The Perfect Pint

WindSock

What is the best way to pull the perfect pint of the Black Stuff? Angle, interval waiting time etc. Advice on pouring from cans would be appreciated too.

ntlbell

It's written on the side of the can

Vorsprung

Just fire it in.

Or ask in the Beer forum.

brianthebard

Only know how to pour a can, but I do it better than a lot of pubs these days. Glass at a 45 degree angle, can resting on the lip of the glass, pour slowly and smoothly. Turn the glass upright when the beer is almost about to touch the can. Keep pouring, maybe even slower depending on how much head you've built up. Should be fine.

Tbh with regards pubs I can't remember the last time I saw a pint poured where the barman didn't put the glass on top of another, knock the tap down and proceed to do another four.

WindSock

ntlbell wrote:

It's written on the side of the can

It is? Oh.

patrickc

yeh it is the widget in the can helps

Seth Brundle

Just remember to shake the can before you open it to mix it all up

WindSock

brianthebard wrote:

Only know how to pour a can, but I do it better than a lot of pubs these days. Glass at a 45 degree angle, can resting on the lip of the glass, pour slowly and smoothly. Turn the glass upright when the beer is almost about to touch the can. Keep pouring, maybe even slower depending on how much head you've built up. Should be fine.

So you don't have to wait for it to settle 3/4 the way through?

Also in some pubs I've seen them top up the glass by pushing the tap backwards, does this make a difference?

Mossin

So you don't have to wait for it to settle 3/4 the way through?

Also in some pubs I've seen them top up the glass by pushing the tap backwards, does this make a difference?

From a can you don't have to stop the pour, just let it all in at a 45 degree angle.

In pubs, Guinness is poured in 2 parts. Its called the 2 part pour for that reason.
The first part fills the glass to approximately 3/4 - 4/5 of the glass. then when its settled you top up the rest of it with the aforementioned backwards push of the tap. Guinness supposedly takes 119 seconds to pour the perfect pint.

happy_acid_face

Glass at 45 degree angle. Pour untill just under the the guinness logo. Leave to settle for at LEAST 3 minutes. Top up the glass leaving the head starting from the top of the harp logo.... (I think this is the way, never worked in a bar)

brianthebard

boreds wrote:

So you don't have to wait for it to settle 3/4 the way through?

Also in some pubs I've seen them top up the glass by pushing the tap backwards, does this make a difference?

You don't have to let it settle 3/4 ways through, that's one of the guinness myths. There are plenty of pubs (usually auld men pubs down the country) where they would pour it all in one go. Speed is the most important thing, or rather controlling the speed.

KamiKazi

brianthebard wrote:

You don't have to let it settle 3/4 ways through, that's one of the guinness myths. There are plenty of pubs (usually auld men pubs down the country) where they would pour it all in one go. Speed is the most important thing, or rather controlling the speed.

its all about presentation, and that way is one sure way to make the pint look horrible

johnnyskeleton

boreds wrote:

So you don't have to wait for it to settle 3/4 the way through?

Also in some pubs I've seen them top up the glass by pushing the tap backwards, does this make a difference?

One thing I noticed in a pub that was particularly good for guinness is that the time in between first and second pour can make a difference. There were two bar people, both poured from the same tap; the first left it until the pint was half settled and it turned out a nice creamy pint; the other left it settle fully before the second pour and it came out a strong, thick pint. Both were excellent, but in very different ways, and the only difference I noticed between them was the amount of time the that they waited between pours.

As for pushing the tap backwards, I don't think this makes much difference, it might make it come out slightly slower but that isn't necessarily a good thing.

The crucial factor if you want a good guinness is going to the right place. Old men pubs down the country have to have a good pint, because otherwise they loose their business. Dublin pubs often don't care.

As an aside, I've noticed that any self respecting barman will never ask you to pay for your pint after the first pour - only after it's complete will they take your money.

Degag

happy_acid_face wrote:

Glass at 45 degree angle. Pour untill just under the the guinness logo. Leave to settle for at LEAST 3 minutes. Top up the glass leaving the head starting from the top of the harp logo.... (I think this is the way, never worked in a bar)

119.5 seconds is the recommended time between the pours and there is a certain measurement for the head, something like "between 12 and 16mm" I might be wrong on the measurements though. You can knock off a large head on a guinness, but you cant create a bigger one unfortunately. There is no gas valve on the tap itself.

Brockagh

You can pretty much just pour a pint straight now. They waiting thing has been reduced to purely a marketing thing. They used to use two different types of Guinness for the body and the top up in days gone by - and that's why they traditionally poured it in two goes. This is no longer the case, so it can just be poured straight.

The most important thing for a good pint is that lots of people in the bar are drinking it, and that the gas mix is correct. If lots of people are drinking the Guinness, it is moving frequently through the pipes and doesn't go stale.

Coileach dearg

Brockagh wrote:

You can pretty much just pour a pint straight now. They waiting thing has been reduced to purely a marketing thing. They used to use two different types of Guinness for the body and the top up in days gone by - and that's why they traditionally poured it in two goes. This is no longer the case, so it can just be poured straight.

The most important thing for a good pint is that lots of people in the bar are drinking it, and that the gas mix is correct. If lots of people are drinking the Guinness, it is moving frequently through the pipes and doesn't go stale.

I agree completely with your second paragraph but not with your first.
Have you ever poured a pint of Guinness straight? Have you seen what happens. The head is lost way quicker than with the traditional method.
If I saw a barman pour a pint of Guinness straight I would strangle him!

r3nu4l

There are plenty of pubs in Dublin that pour a good pint of Guinness, they just don't happen to be pubs that most young people go to...i.e. trendy-cool-hip-vastly-over-priced-pay-€10-15-on-the-door-before-you-even-get-to-the-bar-and-then-have-to-stand-for-the-rest-of-the-evening-while-making-hand-signals-to-your-mates- because-the-mindless-prat-of-a-DJ-playing-music-at-top-volume type of pubs.

Lots of old mans pubs in Dublin, even in the city centre where you can get good Guinness, especially mid-week!

yabadabado

totally agree some of the best pints in dublin r in the city centre -mulligans,cassidys(camden st), j o'connell kennedy's, molloys

gurramok

r3nu4l wrote:

There are plenty of pubs in Dublin that pour a good pint of Guinness, they just don't happen to be pubs that most young people go to...i.e. trendy-cool-hip-vastly-over-priced-pay-€10-15-on-the-door-before-you-even-get-to-the-bar-and-then-have-to-stand-for-the-rest-of-the-evening-while-making-hand-signals-to-your-mates- because-the-mindless-prat-of-a-DJ-playing-music-at-top-volume type of pubs.

Lots of old mans pubs in Dublin, even in the city centre where you can get good Guinness, especially mid-week!

Yeh agree here.

These youngsters don't appreciate the quality of drink served to them as they just want to get p1ssed for the night on anything goes.
I was one of them in my 20s. Now in early 30's, i've come to appreciate the quality and taste of the pint rather than just down any drink as fast as you can attitude. I never drank stouts/ales back then as i thought they were 'unfashionable'..LOL

Anyone else feel this as they get 'older' ?..shriek

I agree with most stout/ales, the widget in the can really does help pour that decent pint in the can.
I've drank guinness from the can without widget and the taste wasn't 100%, but Beamish/Kilkenny ale which have widgets, the taste does be superior and nearer to the real thing.
So the widget works wonders after all

Mr Magnolia

I always started with the glass as close to horizontal as possible, then slowly and smoothly raise it until filled about 1inch from the top. I then left it until it had nearly fully settled then topped it off by either pushing the tap back or pulling it forward; it makes no difference. If you leave it too long the head 'rings' around the outer rim, it also won't be as creamy. As was said you're p!ssing in the wind if the gas isn't set up correctly or the lines aren't properly maintained.

The secret with the cans is the same appoach only pour it all in one smooth motion. Also open the can in 1 quick motion, don't know if it says this on the can, I've never read it.

Mongo

Put the glas at a 45 degree angle and fill 3/4 ways up.From there alot of factors come into place.Gas may not be right and the head may be small so from there I would pour it normally rather than back tap to create more head.If it's all good then I'd back tap.There is a difference.

The Hill Billy

Brockagh wrote:

You can pretty much just pour a pint straight now. They waiting thing has been reduced to purely a marketing thing. They used to use two different types of Guinness for the body and the top up in days gone by - and that's why they traditionally poured it in two goes. This is no longer the case, so it can just be poured straight.

A pint can indeed be poured in one go, but the consistency of the head will be absolutely cráp compared to a two-part pour. Why sacrifice a proper pint just for the sake of a couple of minutes?

See here for the great debate on this topic.

davyjose

gurramok wrote:

I never drank stouts/ales back then as i thought they were 'unfashionable'..LOL

Ha ha I drank stout for the very opposite reason - I wasn't that fond of it, but thought it made me look old and cool.
Now I love it - I would drink lager when I know I'm gonna get gee-eyed, but guinness is the stuff for a few pints and a chat. Best pint in dublin, I've had, is in the Villager in Chapelizod. Magic.