Thursday, February 26, 2009

Pour Guinness

Anybody can pour a glass of beer, right? But not just anybody can pour a proper glass of Guinness. Pour this beer wrong and risk losing the sought after bitterness. The "art" of pouring Guinness must be mastered in order to fully enjoy this thick and creamy delight. It all starts with the two-part pour.








Instructions


1. Start by making sure your keg is pressurized at 30 to 40 pounds per square inch. The mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide must also be correct at 75% (nitrogen) and 25% (carbon dioxide).


2. Use a room temperature glass, preferably 20 ounces which is the traditional size. If a chilled glass is used, as soon as it hits room temperature, condensation will occur. This will prevent the Guinness from getting thick and creamy. It also lessens the head size.


3. Ensure your Guinness is at 6 degrees Celsius or 42.8 degrees Farenheit.


4. Tilt the glass to a 45-degree angle and fill until three quarters full. Do not place under the tap and walk away. This process should take approximatelly 119.5 seconds to complete.


5. Place the glass on the bar or counter and let the Guinness settle completely.


6. Fill the glass to just above the rim once the surge has settled.


7. Complete your pour with a Shamrock, the Irish symbol of good luck.

Tags: carbon dioxide, nitrogen carbon, nitrogen carbon dioxide, room temperature, thick creamy