I’m Kayla. I run a small cafe, and I keep a fussy kegerator at home. I grew up near Buffalo, and now I’m in Cleveland. So yeah, I’ve used Irish Carbonic in both spots. More than once. They’ve saved my hide more than once, too.
If you’d like the blow-by-blow, my straight-up take on Irish Carbonic over at Brocach digs even deeper into why I keep going back.
My home keg was flat… then it wasn’t
My home kegerator went soft. Beer poured like sad tea. I hauled my 5 lb CO2 tank to Irish Carbonic. The Cleveland counter felt like an old shop—concrete floor, clean hoses, that cool metal smell.
I asked for a fill on a CGA-320 tank. The guy checked my hydro date, swapped a cracked O-ring, and filled it while I waited. Ten minutes, tops. He even set the cap to keep dust out. Back home I set my regulator to 12 psi, bled the keg, and boom—crisp pour. I swear I heard angels. Or maybe that was just the regulator ping. The keg in question was a Killian’s Irish Red clone; tasting it against the real thing inspired my honest take on Killian’s Irish Red.
Small thing they told me that helped: store the cylinder upright and strap it. Don’t lay it down in the trunk. Seems obvious. I still needed the reminder.
Halloween fog and frozen cookies
Two days before Halloween, I called ahead for dry ice. They had blocks and pellets. I grabbed 10 pounds, and they handed me gloves and a quick talk on vents. “Don’t seal the cooler tight,” the woman at the counter said. “Crack it so gas can get out.” Good thing she said it. I like my car windows, thanks.
We made a wild fog bowl on the porch. The kids went nuts. The next morning I still had some left, so I packed cookie dough for shipping. They suggested about 5 pounds per 24 hours for a small cooler. That was spot on. The dough arrived firm, not rock hard, not mush. Sweet.
Cafe install: nitro, soda, and way less guesswork
Now the big one. At my cafe, we wanted nitro cold brew and a clean soda gun. Irish Carbonic sent a tech pair—Mike and Tasha. Real calm, real tidy. They walked the space first. We talked about my lines, where to mount the panel, and how much noise I could stand near the prep sink. If you’re running a bigger kitchen than my little cafe, Irish Carbonic also maps out its bulk CO2 products and services for restaurants so you can size things properly from day one.
They set a nitrogen generator with a small buffer tank. For nitro coffee, we landed at about 35 psi through the restrictor. The pour looked like a tiny storm cloud. Thick cascade. They dialed the carbonator for soda and ran bag-in-box lines. My cola line went from meh to sharp. You know what? I didn’t even know my syrup ratio was off until they showed the brix tool and did a quick check.
They also swapped a sketchy regulator I’d bought online. The old one crept. Pressure would rise on its own. Not safe. The new one holds steady. My staff noticed on day one. Fewer foamy pours. Fewer swear words at the bar. Once the lines were humming, we capped the night with a slow sip of Irish Rover Irish Whiskey—I’ve shared that straight-up review, too.
The Friday night rescue I still talk about
I hate calling for help at 5:30 p.m. on a Friday. But our CO2 tank hit empty right before the rush. I tried the backup and heard a hiss. Bad check valve. I called Irish Carbonic and said, “Please. I’m toast.” A driver showed up with a 20 lb swap and the tiny valve I needed. He was in and out in under an hour. We kept serving draft sodas and did not melt down. My cook bought him a muffin. He earned it.
What I liked (and why it stuck)
- Fast counter fills for CO2. No weird wait times.
- Real advice, not a sales pitch. They told me when “good enough” was fine.
- Safety talk without scare talk. Vents, straps, temp. Simple and clear.
- Install team cleaned up as they went. That matters in a tight cafe.
What bugged me a bit
Phone lines can get busy. I had to try twice on a Monday. Holiday weeks? Dry ice sells out fast. Also, the yard parking in Cleveland is a little tight for vans. Not a deal breaker, just awkward. And delivery windows are a block, like a few hours. That’s normal, but still.
Who should call them
- Homebrewers and kegerator folks
- Cafes that want nitro or better soda
- Bars that need beer line service on a schedule
- Teachers who want safe dry ice for demos
- Anyone shipping cold stuff for a day or two
Curious what that actually covers? Irish Carbonic lays out all of their services and supplies for bars in one handy spot.
Beyond great carbonation, a good nightlife vibe matters. If your perfectly dialed draft program has you dreaming about mixing, mingling, and maybe something more during a trip to Florida’s capital, the insider roundup of casual sex in Tallahassee breaks down the most relaxed bars, events, and dating apps for meeting open-minded locals without wasting time on awkward guesswork.
A few tips I wish I knew sooner
- Bring the right valve. Beverage CO2 is CGA-320. Paintball tanks are not the same.
- Check the hydro date stamp on your cylinder. If it’s old, plan for a test.
- For dry ice, bring a cooler with a loose lid. Crack a window in the car.
- Label your regulators. One for nitro, one for CO2. Set and forget.
- Call ahead during holidays. Dry ice goes fast.
Sometimes I learn faster by watching rather than reading. If you’re the same way, check out specialized cam sites where hobby brewers and bar techs stream live demos and Q&A sessions—you’ll pick up real-time tips on everything from regulator swaps to draft-line cleaning without leaving your couch.
So, would I use them again?
Yep. Prices felt fair. Service felt human. The gear works and keeps working. They know bars and cafes, but they treat home folks with the same care. That mix matters.
Irish Carbonic didn’t just fill tanks for me. They made my pours better, cut down waste, and bailed me out on a rough night. I’ll keep a magnet with their number on my fridge. Learned that after the Friday scare.
And if you want to see what dialed-in draft systems can do in a busy bar environment, drop by Brocach—their pours make the lesson deliciously clear.