What Does Guinness Beer Taste Like? Explained (2023 Updated)
Last Updated on September 6, 2023 by Lydia Martin
If you’re wondering what does Guinness taste like, you’re at the right place.
As an avid Guinness beer fan, we’ll detail how this special beer tastes and why it’s popular among drinkers.
At the same time, we’ll talk about the different Guinness beers, their tastes, and the factors that affect what Guinness tastes like. Keep reading.
What Guinness Beer Brand Tastes Like
From our experience, Guinness beer has a hoppy bitterness and malty sweetness, with hints of coffee and chocolate.
We like its roasted malt barley, adding a bit of creamy and smooth flavor. It’s a great dark beer with a distinct taste, and its smooth and balanced palate makes it an enjoyable drink.
“Beer, if drank with moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit, and promotes health.”
– Thomas Jefferson, 3rd US President
Guinness beer is made using coffee beans, among other ingredients such as chocolate and roasted unmalted barley. So, the unique taste of the beans comes from the roasting process.
Guinness Beer’s Tasting Notes
Palate
Guinness beers taste good, with a malty taste, coffee-like flavor, and chocolate milk notes. Expect hints of a bitter taste due to the coffee elements.
Nose
Sweet flavors with toasty dark malts and mild coffee scents. Expect some nutty and subtly saline tones on the nose.
Color
Usually called “black stuff,” Guinness has a dark ruby-red color.
Finish
It has a smooth texture with a creamy mouthfeel – light-bodied and long-lasting.
Various Guinness Beers & Their Tastes
Guinness Draught
These black beer variants (Guinness) taste like coffee with a fruity flavor with. This nitrogenized drink has a light, bubbly texture, and creamy mouthfeel with milky chocolate notes.
However, bitterness will soon set in and replace citric acid’s tangy and creamy aroma. The bitter mouthfeel in Guinness Draught with a creamy taste gives a distinct flavor.
Guinness Nitro IPA
This is a sensational blend of roasted flavor and aroma. It’s an improved Guinness Draught with more creaminess and nitrogenizing elements.
This Guinness beer taste like hops with a tangy citrus flavor. Its sweet milky taste leaves a caramel impression, with a foamy head that keeps this beer refreshing.
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
If you like bitter drinks among other beers, you’ll like Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. This dark Guinness Stout has a creamy-like flavor with some roasted barley bitterness.
The drink’s sour and sweet taste nourishes the tongue, while the bitter notes leave a lasting impression on the mouth. We like the malty finish, which tastes identical to toffee.
Guinness Extra Stout
This extra stout beer has a distinctive taste. It’s an Irish stout beer type that tastes crisp and sharp, pairing well with classic Irish dishes like Irish beef stew, Soda bread, Steak and Kidney pie, and Cottage pie.
The natural malty palate makes Guinness a good beer for those who like their beer malty. Also, Guinness’s bitterness and sweet taste make you want to drink more.
Guinness Over The Moon Milk Stout
This beer is the sweetest brand of Guinness. Its creamy and sweet taste lingers on the tongue, and we like the roasted flavor with coffee and milk.
It’s one of the best beers we’ve tried from Guinness. This is a delicious beer with a rich caramel flavor, ideal if you don’t like drinking Guinness bitter.
4 Factors That May Affect Its Taste
Freshness
This beer will taste like the sweetest when it’s served fresh. You should pour Guinness into a glass and drink Guinness when it’s fresh.
The seal should not be removed to prevent excess air into the bottle.
“Each sip of Guinness paints a masterpiece on the palate, blending dark chocolate notes, toasted grains, and a creamy embrace, making it a timeless elixir of indulgence.”
– Liquor Laboratory
This allows bacteria and yeast to grow inside, making Guinness taste flat, stale, and sour.
Glass Type
The type of glass can affect the quality of the beer. If Guinness drips onto a surface with a high viscosity, a foamy head settles in.
Temperature
Guinness requires a 38-degree temperature to achieve its creamy taste. However, anything over that results in a heavily carbonated pre-cut.
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Air Exposure
The new version of this beer tastes malty with coffee-like flavors. But when exposed to air, it becomes flat and dull.
The addition of nitrogen in the brewing process contributed to the development of the beer’s flavor, but when exposed to too much air, it loses its crisp flavor.
FAQs
What food types taste well with Guinness?
The food types that taste well with Guinness include fish and french fries, salmon, ice cream, beef stew, short ribs, mashed potatoes, minced meat, and any other food with a meaty flavor.
What does Guinness taste similar to?
Guinness beer tastes similar to popular beer brands like Murphy’s, Milk Stout Nitro, O’Hara’s, Samuel Smith, and DogFish.
Does Guinness taste different from beer?
Guinness beer may taste different from most beers due to its crafting process. Most brands are carbonated using carbon dioxide, while Guinness uses a combo of CO2 and nitrogen [2].
Key Takeaways
Guinness beer is a delicious beer with a perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness, specifically the Draught.
But what’s interesting about Guinness beer is its roasted flavor, particularly the IPA, Stout, and Extra Stout variations, which go well with various food pairings.
The Guinness Over the Moon is a must-try for its unique sweetness if you’re into sweet beers. But we suggest enjoying all Guinness beers chilled for a refreshing feel.
References:
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/beer
- https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/a33655/how-to-do-the-guinness-pour-problem/
