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In the Hillsboro/Portland/Forest Grove area, there are many places to buy carbon dioxide. For the ones closest to you, look in your phonebook under "Gas," "Airgas," "Fire Extinguisher" or "Welding Supplies." Carbon dioxide is carbon dioxide, so there is no special grade that you need to look for. Any place that sells CO2 will sell it for tapping beer.

Unfortunately, very few places will refill CO2 bottles - most like to swap your empty tank for a filled one that is sitting in their warehouse. Basically you trade in your empty tank - losing it for good - but you now own the CO2 bottle that they replace it with. Most stores charge around $15 dollars for a bottle exchange. In the past, many of these places - especially the local ones here in Hillsboro - have taken your brand-new shiny aluminum tank and swapped it out for a beat-up, spray-painted steel tank. But this is now changing.

The two local Hillsboro stores (listed below) now will USUALLY have on hand a stockpile of aluminum tanks for exchange with the aluminum tanks that are brought in. If they are temporarily out, they will write a "credit slip" noting that you turned in aluminum, left with a steel, but can get another aluminum upon your next visit.

In general, unless you are packing your tank around very often, it is mostly a cosmetic issue. A steel tank does not look as shiny and new as an aluminum tank, but for all intents and purposes, it will dispense beer the exact same way. Also, since CO2 bottles have a five-year "lifespan," after which they must be hydro-tested for safety, you may soon want to trade in your older bottle for a different one from a gas supplier - that way you will never have to pay for your own water-test.

The list below is of the four most-commonly used gas suppliers in the area; there are many other businesses that will also do it, some many be right around the corner from you. If anybody finds any competent suppliers in the Portland area or outskirts, please let me know and I will add them to my list....

Also note: we can also refill your tanks here at Main Street IF you leave your tank with us for about a week or so. Depending on our schedule we can have your CO2 bottle back to you, filled with gas, usually within seven business days. The charge is $15.00.