Tired of serving up the same-old drinks at your Buffalo- or Rochester-area restaurant or bar? We’ve got a sure-fire solution that will add a little flavor to your fall drinks menu: bulk beverage syrups from Irish Carbonic.

Irish Carbonic offers a full range of syrups and flavored drinks for just about any container or delivery system, including bottles, ultrapack cartridges, bag-in-box, and more. Not set up to take on these delicious drinks? We can help you there, too, with professional beverage system installation and maintenance service for the full gamut of dispensing systems, plus beverage grade bulk CO2 deliveries and more.

Our bulk beverage products include:

• Juices — Our 100 percent juice, juice blends and juice drink products are available in a wide range of flavors in bag-in-box, ultra pack cartridges and bottles.
• Sodas — From Royal Crown Cola (RC Cola) to Dr. Pepper/7-Up products, we’ve got it all in both post-mix bag-in-box and Figal containers (premix Figal containers are also available). We also feature the full line of Johnnie Ryan beverages—a cane-sugar-sweetened line of syrups and fountain mixers made locally in Western New York.
• Frozen Mixes — We feature the full line of Royale Brands frozen mixes for your margaritas, mojitos, and other cocktails, available for use in your blender or jet spray beverage dispenser.
• Sparkling Ice — Sparkling Iced teas, lemonades, waters and essence drinks in more than 20 fruitful flavors are available.

Add a splash of flavor to your bar or restaurant with delicious beverage syrups from Irish Carbonic – or let us install or maintain your dispensing equipment to keep the drinks flowing, properly carbonated, crisp, and fresh all fall and winter long. Contact us to learn more or to get a FREE, no obligation estimate on a beverage system installation today!

Keg care basics for your bar or restaurant

A foamy or stale keg pour is a bartender’s nightmare – and it’s not great for your customers, either. If you want to avoid bad pours and get more life from your kegs, keep in mind the following tips:

• Let the keg settle after moving it – If you move your keg, give it some time to settle down. If you don’t, you’ll probably experience excessive foaming when you tap it. Just like soda, beer is carbonated – and just like soda, it will foam when you shake it. Try to let your keg sit for at least an hour after you move it.
• Keep it at the right temperature – Because keg beer is unpasteurized, it should stay refrigerated to between 34 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit at all times.
• Keep it fresh – A keg of beer will typically retain its full flavor from anywhere from 30 to 45 days after tapping, but that window is very much dependent on storage conditions and the type of beer in the keg. For example, hoppy beers and those containing more alcohol will last longer because hops and alcohol inhibit bacteria growth (see “keep it clean” below).
• Keep it clean – There are two root causes of spoiled beer in your keg. The first – microorganism growth – is unavoidable; about the only way to prevent it is drink the beer in your keg before the little critters do their damage (see “keep it fresh” above). If you have a more sophisticated set up that includes beer lines, it’s imperative to keep them clean with professional beer line cleaning to keep bacteria, yeast, and mold at bay.

  The other cause of spoilage is oxidation – typically caused by the presence of oxygen leftover by the pumping process. Oxidation will flatten the beer, giving it a sour taste that can make it undrinkable. Again, professional beer line maintenance is your friend here.

Follow these simple tips to get fresher pours for longer from your kegs. Enjoy!

Our 10-point beer line cleaning system uses a time-tested combination of solutions and procedures that virtually eliminate microorganism buildup and mineral deposits that can lead to foamy, skunky pours. To learn more, give the beer line experts at Irish Carbonic a call today!

As you might expect, summer weather and dry ice blasting don’t mix very well: hot summer conditions here in Buffalo and Rochester can make it difficult to protect the integrity of your dry ice supply, not to mention keeping cool the air needed to cleanly propel the dry ice chips during the blasting process.

To make matters worse, many manufacturers of dry ice blasting machines don’t give you much guidance when it comes to dry ice blasting in hot weather – the only specs they typically address in their literature are inlet temperature and dew point of the blast pressure air.

But here at Irish Carbonic, we’re all about the helping our dry ice customers (or even people who might one day become Irish Carbonic dry ice customers). So we’ve put together a list of seven tips to consider if you’re faced with a dry ice blasting task during hot weather.

Seven dry ice blasting tips for hot weather

1. Keep insulated containers closed and wrapped until you are ready to use them.
2. Avoid placing dry ice containers in direct sunlight.
3. Cover the insulated containers with a blanket for further sun protection and an extra measure of insulation.
4. Once you open the insulated dry ice containers, restore all the packing materials (including the plastic liner and cardboard topper) before re-closing the lid.
5. Consider staggering your dry ice deliveries during periods of extreme heating rather than getting the full delivery at once.
6. Install a permanently fixed or portable aftercooler dryer to your plant air system between the air source and the inlet of the dry ice blasting machine; the aftercooler will drop the air temperature enough to encourage moisture condensation in the heat exchanger, which will then be pulled out of the air stream by the water separator.
7. Install a coalescing filter after the water separator to remove any aerosolized oils and other contaminates not removed from the air stream by the water separator. This will help you avoid freeze ups in your dry ice blasting machine’s dosing mechanism.

Need dry ice for your ice-blasting project? Contact the dry ice pros at Irish Carbonic today for your next dry ice delivery!

With a little planning and a few blocks of dry ice, you can bring your favorite frozen foods just about anywhere – even on a summer camping trip.

But how long will that dry ice last?

As you might know, dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide, the same gas that we breathe) does an amazing job at not just keeping food cold, but actually keeping it frozen – and if it is packed the right way, it will last a surprisingly long time.

How long dry ice lasts depends primarily on two factors: how it is stored and the size of the brick. The following table for how long dry ice lasts is based on an average five-pound brick of dry ice that remains whole (not broken into pieces):

• In a cooler – 18-24 hours
• Outdoors – 3-5 hours
• In liquid – 15-45 minutes

To put it another way, if stored properly (that is, in an insulated cooler…see below), dry ice sublimates (turns from solid form to gas form) at a rate of about 5-10 pounds every 24 hours. That means that if you need about 15 pounds of dry ice for the next day, you need to buy 20-25 pounds the day before. This is why it’s important to buy your dry ice as close as possible to the day you’re going to need it. Plan accordingly!

Dry ice safety reminders

• Always follow dry ice safe handling practices!
• Store dry ice in a cooler with the loosely closed. NEVER use an airtight container: the build up of carbon dioxide gases as the dry ice subliminates could cause the container to burst!
• Keep the cooler in the coolest, most well-ventilated area possible.
• NEVER store dry ice in your freezer! It will cause the thermostat to shut the freezer down.
• NEVER leave dry ice in your closed vehicle or in a closed room. Also keep your windows down in the car as you are transporting any of this substance.
• To dispose of dry ice after storage, leave it outside or in a bucket of water in a well-ventilated area.

Need dry ice for your next summer camping trip? We’ve got you covered! Visit one of our convenient locations to pick up yours today.

Summertime is a fun time if you’re a bartender or restaurant owner in Buffalo or Rochester: you get to concoct beverages that you probably couldn’t serve at any other time of the year. From daiquiris, margaritas and mojitos to smoothies virgin and otherwise, this is the time to get creative with your frozen drinks.

Need some inspiration? Here are some recipes from our friends at Royale Brands – makers of fine frozen mixes for your bar or restaurant’s blender or jet spray beverage dispenser.*

Cheers!

Berries N’ Chocolate (16 oz.)
2oz. Royale Triple Berry Mix
1 Pump of Royale Chocolate Sauce
4oz. Water
1 Scoop Non-Dairy Smoothie Creme
Blend & Serve

Wild Peach Daiquiri
2 oz. Royale Premium Peach
1 oz. Royale Premium Raspberry
1 oz. Rum
2-3 oz. Water
14 oz. Ice
Blend & Serve!

Mama Bahama
1 oz. Royale Premium Banana
1 oz. Royale Premium Strawberry
1 oz. Royale Premium Peach
1 oz. Rum
2-3 oz. Water
14 oz. Ice
Blend & Serve!

Strawberry Colada
1 oz. Royale Premium Pina Colada
2 oz. Royale Premium Strawberry
1 oz. Rum
2-3 oz. Water
14 oz. Ice
Blend & Serve!

Cadillac Margarita
2 oz. Royale Viva Margarita Gold
1 oz. Tequila
2-3 oz. Water
14 oz. Ice
Blend & Serve!

You can fine more recipes on the Royale Brands website: www.royalebrands.com/recipes/

*Irish Carbonic sells, maintains, leases and rents complete beverage dispensing systems of just about any size, providing you with the exact equipment and expert technical support you need to deliver the beverages your customers want most –including frozen drink mixes from Royale Brands! Contact us today to learn more.

If you are looking to install a draft beer dispensing system in your Buffalo- or Rochester-area bar or restaurant, it’s easy enough to hire a professional to do the job (and we strongly recommend that you do just that).

But while you’re doing that, it’s also a good idea to study how your draft beer dispensing system actually works. To help you do that, here are basic descriptions of some of the key elements in a commercial draft beer dispensing system.

If you have any questions about beer dispensing set-ups, contact the Irish Carbonic Beer Division today.

Draft beer dispensing elements

Here are the parts of a typical beer dispensing system:

• CO2 or mixed gas tanks – Pressurized gas– either CO2 or a blend of CO2 and nitrogen – is what propels your beer from the keg to the faucet. When this pressurized gas is pushed into the keg through the coupler, it forces the beer out into the beer line until it reaches the tap.
• Primary regulator – Gas inside a storage tank is under great pressure, which must be controlled if your want to avoid a foamy pour; that’s what the primary regulator is for. This regulator usually has a high-pressure and a low-pressure gauge to make it easy to troubleshoot problems with your system.
• Air lines – Air lines help transport gas from the tank to the rest of your dispensing system. Typically, they attach directly to a nipple on the regulator with a clamp. Air lines are often colored red to distinguish them from the (usually orange) beer line.
• Gas blender – Different beer recipes call for different gases – either CO2, nitrogen, or a mix of the two. A gas blender allows you to easily dispense beers that use different gases by mixing their gas blends on demand.
• Secondary regulator – If you need to dispense multiple kegs from of a single gas tank, you will need a secondary regulator to control pressure for each keg.
• Keg coupler – A coupler attaches directly to the keg with an airtight seal. It has two nipples—one for the air line (to push gas into the keg) and one for the beer line (to push beer out of the keg). Keg couplers come in a range of shapes and sizes that correspond to those used by beer manufacturers. The most widely used coupler is the US Sankey (D System).
• Beer line – A beer line is a vinyl hose that transports beer from the keg coupler to the faucet. They are usually orange in color.
• Glycol trunk line and chiller – A glycol system allows you to draw beer across lines with distances of up to 500 feet (from a cooler to your draft beer tower, for example) at a steady, perfectly chilled temperature. A glycol chiller (or “power pack”) includes an air-cooled compressor, glycol bath, and a pump for glycol recirculation.
• Draft beer tower – A draft beer tower houses your beer lines and faucets. Towers can be configured to match any number of dispensing needs or décor.
• Draft beer faucets – Faucets are the levers you pull to pour beer. They range from simple to advanced designs that control texture of the beer, pour speed, and more.
• Dip tray – A dip tray controls spills under pours, making cleanup easier for your servers.

Ready to install or replace a new beer line system in your bar or restaurant? We can help! Contact us today for a FREE, no obligation estimate on a custom beer line installation for your Buffalo- or Rochester-area hot spot!

Beer making is an art – as many of our Irish Carbonic Beer Division customers can attest. The question is, where is the best gallery to compare those delectable creations?

As it happens, Buffalo NY is the perfect place to ogle and imbibe the best brews, thanks to The New York State Brewers Association and the Buffalo Brewers Festival.

Up to 60 New York State breweries from Buffalo and beyond will be pouring at Canalside on Saturday June 22nd. The sudsy event will showcase breweries and beer from every other region of the state while raising money to benefit both organizations.

Brewers, owners, and brewery reps will pour at this festival, not volunteers – so come hang out with the people making the beer you love!

Learn more about the event below, or visit the New York State Brewers Association website for further details.

Festival Details

• 2:00-6:00PM (VIP admission) at 2pm, General Admission at 3pm)
• 3:00-6:00PM (General admission)
• Canalside is located at 44 Prime St, Buffalo, NY 14202

Ticket Prices

• Advance General Admission Ticket: $35 | Event Day (if available): $45
• Advance VIP Ticket: $55 | VIP Admission Event Day  (if available): $65
• Designated Drivers: $15

Tickets include:

• Event admission
• A 7-ounce souvenir tasting glass
• Freedom to enjoy unlimited 3-ounce beer samples
• Food available from local food trucks
• The opportunity to meet the brewers making your favorite beers
• DD tickets include free bottles of water

A limited number of VIP Tickets are also available, which include exclusive beer tastings, early entry, and brewer meet & greets. Visit the New York State Brewers Association website for more information.

Want your Buffalo brewery to make it to the big time? Do it with quality bulk beverage grade CO2 and beer equipment installations from Irish Carbonic. Contact us today to learn more.

You may not yet feature nitro coffee at your Buffalo- or Rochester-area bar or restaurant – but considering how much it’s trending these days, it might be a great option to offer your customers.

If you’re not familiar with nitro coffee, here are five questions and answers about the emerging brew.

1. What is nitro coffee? First concocted in or around 2013 (depending on who you ask), nitro coffee (a.k.a. “Nitro Cold Brew Coffee” or NCB) is cold brewed coffee infused with nitrogen gas (nitrogen is regularly added to certain types of beers, particularly stouts).
2. What does nitrogen coffee taste like? Nitrogen infused coffee is extremely smooth and low in acidity, with a silky mouth feel (bubbles in a nitrogen infused beverage are much smaller than bubbles in soda, which are produced by carbon dioxide). Most fans of the nitro-brew drink it black with or without ice; although it can be served with sweet cream or syrup, the bubbles give the impression of sweetness, so most people skip the unhealthy add-ins.
3. What should nitrogen coffee look like? Imagine the creamy texture of a Guinness and you have an idea of what a nitro coffee should look like. Much like a properly poured stout, nitrogen coffee gets it signature look from its stream of cascading bubbles.
4. Is nitro coffee healthier than traditional coffee? Although it is the same basic material as your typical morning coffee, the nitrogenation process imparts a sweet, creamy texture to your coffee, which makes the drink seem sweet without the need for sugar. Nitrogen coffee also has a higher caffeine content (since it contains less water), which makes it a great pre-workout drink, and it’s also lower in acid than conventional coffee — good news for people with sensitive stomachs.
5. What do I need to install in my bar or restaurant to serve nitrogen coffee? To produce nitro coffee, you need a source of nitrogen gas (from a replaceable cylinder or onsite bulk loaded set-up) and a properly pressurized and maintained serving system. As with nitro beers, proper set up of your equipment is the key to consistent, excellent pours.

Thinking about offering nitro coffee in your restaurant or bar? We can help you set up and maintain a serving system that gives you perfect pours every time! Contact our experts today to learn more.

In the bar and restaurant business, you rarely get a second chance to make a first impression – one flat or skunky beer or soda pour or and you’re not likely to win that customer back for round 2.

One of the most important ways to avoid bad pours and keep the taste, aroma, and mouth feel that your customers are looking for in their carbonated beverages is to use the best inputs – including top-quality beverage-grade CO2 that gives your adult (and kiddie) beverages their characteristic taste and bite.

How you incorporate that CO2 into your workflow is also important: although many restauranteurs and bar managers choose to get their carbon dioxide refills from high-pressure cylinders, there is a more convenient option: bulk CO2 delivery. By providing a continuous and reliable supply of beverage grade carbon dioxide, a bulk CO2 system takes the guesswork out of deciding when to order more carbon dioxide.

Five benefits of using Bulk CO2 in your restaurant or bar

Why choose bulk CO2 over CO2 tank refills? Here are five key reasons.

1. Perfect carbonation every time – Because CO2 is constantly running through a bulk system, you will always get the right amount of carbonation in your drink.
2. Easier deliveries and less downtime – With a bulk CO2 system, you will never have to change out bulky cylinders. That saves you time, money and effort, since cylinder swaps require you to shut down and depressurize your entire system. With a bulk CO2 system, we fill your bulk tank from the outside of the building, so we do not need to interrupt you during business hours.
3. Lower cost – By buying your carbon dioxide in bulk, the cost per unit of CO2 drops. You’ll also avoid wasting any residual CO2 that’s left at the bottom of returned cylinders.
4. Automatic delivery and 24/7 service – With bulk CO2 delivery, you can say goodbye to scheduling carbon dioxide deliveries and looking at tank levels – all your deliveries are made automatically based on a schedule that works for you. If you have a problem with your system that needs to be handled in the off hours, we can help you there, too, with 24/7 emergency service.
5. Less waste – With bulk CO2 delivery, you’ll not only eliminate product waste by having a system that operates more efficiently, you’ll also keep hundreds of CO2 cylinders out of the landfill.

As you can see, a bulk CO2 system is a convenient, efficient, and cost-effective solution for restaurants and bars that serve carbonated beverages. Contact us today to see if a bulk CO2 deliveries are right for your Buffalo- or Rochester area night spot!

Now that winter is behind us (mostly) here in Rochester and Buffalo, NY, it’s time to start getting your outdoor patio space ready for the warm weather months ahead.

What does that mean for you as a restaurant or bar owner?

Well, besides getting your rockin’ hot spot ready (with a little help from propane patio heaters to take the edge off the cooler days and evenings), it means keeping your beer taps up, running, and healthy so your servers can deliver perfect pours shift after shift, night after night.

That’s where the pros at Irish Carbonic come in.

When you become an Irish Carbonic customer, help is always a phone call away from a local, family-owned business that specializes in round-the-clock service for your bar or restaurant – including a full line of beer line services that range from installations and cleanings to beverage grade bulk CO2 and blended gas cylinder delivery.

And because we know how important it is for you to talk to a real person when you’re under the gun with an emergency at your bar or restaurant, you’ll always get one when you contact us – 24/7/365.

Get peace of mind with there whenever you need us service from Irish Carbonic. Operators are standing by 24/7/365 for your bulk CO2 refills, beer line service and more. Contact us today to learn more.

Did you know that Irish Carbonic is a Certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)? Now you do! Contact us today to learn more about our services, or to speak with our pros about what partnering with a WBE can do for you. Or better yet, visit one of our convenient locations and talk with us in person.

You can find us at:
IRISH CARBONIC
1444 Clinton Street | Buffalo, NY 14206
(716) 827-2727 | Map & Directions »

IRISH CARBONIC AND PROPANE
535 Buffalo Road | Rochester, NY 14611
(585) 254-6844 | Map & Directions »