This Nitro thing

I understand several of the classic brews (Guinness and Old Speckled Hen) from the British Isles have forever used nitrogen to carbonate their draft beer. It delivers a dense head and a creamy body. I appreciate it in those cases, but it seems to be a bad idea when applied to other styles of beer. I do not enjoy Guinness Nitro IPA. Might as well leave the cap off a bottle of weak IPA and drink it the next day. It's that unsatisfying to me. As I walked through the grocery store today, to pick up lemonade and OJ (Really!), I went down the beer aisle and saw Sam Adams Nitro Project beers. Has anybody tried them? One is an IPA and I didn't catch the other. I think I would miss the carbonation that is typically present in other styles of beer.

Ha! My dad worked in British brewing for 30+ years and this is the first I'm hearing of Nitrogen charged beers, only stouts. I assume it's more of an Irish than a Scots/English thing, but, hey, you learn a new thing every day! Thanks.

I have not tried the SA offerings yet. They seemed a little too pricy for what they were.

Traditionally, Nothing was done with Nitro. I'm pretty sure some breweries (Guinness most notably) started using beer gas (IE carbon dioxide + nitrogen) to carbonate and push beer through the taps. This was really an attempt to emulate cask conditioned beers served through a beer engine. The cask conditioned beers tend to be much less carbonated than a bottle conditioned or force carbed beer.

Normally you will only see it in stouts, porters and maybe brown ales. In true American fashion, we have really run away with it. Generally, I think its kind of a gimmick. I've had a few non stouts served on Nitro that were pretty darn good. If a brewer chooses Nitro for carbonating (nitrogenating?) a beer, I hope that they have made the decision through the entire conception that it would be best served that way.

Also, Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro is a magical beer.

We seem to run in popular swings, IPA's were all the rage, then all manner of hard ciders, now Nitro's ("flavored" whiskeys seem to be picking up steam too).
Hopefully the fads will pass.

I enjoy the Guinness nitro ipa. Finally they have a creamier lighter tasting beer for the summer months. I drink the stout fall, winter, and spring.

The SA Nitro Stout is wonderful. Not quite Guiness off the tap but not far off either. I did not enjoy the SA Nitro IPA and won't even try the other option, can't even remember what it was called just did not interest me at all.

doofus said:

I enjoy the Guinness nitro ipa. Finally they have a creamier lighter tasting beer for the summer months. I drink the stout fall, winter, and spring.

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Have you tried Boddingtons?

acesn8s said:

Have you tried Boddingtons?

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In sure I have but its been a long time. If I remember its very similar to Murphy's right? I will have to give it another shot.

bryant said:

The SA Nitro Stout is wonderful. Not quite Guiness off the tap but not far off either. I did not enjoy the SA Nitro IPA and won't even try the other option, can't even remember what it was called just did not interest me at all.

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Checking the website, the third is a White Ale. I might give the Nitro Stout a shot down the line. Seems the most appropriate style of the three to use the nitrogen widget.

Found Boddington's on tap at a place called the Celtic Ray in Punta Gorda. Light and creamy.

The wife had a Strongbow cider.

Boddingtons is getting almost as common as Newcastle brown these days.
I find it smooth but ultimately not very flavorful.
Still, it always evokes memories.

[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9mp646_H_xo[/video]

Pretty bland. Malt, which tastes like bread and bubble gum to me. The wife really didn't like it.
Enjoyed the link!

Young's Double Chocolate Stout also uses nitro cans. Honestly it's the only way to go, especially over some ice cream. Beer float anyone!! The glass bottle variant just doesn't have the body.

Ditto on the Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout.

I don't enjoy to many Nitro brews.

Two pre-requisites for me...

1. Must be a dark beer.

2. Can't be overly sweet.

Had another brew from a nitro tap earlier this week. Hinterland (WI) Luna Coffee Stout. Felt flat rather than creamy. Otherwise, tasted good.

FL shaver said:

Had another brew from a nitro tap earlier this week. Hinterland (WI) Luna Coffee Stout. Felt flat rather than creamy. Otherwise, tasted good.

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Wow, Rick. It must be better on tap. I dumped mine that came in the six. No matter what I did with the pour, it was all foam, almost to the point of looking like that foam you use from a can for insulation. The foam made it undrinkable for me.

Try 3 Sheeps Cashmere Hammer Nitro Rye Stout. Had a couple last night, and they were exquisite. Don't drink them too cold. I've found my stouts are much better a little bit warmer.

Don

Black Adder said:

Wow, Rick. It must be better on tap. I dumped mine that came in the six. No matter what I did with the pour, it was all foam, almost to the point of looking like that foam you use from a can for insulation. The foam made it undrinkable for me.

Try 3 Sheeps Cashmere Hammer Nitro Rye Stout. Had a couple last night, and they were exquisite. Don't drink them too cold. I've found my stouts are much better a little bit warmer.

Don

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I might have appreciated a bit more foam! Certainly won't be looking to have another, especially bottled, based on your take.