The guinness variations, Part Four

The details: Guinness Draught Stout, 4.2% ABV, served in a 14.9oz can and poured into a pint glass

Well, I've reached the final week of my travels through Guinness. It's been a long, strange, one note trip, but I'm glad I followed it to the end and am happy to say that I've come to a verdict! 

If you missed my previous letters about bottled Guinness Extra Stout, draft Guinness, and draught in a bottle, I'd recommend taking a moment and going back to read them first. It's worth it at least for knowing what I've been through in experiencing all these stouts.

To wrap up this set of reviews I've finally reached draught in a can. I have to admit that I saved it for last on purpose, and it has everything to do with a little plastic ball.

In 1969 Guinness patented the method of injecting canned or bottled stout with nitrogen via an internal object. It wasn't until the 90's, however, when the widget we've all come to know and love really caught on. Until then they'd simply been working on a way to get nitrogen into the can before it was sealed, which they did via something called an ACORN can. 

It just wasn't quite the same as from the tap. The beer needed to be stirred up, so a small hollow ball was developed wherein nitrogen could be injected. That object, full of nitrogen under pressure, would be placed in a can and the can would then be sealed at a higher pressure than then nitrogen in the widget. Once the can was opened the internal pressure would plummet immediately, causing the nitrogen in the widget to be forced out, stirring the beer. It's really simple physics, when you think about it before you've had a few cans.

For many years you could also find widgets in bottled draught - it was shaped kinda like a rocket and worked in exactly the same way - but they've been discontinued (believe me, I looked last week). 

Let me be the next in a long line of people to tell you that the widget makes a world of difference. This beer acts the most like draft stout - it's exactly enough beer that when it's poured into a pint glass at about a 45º angle and with some force it fills a pint glass perfectly. Honestly it's like magic, you won't spill that beer. It then sets up with a nice creamy head and has the same cascade that you get from a draft beer. 

The verdict: 4.5 out of 5 (on Untapp'd - follow me @slownumbers to see what I'm drinking)

And the GUINNESS VERDICT: ok, obviously draft Guinness is the best. You didn't think I'd choose anything else. But what I will tell you that I now believe without doubt - Guinness in a bottle isn't worth your time or money, at all, ever. If you can't get it straight from the tap, the only other acceptable option is from the can, even if you can't pour it into a glass. And on that bombshell, I'm going to drink something that's not a dry Irish stout.