Guinness Draft

[krizzose]

I'm not generally particular about what I drink when I smoke. I'm only an occasional consumer of hot beverages, so I rarely drink those while I smoke. My most common pairing is heavily watered down (10:1 ish) limeade or lemonade. But I love beer, and will drink whatever beer sounds good to me in the moment without much thought to the tobacco I'll be smoking. I have found, however, that Guinness seems to go well with almost any tobacco, particularly with burley blends. For example, one of the exceptions to my first statement is that Guinness is very much preferred beverage pairing with HH Burley Flake; they should do some crossover marketing.

I think that has a lot to do with the flavor profile of both, but I also think that the nitro pour (at home I always drink Guinness Draft from the widget cans) is so much softer on the tongue than typical carbonation. If I'm drinking something conventionally carbonated while smoking a zippy Virginia, the carbonation can be a little irritating on the tongue. I'll have to try some Boddington's or even a can of cold nitro poured coffee with a smoke sometime.

 

[Servant King]

I can definitely picture Guinness going well with just about any tobacco, but it's a little heavy for me. Guinness is one of those few beers where I almost feel like I'm eating it rather than drinking it. I prefer Smithwicks, or Bass (not the pale ale, but the regular one). I also had a beer called Brigand, in Belgium about 15 years ago, which had a similar consistency and flavor structure to Smithwicks. Unfortunately, that was long before it even occurred to me to try smoking a pipe. Seasonal changes are something to consider too. Maybe John Bull Royal English and a Smithwicks would be nice now, but in July, I might be more in the mood for a Newcastle and a bowl of Peterson University Flake, for example.

My point? There's a cornucopia of permutations, far more than I'll ever have time to try in one lifetime. Conversion to Hinduism is tempting, provided you can get your cellar transferred to your next incarnation. Problem is, the FDA probably comes along too...ugh, there's always a catch!

 

[alaskanpiper]

The softer mouthfeel is due to the fact that it's nitrogenated, not carbonated, and the resulting tiny bubbles. Hence the widget. There are a few other brands that use a similar method.

If you enjoy Guinness, left hand brewing's nitro milk stout may be to your liking as well. Firestone Walker makes a nitro stout as well.

I usually prefer coffee with my smoke, but any beer or whiskey will do as well. I have found that I do enjoy darker beers with tobacco in general though.

 

[tkcolo]

I love Guinness from a real nitrogen tap, but the cans are only okay to me. I'd love to pair one with a pipe, but finding a bar with Guiness that will let you smoke tobacco is a unicorn in Colorado. Maybe I can disguise a pipe in a bong, then it would be celebrated.

 

[krizzose]

The softer mouthfeel is due to the fact that it's nitrogenated, not carbonated, and the resulting tiny bubbles. Hence the widget. There are a few other brands that use a similar method.

Indeed....thus: "...I think that has a lot to do with the flavor profile of both, but I also think that the nitro pour (at home I always drink Guinness Draft from the widget cans) is so much softer on the tongue than typical carbonation."

 

[bullet08]

Murphy's sucks with tobacco. Too damn sweet. Boddingtons works well along with Guinness. Guinness on draught works better, but if you pour the Guinness can draught in a pint glass, it's not that bad. As matter of fact, just up end the can and pour the whole thing in. Can't stand people drinking Guinness out of can.

 

[STP]

I like Guinness, but prefer Samuel Adams as a pairing. As an example, I like drinking their Pumpkin Ale w/Pumpkin Spice, Cherry Wheat w/Black Cherry, etc. They have many seasonal brews that compliment various blends... and their regular Lager goes well with just about anything.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Indeed....thus: "...I think that has a lot to do with the flavor profile of both, but I also think that the nitro pour (at home I always drink Guinness Draft from the widget cans) is so much softer on the tongue than typical carbonation."

My habitual speed reading strikes again. ?‍

 

[Old School 3319]

I have also found that domestic light beers usually don’t fair well with va blends but do ok with burley as well. But a nice Heineken does go well with va blends

 

[Grangerous]

That little widget works well, but most people don’t know to wait (after opening) for 30 seconds or more before pouring. It’ll pour a perfect pint.

Allow the gas to do its work so that you can enjoy a tap drawn Guinness at home.

On edit. I also use em for golf practice until they split in two. Small white plastic ball in every can!

 

[edger]

I opened one of those cans warm once. Big mistake!

 

[Fiddlepiper]

During the last year I’ve had to resort to Guinness in a can. It’ll do in a pinch but nothing can ever replace the perfectly poured Guinness you get in Irish pubs. Even most of the ones here in Scotland are a pale comparison.

 

[krizzose]

It’ll do in a pinch but nothing can ever replace the perfectly poured Guinness you get in Irish pubs.

I had the great pleasure of doing a university study abroad semester in Dublin back in 1995.

I spent my 21st birthday at the Stag's Head in Dublin. Toner's, Mulligan's, O'Donoghue's, and dozens more. What a great town.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I'm the crazy guy who much prefers the standard Extra Stout in bottles. I appreciate what nitro beers are trying to do, but compared to an actual cask conditioned beer they leave me wanting. Oh well.

 

[mso489]

There's an art to drawing a pint of Guinness on draft, and the masters of it are in Irish pubs. If you are lucky enough to get there, give the bar man or women plenty of time to draw the pint. It's bad manners to rush them, but more important, it diminishes the draft you'll get.

 

[anotherbob]

I love Guinness from a real nitrogen tap, but the cans are only okay to me. I'd love to pair one with a pipe, but finding a bar with Guiness that will let you smoke tobacco is a unicorn in Colorado. Maybe I can disguise a pipe in a bong, then it would be celebrated.

Guinness pulled from a tap properly is kind of amazing. Any other way I am not a fan.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Guinness in a can is currently harder to find in NZ than pipe tobacco. ?

 

[KafkaStoleMyBike]

Bullet mentioned it, but Boddington’s is also fantastic with most tobaccos. I prefer Guinness over just about any nitro (with or without tobacco), and since I can’t find Kilkenny anywhere in my area, it is my go-to when I’m buying beer. Another good pipe-pairing shout is Left Hand’s Milk Stout out of Colorado.

There are a number of craft brew pubs near me that deal in growlers, and they’ll often have some fantastic local/small batch options. As already mentioned, the nitro brews have a “softer” feel about them than more carbonated beers- I’m born and raised in the Rockies and will never turn down a Coors, but they just feel off to me when I smoke. I’m probably not drinking enough of them at the time....

 

[marconi]

This is a pint of English stout hand pulled no gas from a local brewery called Jack Rabbit.The stouts called Down the rabbit hole.I remember it well I drank this last year during a pause in the lockdown on a outside table at one of my favourite pubs.Smoked a bowl of Rimboche SJ went well together.Pubs and restaurant’s in the Uk have been closed since the 16th December and not due to open until the 12th April.When there will be many a pint drunk throughout the land.Outside of course .

 

[Kilgore Trout]

This is a pint of English stout hand pulled no gas from a local brewery called Jack Rabbit.The stouts called Down the rabbit hole.I remember it well I drank this last year during a pause in the lockdown on a outside table at one of my favourite pubs.Smoked a bowl of Rimboche SJ went well together.Pubs and restaurant’s in the Uk have been closed since the 16th December and not due to open until the 12th April.When there will be many a pint drunk throughout the land.Outside of course .View attachment 72501

THAT is what nitro beers are trying to be!!!