs you will be drawing from, whether you will be drawing soda through your draft system, and whether your CO2 tank will be subjected to portable use. Most home draft systems are intended for the dispensation of beer, so we will cover beer regulators first.

Most CO2 regulators are either single gauge or double gauge. When using the single gauge regulator as your primary regulator, you will be able to control the amount of gas being output by the CO2 tank, but you will not know how much pressure is in the tank. You will only know how much PSI (pressure) is coming out. Some people think that this is detrimental, because you cannot tell how much CO2 is left in the tank. This is a common misconception. The truth is that your CO2 tank will maintain the same pressure as long as any liquid CO2 is still in the tank. Once the liquid CO2 runs out, then the pressure on a double regulator's 2nd gage will finally go down. This will happen too rapidly for the gage reading to do you any good, as it means that your beer is about to stop flowing.

The single gauge version of CO2 regulators can be considered the "economy" version, but it is also useful for pressurizing different beers at different levels of carbonation. By having a gas line coupler, you can extend your gas lines and regulate the gas to a lower pressure down the line, with the single gauge regulator. Some companies are offering single gauge units that can be linked together in piecemeal fashion to create two, three, four, or more regulators on a single panel. Keep in mind that with some models of single gauge regulator, you will have to change out the inlet seal tank connection with a gas line connector. If you are planning this setup, make sure that the single gauge regulator you buy is capable of having the inlet tank connection changed out, or that it is intended for use as a secondary coupler.

Double gage regulators will show two pressures - the pressure coming out of the tank, and the pressure flowing down the gas lines. For the purposes of home draft beer systems, there is no practical need to have a double gauge regulator, unless you have a 20 pound or larger tank. Then, you may be able to "run on fumes" for a while after your liquid CO2 runs out - perhaps long enough to finish the night and get a refill before the next party. With smaller tanks, you are likely to run out of gas by the time your regulator is reading low.

One valuable accessory for your CO2 regulator is the "Gauge Cage". This invention consists of two pieces of ¼" steel triangles, with rounded corners, that attach to your regulator and protect it from getting bashed to pieces. Nearly every home brewer's regulator gets bashed around at one time or another - I have seen the damage done time and time again. So, I consider the "Gauge Cage" a worthwhile investment in keeping your CO2 regulator fully operational. Keep in mind that most CO2 regulators are made from brass, a soft metal that is easily dented.

Another accessory that can come in handy is a little coupler that allows your regulator to work with a nitrogen tank. Nitrogenated ale is a big hit. It has a more subtle, smoother taste than carbonated ale. With little gadgets like these, you can get a lot more use out of your home draft tools.