Introduction
This is the second post in a series where I will try to find what (to me) results in the best pint of Guinness. First up I plan to test different aerator discs. Eventually, I will test different faucets, pouring methods, and glassware.
Part of the process of pouring a nitrogen beer is pouring it through an aerator or creamer. This is a disc with holes punched through it that the beer is forced through. In theory, the size and number of the holes could have an impact on what ends up in your glass. To test this out I purchased a set of aerator discs. In my first test I preferred the disc with 0.7mm holes over the one with 0.3mm holes. In this test, I’ll compare one 0.7mm hole with three.
Testing Method
- Each disc is installed on a different stout spout. This is just to make switching between pours easier. Other than the disc, the spouts should be the same.
- Before pouring a pint I will run off some beer. This should ensure that there are no variations in the temperature of the faucet between the first and second pour.
- I poured each Guinness by holding the beer close to the faucet at a about a 45 degree angle, aiming to hit the center of the harp. Beer was poured until it reached near the top of the glass (while being held at a 45 degree angle) then I set a timer for two minutes. When the timer went off I pushed the tap handle backwards and poured straight into the glass until it reached the top.
- Once each beer was finished I let them rest for at least five minutes to let the temperature stabilize.
- I did my initial tasting without knowing which pour was which.
Comparison
My first pour was with the three holed disc that I used in the previous test. Though this time I poured it slightly differently. The head went from just below the bottom of the harp to around where the strings start:
After the top off there was a thin layer of head far above the harp:
The top down looked good though:
You would expect the disc with one hole to take longer to pour and it did. By about ten seconds pouring to the bottom of the harp (while at a 45 degree angle) too about 25 seconds. Pouring to the top (while still held at an angle) took another 10. The head was about the same size as the Guinness poured through the three-holed disc. The head just sat a little lower due to my poor repetition ability:
After top-off the beer still looks very similar to the one poured through three holes:
Here’s a side by side once they were both finished pouring. The one holed pour is on the left.
And a top down view again with the one holed pour on the left:
Conclusions
These were remarkably similar pours. If I did a triangle test with enough people to be statistically relevant I don’t think anyone would be able to find a difference. I am still finishing the beers as I write this and I am still finding it difficult to pick a favorite. At least in terms of taste. The disc with three holes definitely had a better pouring experience. The one holed disc felt like pouring Guinness through a hose with your finger on the end to increase the pressure. Which I guess is to be expected. But I’d be happy to be served either of these pints. So using pour experience as a tie breaker, I’m going to declare the disc with three 0.7 mm holes the winner of this round.