Yes, in theory any beer can be served on Nitro. Nitro beer is beer that is carbonated with nitrogen gas, which creates a creamy head and results in a smoother, less carbonated finish than traditional beer.
Technically, any beer, from lagers to IPAs to stouts (even those with higher ABV percentages), can all be served on nitro. The process of putting a beer on nitro is relatively easy, and many taprooms, craft breweries, and restaurants offer nitro-based beers.
However, the success of nitro beer is dependent on the quality of the beer and how it is produced, as well as how it is poured and served, so not all beers will come out tasting their best on nitro. The most popular beers to be served on nitro are usually lighter styles such as porters and stouts with a “guest tap” featuring other styles.
Ultimately, it’s worth trying out both traditional and nitro versions of your favorite beer to see which one you prefer.
Why are some beers Nitro?
Nitro beers are actually infused with nitrogen in order to create a smooth and creamy texture that sets them apart from other beers. The nitrogen infusion helps create bubbles that give the beer its popular velvety head when poured.
Adding nitrogen to the beer also alters the the perception of the aromatics, creating a richer and more complex flavor that beer drinkers enjoy. These beers are typically served from a specialized tap or through a process of using a carbon dioxide and nitrogen blend.
The nitrogen ends up “locking in” the flavor, resulting in a unique and enjoyable drinking experience.
Is Guinness always on Nitro?
No, Guinness is not always on Nitro. Guinness Draught and Guinness Original are available both on Nitro and regular carbonation, while other Guinness products such as Guinness Zero and Guinness Nitro IPA are all nitro-infused.
While nitro adds a creamy, smooth texture to the beer and softens the bitterness of the malt, it tends to reduce the beer’s aroma, so non-nitro versions may have a more complex flavor profile.
Why do they pour Guinness twice?
Pouring Guinness twice is a popular technique used to create the perfect pint of Guinness. The bartenders follow a two-step process to pour the perfect pint of Guinness. First, the bartender, using a Guinness-approved pour spout and applying the perfect technique, will slowly fill the pint glass three-quarters of the way full.
Then, the bartender will gently let the remaining beer settle on top of the beer in the glass, creating an even texture with a creamy head of foam on the surface. The second pour enables the remaining beer to mix with the carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the glass, creating a smooth, velvety texture.
The final product should be a deep black color with a creamy white head. This two-step pour also helps to reduce any excessive foam that could form at the top of the beer, making it enjoyable to drink.
What is the creamiest beer?
The creamiest beer has to be a stout or porter. These two beer styles are dark and full bodied with a strong malt backbone and a creamy, roasty flavor. Generally, the higher the ABV, the creamier the beer.
A Milk Stout (or Sweet Stout) takes it one step further, adding lactose (unfermentable milk sugars) to the recipe, resulting in a fuller body, increased sweetness, and a velvety, creamy texture. Popular Milk Stouts you’ll find in most beer stores include Left Hand Milk Stout, Young’s Double Chocolate Stout and Barley John’s Bravo! Milk Stout.
Is Guinness infused with nitrogen?
No, Guinness is not infused with nitrogen. Guinness is an Irish dry stout beer that is typically made with roasted barley, hops, yeast, and water. It is the addition of carbon dioxide during fermentation that gives the beer its signature creamy texture and bubbly finish.
While nitrogen is sometimes used to create extra smoothness and head retention in some beers, this is generally not the case with Guinness. The unique texture of Guinness is instead created through the use of a nitrogen-rich beer tap that releases nitrogenated bubbles when the stout beer is poured.
These bubbles create a creamy texture and slight sweetness in the beer. The nitrogen-rich tap, combined with the carbon dioxide created during fermentation, gives Guinness its characteristic flavor and texture.
When did Guiness Go Nitro?
Guinness first launched its nitrogenated draft beer in Ireland in August 2013, and the U. S. rollout began shortly after in October 2013. The Guinness Draft system visually indicated a Nitrogen applied multiple pressure dispensing system to the consumer.
Guinness Nitro IPA was the first nitro beer to become widely available in the United States. This nutty, creamy new brew became available at pubs and supermarkets nationwide beginning in March 2016. In order to enjoy the full complexity and depth of the beer, consumers were encouraged to pour the beer in a standard pint glass so that all of the nitrogen bubbles could be free to float up and make the iconic cascading surge in the glass.
The nitrogenated draft is an unique addition to the Guinness Draft range, and it is an important evolution of the modern Guinness beer.
Can you use normal Guinness cans on a NITROSURGE?
Yes, you can use normal Guinness cans on a NITROSURGE. The NITROSURGE is a draught beer system, but it is compatible with standard cans of Guinness. All you need to do is attach the beer line hose to the can and connect it to the NITROSURGE unit.
Once connected, the NITROSURGE will dispense your Guinness with the same level of carbonation and smoothness you’d expect from a fresh draught beer. The experience of using a NITROSURGE to enjoy a can of Guinness is a unique one, as the NITROSURGE’s unique nitro-infused system adds a distinct cream-like head and flavor that you won’t find in cans.
Plus, because the NITROSURGE is so easy to use, you can enjoy a pint of Guinness in just a few minutes.
Did Guinness invent nitro beer?
No, Guinness did not invent nitro beer. Nitro beer was actually invented in the late 1980s by Guinness brewmaster Michael Hardcastle. He created the first nitro beer, Guinness Draught stout, by adding nitrogen gas to the original recipe.
This gave the beer a smoother, creamier texture, which quickly grew in popularity amongst beer drinkers. Since then, nitro beers have been brewed by many different craft brewers and breweries as a way to add interesting flavor and texture to their libations.
Nitro beers are often associated with stouts, but they can also be used to give IPAs and other styles a unique and enjoyable drinking experience.
Can you put regular beer on Nitro?
No, you cannot put regular beer on Nitro. Nitro is an abbreviation for nitrogenation and involves using a pressurized dispensing system to infuse a beer with nitrogen rather than carbon dioxide. Nitrogenation creates a smoother and creamier beer than your traditional carbonation and is often used with dark and full-bodied beers like stouts and porters.
It adds unmistakable characteristics such as a cascade of tiny bubbles, a thicker foam head, and a smoother overall taste. Regular beer is carbonated and so it is unable to be put on Nitro. To get the desired nitrogenation effects, brewers must use a customized nitrogenation system.
Do you hard pour nitro beer?
Yes, you can hard pour nitro beer. This is done by using a nitro tap system and a special nitrogen-infused stout beer. This is the same process used to pour nitrogen-infused coffee. The process simply breaks down to forcing nitrogen gas through the beer, instead of typical carbon dioxide gas, in order to create a unique, velvety smooth taste.
The traditional method for hard pouring nitro beer is to use a stout faucet, which is a two-part device that is tapped into the keg and contains both a nitrogen and a beer line. The beer line is connected to a stout beer, such as Guinness, while the nitrogen line is handled by a nitrogen regulator that is attached to a nitrogen cylinder and tank.
The nitrogen regulator helps to set the right amount of pressure and flow of nitrogen gas that is being forced into the beer.
It is important to ensure that the right amount of nitrogen to beer is being mixed in order to achieve the desired result. Typically, the nitrogen gas needs to flow at around 30-40 psi, which is considerably more than what is used to dispense traditional carbon dioxide beers.
When the nitrogen first enters the keg, it needs 30-60 seconds to chill and infuse into the stout beer, before it is ready to be poured.
Once the beer is ready to pour, it is interesting to watch as the nitrogen creates a unique texture, releasing into a cascading texture and eventually forming a beautiful head of foam. As a result, the beer is ready to be served with an unmistakable flavor that is smooth and appetizing.
What is the point of nitro beer?
The main point of nitro beer is to create a creamier, smoother beer with more complex flavors and aromas that are more easily accessible to the palate. Nitrogen is used to create bubbles within the beer which are much smaller than those created by carbonation.
This smaller bubble size produces the signature creamy and velvety texture of nitro beer, which many drinkers prefer. Additionally, nitro beer has been known to reduce the amount of acidity in the beer and make it smoother on the palate.
The other main benefit of using nitrogen in beer is that it can make hoppier beers more palatable as the bitterness is balanced out by the creaminess of the nitrogen. Nitro beer is definitely a growing trend in craft beer, as consumers look for more refined and complex beer experiences.
Does nitro beer get you drunk faster?
No, nitro beer does not get you drunk faster, although it may seem so due to an accompanying visual effect. Nitro beers are typically brewed with nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas as opposed to carbon dioxide alone.
This results in a smooth, creamy, almost foamy beer, accompanied by a cascading “nitro” effect when poured into the glass. While this may make the beer seem to go down faster and easier, the actual alcohol content is not altered, nor is the digestion time.
In other words, the nitro effect is purely a visual and taste phenomenon, and will not get you drunk any faster than a regular beer. Making responsible drinking decisions is key for any type of beer, including nitro beers.
Why do nitro beers taste flat?
Nitro beers tend to taste flat because of their special brewing and serving process. When beer is carbonated, carbon dioxide is added to the beer to provide it with the bubbles and fizz that create that familiar bubbly texture.
Nitro beers, however, are not carbonated with carbon dioxide. Instead, brewers use a different gas, nitrogen, which creates finer bubbles and leaves the beer with a smoother, creamier texture. The downside to this, however, is that nitrogen doesn’t produce the same level of carbonation, resulting in the beer having a flatter taste.
Additionally, nitrogen, which is less soluble in liquid than carbon dioxide, can escape over time, causing the beer to get flatter as it ages. To protect this, nitro beers need to be stored and served at their appropriate temperature and pressure to retain their creamy, nitrogen-fueled texture.
What is the difference between Nitro and regular beer?
The main difference between nitro beer and regular beer is the carbonation and the way it is served. Nitro beer is typically served on draft with a nitro tap which infuses nitrogen into the beer. This creates a creamy, foamy head on top of a smooth and mellow beer, as compared to a regular beer which is carbonated with carbon dioxide, creating a more fizzy beer with an intense and sharp flavor.
Nitro beers are often served in stout glasses because the nitrogen creates a billowing head and cascading effect within the glass. The smooth and creamy texture of nitro beers also make them popular for food pairings, adding subtle beer flavor to dessert beers or opening up the flavor profiles of food.
Is nitrogen better than carbonation?
The answer to the question of whether nitrogen or carbonation is better for certain beverages depends on a variety of factors. Nitrogen is generally used to create a smoother, creamier foam head on your beer.
It is also less soluble than carbon dioxide, so it takes longer to dissolve in the liquid, resulting in a beer that stays fresh for longer. If you’re looking for a beverage that has a smooth, mellow finish, nitrogen is the way to go.
However, carbonation has its advantages too. Carbon dioxide is more soluble than nitrogen, so beverages carbonated with it will dissolve more quickly and have more immediate fizz and flavor. This makes it great for beers that are meant to have an intense flavor or a more complex taste.
Carbon dioxide also allows beer to age more quickly, resulting in a livelier and more vibrant flavor.
Overall, it really depends on what you’re looking for in your beverage. If you’re after a smoother, creamier finish, nitrogen is the way to go. On the other hand, if you want immediate fizz and a more intense flavor, carbonation is probably the better choice.
Is nitrogen safe to drink?
Yes, nitrogen is safe to drink. It is an inert gas, so it will not interact with other substances in your body. However, nitrogen is also a very cold gas, so it can cause frostbite if you drink it directly from the canister.
It is best to let the gas warm up to room temperature before drinking it.
