Guiness Extra Stout vs. Draught

[CasaSoho]

I've never understood why so many people like Guinness. I think it's watery and flavorless.


Nick

Are you a hophead? Because I hate them, hence my love for Guinness. I could see someone not liking it as it light (or watery as you put it), however, I disagree that it is flavorless.

 

[Satchmo]

I've never understood why so many people like Guinness. I think it's watery and flavorless.


Nick

WOW!! I've heard alot of things said about Guiness, never watery or flavorless. To each his own.

Quade

 

[Razorback]

I've never understood why so many people like Guinness. I think it's watery and flavorless.


Nick

Are you a hophead? Because I hate them, hence my love for Guinness. I could see someone not liking it as it light (or watery as you put it), however, I disagree that it is flavorless.

I definitely like a good hoppy beer. :thumbs: IMHO Budweiser has more flavor than Guinness, so I stand by flavorless. That's whats good about beer, there's enough variety for everyone to discover what works for them and what doesn't.


Nick

 

[The Black Cloud]

I've never understood why so many people like Guinness. I think it's watery and flavorless.


Nick

Are you a hophead? Because I hate them, hence my love for Guinness. I could see someone not liking it as it light (or watery as you put it), however, I disagree that it is flavorless.

I definitely like a good hoppy beer. :thumbs: IMHO Budweiser has more flavor than Guinness, so I stand by flavorless. That's whats good about beer, there's enough variety for everyone to discover what works for them and what doesn't.


Nick

IMO, it's just a different flavor. A Bud has a much more pronounced flavor while Guinness has a pretty subtle flavor. It is a peculiar taste, one that I've grown to love. The word I like to use to describe it is "hollow". It doesn't jump out at you, it's kinda lingering in the background.

Plus it looks damn impressive when poured into a glass!

 

[Gonz]

Has anyone else ever tried to get the little ball of CO2 out of the Guinness bottle without it going off? How do they get it in there to begin with?

 

[vudu9]

Here's an interesting article on Guinness from beveragebusiness.com, link

An excerpt...

"There was one more question in that set, about whether the beer in the can is the same as the beer in the keg. It is, but it's not the same beer as is in the bottle. If you look at the labels on the can and the bottle, you'll see that while the can contains Guinness Stout (as does the keg), the bottle contains Guinness Extra Stout. That's not just marketing hype, that's a very different beer. It has half again as much alcohol, a much fuller body, and a lot more hops, exactly what you'd expect in a beer called Extra Stout.

There are actually more than fifteen different variations of stout under the Guinness name in various parts of the world, all the way up to the heavyweight Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. This monster 7.5 percent alcohol stout is brewed specially strong for the tropics, where a beer needs to be big enough to take care of itself in the hot weather. But most Massachusetts customers are only interested in two kinds of Guinness; the Guinness Stout they get here and the Guinness Stout they can get in Ireland. "It's different," they say, "the Irish keep the good stuff over there! It's stronger, it's smoother, it's better!" Some even believe "American Guinness" is brewed in this country."

Yep, good, good, BAD!

 

[anvil]

Has anyone else ever tried to get the little ball of CO2 out of the Guinness bottle without it going off? How do they get it in there to begin with?

They have little Leprecorns working for them. :whistling:
If you really want to try Guinness you have to go to Ireland. It is totally different to any Guinness any where else.
The ball is filled with nitrogen placed in the can or bottle before filling.The gas is released when the pressure is released on the bottle cap or can ring pull. Im pretty sure the nitro is frozen when placed in bottle I think.

 

[Qualls07]

I have nothing to add other than I love Guinness, very very much. I am also partial to using it in the occaisional "car bomb"

 

[Phlicker]

I was made to understand the difference in the taste between Guinness in Ireland and Guinness in the States is the difference between the pasteurization laws there and here...that somehow the recipe had to be altered to be eligible for consumption in the US.

 

[Mr Peat]

I was made to understand the difference in the taste between Guinness in Ireland and Guinness in the States is the difference between the pasteurization laws there and here...that somehow the recipe had to be altered to be eligible for consumption in the US.

I've drank many of pints of Guinness while I visited Dublin, Ireland x 2. In fact I've had fresh pint of Guinness at the Brewery Museum thats located on the approx 70 acre of land that it sits on. When you tour it, you get a free pint of Guinness at the Gravity Bar which is located 7 stories up. This gives you a nice 360 degree view of Dublin. :thumbs:

I've drank Guinness in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England, and all over the USA. The best Guinness I've had is in Dublin followed by the UK while the USA version is dead last for quality. Granted I love my Guinness and will drink it in the USA, but it definitely isn't the same as in the UK.

Added this: I may just find my Dublin pictures and scan them. Then link them here so you can see what I mean.

 

[John Werner]

Guinness is the dark beer standard IMHO.  That said the Extra Stout and Draught are markedly different.  The Extra Stout has a higher sugar thus alcohol content.  It is stronger in every regard most noticeable in its unique higher sweet/bitter ratio.  It has a different mouth feel.  It has as just a bit less carbonation after it settles while the Draught has a lingering lower carbonation that presents itself in a more creamy mouth feel.  Both carbonations subside with the Draught becoming decidedly lacking in carbonation at the tail end of a glass even though it may still present lace.   Which is better?  It's highly personal of course.  Aficionado's declare the Draught, especially with the latest nitrogen ball, presents the taste and feel of Gunness the best.  Though I can't verify this it is much more reminiscent of cask drawn naturally carbonated ales especially when served slightly warmer than the usual below 40-degress we Americans tend to prefer.  I see them as actually two different Guinness beers and I think the brewery agrees.  Sometimes I prefer the Draught bottles and sometimes I prefer the Extra Stout bottles.  In my area there are no bars that have Guinness on tap for an even more confusing comparison.  At any rate when it comes to dark beers with malt Guinness rules IMHO as all others either deviate with their hop bill  or something and they just don't have the same sweet/bitter magic of that glorious dark roasted malt. 

 

[The Black Cloud]

I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I had the extra stout. Is it the same as the foreign export stout? The foreign version is quite good. Having said that, I enjoy Guinness in all its incarnations. The only exception may be the draught bottles as I prefer the cans.

As much as I love Guinness, and I do, you can't compare it to the modern American stout. Apples and oranges.

 

[personal User]

I will readily agree that in my several trips to Ireland, every Guiness I have had there is better than what I have had in other countries.
 
I. readily dislike any and all draught purchased in the US, particulary those with the ball in it.
 
The extra stout that is brewed in Canada, is not bad at all IMO, and I enjoy the "foreign extra stout" that is sold in the US.
 
I pretty much only drink dark beers and prefer stouts in general. For years, I drank mostly guiness extra stout brewed in Canada, and enjoyed it quite a bit.
 
I will note that we now have a number of microbrewery stouts in the US, which meet or exceed every expectation that I had with Guiness exra stout brewed in Canada.
 
Even so, Guiness is a standard from which to compare others, and a good base line to use for comparison.

 

[bfreebern]

If I'm ever in Ireland, I'll have Guinness......until then I'll stick with much better stouts.

 

[Brickhouse]

Guinness is good beer in my opinion, but it's not comparable to microbrew stouts. I'm not saying it's better or worse. It's just different. But it tastes like heaven in Ireland. Heaven.

 

[The Black Cloud]

I honestly didn't notice much difference in the Guinness in Ireland compared to what we get here in the states. The most notable difference I noticed was the sample in the brewery tour which seemed to have a tad bit more depth than what I was used to. To say it is a completely different beer there from here is false, at least in my opinion. The difference is negligible.

Now, how it is poured there as opposed to here is vastly different as I noticed there's generally more care and time taken pouring it there. Tends to give the head a much more creamy texture. Also, gotta allow latitude in how one views a beer poured in a pub in Ireland on vacation versus the same beer poured in my local pub down the street.

just my 2 cents.

 

[personal User]

Now, how it is poured there as opposed to here is vastly different as I noticed there's generally more care and time taken pouring it there. Tends to give the head a much more creamy texture.

Actually, I always pour to ensure a good head regardless of the beer. Gotta say, I love good head