Beer Question about Guiness Draught

[Caveman]

So... I'm not a beer aficionado, but I've discovered Guiness Draught and really enjoy this beer...

When I first tried it a few years back, it was in a bottle with a nitrogen widget and it tasted great.

Then, new bottles with no widget... Maybe it's my imagination but it didn't seem to taste as good (still great though).

So... for about 2 years, I've wished Costco would carry Guiness Draught at my local store, and NOW THEY DO!

BUT... It's in cans instead of bottles... What taste differences (if any) can I expect in a can vs a bottle... Anyone?

 

[Kelvrick]

This is the one case where I prefer the can version of a beer over the bottle. That little widget thingy is the reason. Draft is even better. If I was in Ireland, it'd be even better.

 

[deadlyapp]

Its very hard to have guiness not from tap once you've had it from the tap once.

 

[lxskllr]

I prefer the cans myself. Mostly because there's more in them :^D

 

[seepy83]

You shouldn't really notice any taste difference. The Guinness draught cans deliver a very good pint.

Just a little side-note on bottled vs canned beer: the insides of cans used for better/higher-end beers are usually coated so there is no contact between the beer and the aluminum. I believe that is true for Guinness Draught cans. Cans also have the advantage of not allowing any light in and they have no potential for oxygen penetration (where bottles can sometimes allow oxygen in). There are some microbrews that are only canning and kegging now because of the advantages over bottles.

 

[zinfamous]

So... I'm not a beer aficionado, but I've discovered Guiness Draught and really enjoy this beer...

When I first tried it a few years back, it was in a bottle with a nitrogen widget and it tasted great.

Then, new bottles with no widget... Maybe it's my imagination but it didn't seem to taste as good (still great though).

So... for about 2 years, I've wished Costco would carry Guiness Draught at my local store, and NOW THEY DO!

BUT... It's in cans instead of bottles... What taste differences (if any) can I expect in a can vs a bottle... Anyone?

The bottles you are having are likely Guinness extra stout. It is not the same beer. Their Draught is a porter, and is usually only available in cans with nitrogen balls.

 

[lxskllr]

With the cans especially, you want to pour it in a glass for the best experience. You can drink it from the can, but you'll lose a bit doing so.

 

[lxskllr]

The bottles you are having are likely Guinness extra stout. It is not the same beer. Their Draught is a porter, and is usually only available in cans with nitrogen balls.

They have draught bottles also. They're a touch shy of 12oz

 

[zinfamous]

You shouldn't really notice any taste difference. The Guinness draught cans deliver a very good pint.

Just a little side-note on bottled vs canned beer: the insides of cans used for better/higher-end beers are usually coated so there is no contact between the beer and the aluminum. I believe that is true for Guinness Draught cans. Cans also have the advantage of not allowing any light in and they have no potential for oxygen penetration (where bottles can sometimes allow oxygen in). There are some microbrews that are only canning and kegging now because of the advantages over bottles.

yep. cans are superior in every way for beer. There really isn't any reason to ship beer in anything else.

Even with Kegs, you can't really be sure of the cleanliness of the lines used to deliver the beer from the keg to the tap.

 

[zinfamous]

They have draught bottles also. They're a touch shy of 12oz

Weird. I've never seen those.

 

[Triumph]

Is it draught like drot or draught like draft? And if so, why? And if so, what's the difference?

 

[lxskllr]

Weird. I've never seen those.

They used to have a widget in them like the cans, but they dropped it at some point. It still tastes good.

The extra stout got a little thin when they started making it in Canada. I haven't had it in years, so I don't know if they've improved or not. That was a disappointing change when it happened :^(

 

[GagHalfrunt]

This is the one case where I prefer the can version of a beer over the bottle. That little widget thingy is the reason. Draft is even better. If I was in Ireland, it'd be even better.

Agreed. Guinness in the can beats Guinness in the bottle.

 

[seepy83]

The bottles you are having are likely Guinness extra stout. It is not the same beer. Their Draught is a porter, and is usually only available in cans with nitrogen balls.

They do also have Draught Bottles with the nitrogen "widget"...but yes, the ones without the widget are the extra stout or maybe the foreign extra.

 

[lxskllr]

Is it draught like drot or draught like draft? And if so, why? And if so, what's the difference?

Like draft. It's just the English variant, and I prefer the way it looks :^D

 

[seepy83]

Even with Kegs, you can't really be sure of the cleanliness of the lines used to deliver the beer from the keg to the tap.

Unless they're the lines in your own kegerator that you clean religiously :biggrin:

 

[zinfamous]

Unless they're the lines in your own kegerator that you clean religiously :biggrin:

very true.

:thumbsup:

 

[zinfamous]

They used to have a widget in them like the cans, but they dropped it at some point. It still tastes good.

The extra stout got a little thin when they started making it in Canada. I haven't had it in years, so I don't know if they've improved or not. That was a disappointing change when it happened :^(

I think extra stout was one of the first beers that I had, and that I actually liked, lol. I rarely drink any kind of Guinness these days, because I think it's boring and rather tasteless.

I do like the foreign extra, though. It is gaining more traction over here, and it is an oatmeal stout, and it is delicious.

 

[lxskllr]

I think extra stout was one of the first beers that I had, and that I actually liked, lol. I rarely drink any kind of Guinness these days, because I think it's boring and rather tasteless.

I do like the foreign extra, though. It is gaining more traction over here, and it is an oatmeal stout, and it is delicious.

Same. My first Guinness was a religious experience. I went from drinking beer at parties just because that's what you do, to drinking beer cause it tastes good :^)

I've never had the foreign extra, and haven't bought beer of any kind in awhile. I may see if they have some near me. I've had stouts better than Guinness, but it's still special for the reason above, and for that I consider it my favorite beer :^)

 

[destrekor]

Its very hard to have guiness not from tap once you've had it from the tap once.

Only if you'd had it on tap, served two-part properly, and that bar actually uses all the recommended serving parameters (air mix, temps, etc). If so, it's a delicious beer, and I cannot even imagine what is different about the Irish-only brew. If the bar has it wrong, ugh, I don't order another there ever again.

The cans, when you get the pour right (you can botch it), can produce a very tasty beer. Not quite as good as a properly served pint at a bar/pub, but still far better than bad Guinness by a long mile.

 

[zinfamous]

Same. My first Guinness was a religious experience. I went from drinking beer at parties just because that's what you do, to drinking beer cause it tastes good :^)

I've never had the foreign extra, and haven't bought beer of any kind in awhile. I may see if they have some near me. I've had stouts better than Guinness, but it's still special for the reason above, and for that I consider it my favorite beer :^)

Try Sammy Smith Oatmeal stout, or my personal favorite: Shakespeare stout from Rogue (grabbed a keg of that for my 21st, lol). yummy yummy.

 

[zinfamous]

Only if you'd had it on tap, served two-part properly, and that bar actually uses all the recommended serving parameters (air mix, temps, etc). If so, it's a delicious beer, and I cannot even imagine what is different about the Irish-only brew. If the bar has it wrong, ugh, I don't order another there ever again.

The cans, when you get the pour right (you can botch it), can produce a very tasty beer. Not quite as good as a properly served pint at a bar/pub, but still far better than bad Guinness by a long mile.

THere is nothing different about the beer served in Ireland.


Oh, except the price. it's Dublin, so it's 9 fucking dollars a fucking pint for the same motherfucking bland-ass beer that you $4-5 over here.

lol, Guinness in Ireland, as if that matters.

 

[lxskllr]

Oh yea, I love Sam Smith beers. Their Imperial is great also. You know what the best stout I've had is? Draught Murphys from what I assume was a rogue batch. Back in the early 90s a pub in Baltimore(Berthas) was serving up Murphys that had an unusual burnt currant flavor. They had that for a few months, and then it went to being an ordinary stout. I don't know what the difference was, but that special batch was fantastic.

 

[destrekor]

Same. My first Guinness was a religious experience. I went from drinking beer at parties just because that's what you do, to drinking beer cause it tastes good :^)

I've never had the foreign extra, and haven't bought beer of any kind in awhile. I may see if they have some near me. I've had stouts better than Guinness, but it's still special for the reason above, and for that I consider it my favorite beer :^)

I generally prefer most other stouts and porters to Guinness, but every now and then I'll get the nitro-cans .. I can't remember which one I didn't like, but I'm hesitant to try any other version of packaged Guinness.

Generally it's become only something I get when I'm at an establishment that pours it correctly. I'll gamble at places I don't know, but it's obvious. When done properly, it has that character that kind of escapes words but it just seems that all is well and delicious. Still not the best stout, as I've had bottled stouts better than Guinness on tap (imho, of course), but it's unique. When served "wrong", that unique character disappears, it loses the mouthfeel generally and some flavor notes too, because it just tastes like burnt malt.

 

[seepy83]

The cans, when you get the pour right (you can botch it), can produce a very tasty beer.

You may or may not like this method, but someone showed me a technique for pouring a pint from one of the Draught Cans that I've stuck with because I think it works perfectly. It's obviously easier to show someone how to do this than describe it, but hopefully you get the idea...

Open the can, and turn your pint glass upside-down and place it over the open can. You want the can to be fully "sheathed" in the pint glass (so if you let go of the glass, it just sits upside-down over the open can).
Grab hold of the pint glass with one hand, and the bottom of the can with the other.
Flip them completely over simultaneously (so the glass is now right-side up and the can is completely upside-down). At this point beer will obviously start pouring from the can into the glass. I recommend that you place the glass on the counter or a table when you flip it over and don't try to hold it.
Lift the can up as the beer fills the glass so that the open "top" of the can is as close to the beer in the glass as possible. Keep the can vertical...don't tip the glass or the can or anything. Just lift the can straight up at the same rate as the beer is filling the glass.
If you do this correctly, you end up with a nice head and it doesn't overflow the pint glass. Obviously you should wait a little while for the beer to settle and form the proper head before you drink it.