Guinness Draught

Brewed by St. James’s Gate (Diageo)
Style: Dry Stout
Dublin, Ireland

Bottle. Pours tar black with a velvety smooth creamy tan head. The carbonation seems to cascade down the side of the glass. Smells like roasted coffee and chocolate. Tastes like a nice roasted blend of coffees, some nuts, and creamy chocolate. Im not real fond of the creamy texture and thin aftertaste. Good flavor, but its just not for me.

I have to admit, this does pour exactly like Guinness on tap, with the thick milky head falling quickly in waves, settling with a creamy off-white meringue layer over a red-tinted dark brown. I can see (though I may not understand) why they spend so much time perfecting that aspect of the experience. Like on tap this has almost no nose, though the canned version does have slightly more toast aroma and a significant diacetyl note. The taste confirms diacetyl, which actually serves to mellow out the unpleasant bitterness I’ve come to associate with Guinness. Unfortunately there’s almost no other flavor so it is a lost cause anyway. The palate is rich and creamy, and unlike on tap, it is not at all cloying. This beer is not bad, but it could be so much more.

One of those beers that looks a lot better than it tastes. A beautiful motor oil black pour with a huge white head, but the beer is just way too thin and watery and certainly doesn’t have the feel I prefer from a "dry" stout. But for mass produced stuff it’s pretty damn tasty.

Poured from a can. I have to say this-It is the best looking beer I’ve ever seen. I bought the same glass that I see up in the left half of the screen here, and the only difference is that it wasn’t as tall. Can doesn’t fill the glass. Warning-If you buy in cans, they explode as soon as you open them, so open fast and pour fast. Smells really good, not something I can really describe. Just a nice aroma to it. Great mouthfeel, doesn’t bite you like some beers i’ve tried. My only complaint is the bitterness. Some people like bitter beers, so if you are one of those people, this is probably a good beer for you. For me it was a little overwhelming. Oh, and about that head, it will not die on you. Its about an inch thick, creamy as melted ice cream and makes for a nice contrast to the blackness of the beer. As an experiment I poured one can into a glass and just left it to see how long it takes for the head to completely disappear. It took over 3 hours. :)

Ah Guinness... Poured into pint glass, nice cascade effect finally leaving a nice two fingers worth of head and some moderate lacing on the way down. It tastes just like it smells, creamy and smooth. This brew goes down so easily, you could easily have one or two and not even feel guilty about going for a third. I have to say the mouthfeel is definitely better on tap. In fact on tap is definitely the way to go with this brew, but I’ll take it either way. This is the best brew just to have in the fridge at all times. Not something that you expect to be complex, and full of artistry and masterfulness. It is what it is...old faithful. It’s always there, and always good. Reviewed on: 02-18-2007

Pours a deep black with a thick full tan head that does not disapate, but stays with you for the whole glass. Taste of malt. Is extremely smooth and drinkable, however there is not much depth to the taste. I’ve had this in a can and on tap and definitely can tell the difference. The tap version has a better taste. On tap at Brothers Serving type: on-tap Reviewed on: 11-12-2008

Very thick and creamy pour. Big, white head with a lot of flavor and scent. Very smooth and drinkable. Definitely lives up to its reputation.

Pours dark black into a creamy head which never really dissipates, but fades into lingering heavy lacings on the side of the glass. Aroma of creamy yeasty hops and malty barley. Tap is preferred, but bottle is easily available everywhere. Never get used to the widget in the bottle though.