Guinness 250 Anniversary Stout

[MisterShark]

Guinness® 250 Anniversary Stout
This is the year to celebrate! That’s why our Master Brewer has created the limited edition Guinness® 250 Anniversary Stout. We used a proprietary brewhouse process that combines the use of stout and ale malt for a distinctive carbonated stout with a clean, smooth finish. This is the first new Guinness® stout we’ve introduced to the US since we first started importing Guinness® Draught in 1967, but it’s only available for a limited time. So starting on April 24th, get out with some friends and try a pint of our brand new brew!

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b201/MisterShark/Misc%20Pics/beer_pint_250.jpg

Release date: 4/27
Can't wait to try me some tomorrow :D

[Trann]

Hmm... carbonated... I'm leery but I'll drink any booze once.

[Blake]

hmmm looks like I'm going to be calling around to some bars this weekend

[Richard Cranium]

I definitely need to find some of this.

[MisterShark]

Hmm... carbonated... I'm leery but I'll drink any booze once.


Even before reading the description (having stared thirstily for minutes on end first) I noticed the different look of the head on that brew, which collaborates the carbonation.
I'm guessing it will be more like the Extra Stout rather than the smoother (and infinitely more enjoyable) Guiness Draught that comes in the pub cans and whiteneck/shrinkwrap-dressed bottles.

We'll see. If it does taste more like the Extra Stout it will be a dissappointment IMO.



Somewhat-related sidenote: has anyone tried Sam Adams Imperial Stout besides me? I was dissappointed and left the 4th bottle (yes, they come in 4-packs) at the host's house. It's strong but tastes terrible to me.

[vtpoker]

Isn't all beer naturally carbonated?

[MisterShark]

Isn't all beer naturally carbonated?

Guiness Draught relies on a 'widget' inside the pub can or bottle, and from the tap it's mixed via pressurized tanks filled with nitrogen (which is what the afore mentioned widgets contain as well).

[Trann]

And it was the best invention ever for draft drinkers. Before then, it never matched the taste of what was drawn from the taps at your local pub.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e5/Widget_Guiness.jpg

Ref. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widget_(beer)

[MsprinM]

It is times like these that make me wish I was a beer drinker

[Blake]

So on the way home from dinner last night we swung by our local mega liquor store and picked up a 6 pack.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SfOJO0fwjBI/AAAAAAAABDg/2q1OLUIJKDw/s800/P4240263.JPG

after pouring into the glass we can see the first "difference" with this anniversary brew. There was little head and a very "soft" carbonation. Drinkers of "other" brews would almost say it seemed flat.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SfOJPk88ffI/AAAAAAAABDo/hvLb4Tqbfi0/s800/P4240264.JPG

Next of course comes the true reason for this experiment...the taste. It has a bit of a sharper taste than your standard guinness. It's not as "creamy" smooth as a Draught but the smae taste is there, albiet a bit less strong. All in all a decent drink, it definitly goes down smooth.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SfOJQocz_zI/AAAAAAAABDw/f5MdMplIpt4/s800/P4240265.JPG

I would call this the guinness for non-guinness drinkers, the same basic taste but with a lighter body and more of a hoppy bite that non-stout drinkers are use too. I could easily knock back a six pack without feeling like I had eaten 4 loaves of bread. This would be a guinness for a backyard bbq not ponying up to the bar for a night with the gents. After finishing my brew I also realized the aftertaste disipated decently quick and long hanging around for a long time like a Draught does to me.

Of course in the interest of a true comparison. I then cracked open a Draught...all in the name of science of course...

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SfOJRXhDB6I/AAAAAAAABD4/wnjphr0DpPI/s800/P4250266.JPG

mmmm delicious, creamy, filling goodness.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_IEOF85O14RQ/SfOJSFOpMbI/AAAAAAAABEA/r1Lzmbn0Ovg/s800/P4250267.JPG

all in all I give it a 4 to 4.5 out of 5. For the true guinness snob it will probably be a disappointment. For the non-guinness drinker I think it will be a good bridge to discovering this delicious brew.

[MisterShark]

Blake,
Nice review.

I also picked some up this past Friday.

Price: high, at $9.69 per 11.2 fl oz bottles 6-pack.
Taste: very nice and a welcome addition to the Guiness family. Something going on that results in a slightly more interesting/complex character than it's other 2 siblings.

I agree about the after taste not lingering overly-long but I'd have compared it using Guiness Extra Stout rather than Guiness Draught in that respect. The Draught finishes most cleanly of the 3 in my opinion.
Also it should be kept in mind that a lingering reminder for the taste buds is not necessarily a bad thing; I found this Anniversary Edition's taste delightful enough to count this as a plus. The Guiness Extra Stout: not so much.

The taste is more interesting with this special edition than either of the other 2, and especially more so than Guiness Extra Stout.

Guiness Draught is still my favorite of the 3 (and luckily so at that price).
There's something that the nitrogen-disbersing widget provides that makes Guiness Draught's body and flow just right.
With that said I encourage all my fellow Guiness Draught fans to also give Beamish and Murphy's Draught a try as well if you can find them at your liquor stores.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3058/2342471544_37f4a43a18.jpg?v=1205810898

http://www.gotbeer.com/content/user_1/lStoutCan.jpg

OK, next up is Trann's review. Trann, the stage is yours sir :D

[Blake]

Price: high, at $9.69 per 11.2 fl oz bottles 6-pack.
Yeah the price is a bit high. It was $8.99/6pk at my local Mega Liquor store. I still prefer Draught but this would work well for a family BBQ. I know none of my wife's relatives would touch it :D. Yeah I'll be interested to see what Trann thinks about it.

Oh yeah reason 10000002389102909 why my wife rocks....She likes Guinness :D.