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Kitchen equipment · Coffee dispenser

Nitro coffee keg or nitrogen dispenser

A pressurised keg or dispenser that infuses cold brew with nitrogen gas for nitro cold brew's creamy cascade.

Specialist · No power needed · 1 recipe

What it is

A sealed stainless steel keg or a smaller home dispenser that holds cold brew under nitrogen pressure; a stout-style tap or nozzle forces it through small holes so the dissolved gas forms a dense, creamy head, much like a stout beer. Cafés use a nitrogen cylinder and regulator (or a nitrogen generator); home units use small nitrogen (N2) cartridges. Cream whippers charged with nitrous oxide (N2O) also give a foamy, cascading coffee, but nitrous oxide is a different gas: it tastes slightly sweeter and is not the same as true nitro coffee. Carbon dioxide (CO2) makes fizzy, sharper-tasting coffee instead.

What it’s for: Serving cold brew with a smooth, creamy texture and foam head without milk.

How to use it

  1. Fill with chilled, ready-to-drink (diluted) cold brew, no higher than the maximum fill line.
  2. Seal, charge with nitrogen exactly as the manufacturer directs and shake if instructed.
  3. Chill well, then dispense through the nitro tap or nozzle into a glass without ice.

Good to know

Tasks
making nitro cold brew
Materials
stainless steel
Care and cleaning
Release all pressure before opening; clean the keg, seals and nozzle after every batch so old coffee does not sour.
Limitations
Needs a nitrogen supply and specialised kit; without it you can make cold brew but not true nitro cold brew.

Safety

  • Pressurised vessel: follow the manufacturer's fill, pressure and gas instructions exactly; never use a damaged or dented unit.
  • Never open a charged keg or dispenser; release the pressure first.
  • Use only the gas the unit is designed for.

If you don’t have one

  • Cocktail shaker — Shaking cold brew hard with ice gives a light foam, but not the nitro cascade.

Related tools

Recipes that use it