Is Co2 injection neccessary?

[Dave49]

I've got a pressure barrel, but it's only got the standard cap, not the one that allows Co2 injection. My question is, What exactly does the Co2 do, apart from force the beer out? Does it add fizz to the beer at all, or is that taken care of in the secondary ferment? (I don't like fizzy beer at all anyway) Sorry for the newbie questions, but......I'm new at this!...

[orlando]

I've got a pressure barrel, but it's only got the standard cap, not the one that allows Co2 injection. My question is, What exactly does the Co2 do, apart from force the beer out? Does it add fizz to the beer at all, or is that taken care of in the secondary ferment? (I don't like fizzy beer at all anyway) Sorry for the newbie questions, but......I'm new at this!...

It is to replace the volume of liquid drawn off. At first the "natural" CO2 will force the beer out but eventually this will equalise and it can actually draw air in through the tap and possibly stir up sediment. Both things you want to avoid, particularly air, as this will lead to oxidation. By adding CO2 you can continuously have the beer pushed out without the staling effect of air. Try replacing the cap with one that can accept CO2 an S30 cap is preferable to a soda syphon one, as you can better control how much CO2 is injected. When I used them I found if you kept the beer close to the limit of what CO2 the keg can handle it did increase the fizz a little but not worth it in my view, better to prime the beer properly.

[simon12]

If you don't use CO2 when it starts to stop pouring let air in the top before it sucks it in the tap so the CO2 left in the top protects it from the air. After you have to do this either plan to drink it in a few days or if you don't want to drink it again soon prime it with a little more sugar to get the condition back for the next weekend.