Sunday, July 27, 2008

NITRO STOUT


We're looking for a dragracer to sponsor? No, it's just a new twist on an old friend. We have a batch of our Onward Stout on tap at the Yazoo Taproom, and at a few other good beer bars in town. What makes it different? We're dispensing it with a blend of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, in the style made famous by Guinness and other beers like Boddingtons, etc.


Carbon dioxide is the usual gas for dispensing beer. Most people don't realize that it creates a flavor in your mouth. When carbon dioxide meets water, it forms carbonic acid, which has a slightly tart taste. Nitrogen is a pretty inert gas, and doesn't add much to the flavor of the beer. But since air is made up of about 80% nitrogen, bubbles formed in the beer by nitrogen last much longer than bubbles formed in the beer by carbon dioxide, which is only about 0.03% of air. So by pushing a beer with a blend, you get a beer with a nice, long-lasting creamy head, and a beer that tastes much more malty because of the lower levels of carbon dioxide. Whew, techincal stuff done!


It's amazing the way the flavor of this beer changes when it is on nitro. You'll have to come by the taproom and try it out for yourself!



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