Guinness in a Can

I have had my share of Guinness in my day.  It was my drink of choice for a long time when I worked in downtown Boston.  There was a bar on Charles Street called The Sevens, and they poured a mean pint of Guinness.  It was always fresh and creamy and delicious.  Now that I work in Cambridge and live in Somerville, I don’t go to the bar every night for a pint, but I do occasionally yearn for a delicious Guinness.  Going to the bar sometimes is not an option, as I am now a family man and I value my time at home, but there is a reasonable substitute for just such an occasion:  Guinness in a can.  I know that some of you beer nuts might think that this is blasphemous, but bear with me for a moment.  I have tried Guinness in a bottle, both the stout and extra stout, and I was not impressed.  They did not have the creamy body and smoothness that a poured pint has.  This is where the can is brilliant.  It has a widget inside the 14.9 oz. can that releases gas when the can is opened, causing the Guinness to pour in its trademark way, with a thick layer of foamy beer that separates, or rises, once it has been sitting awhile, much like a good shot of espresso.  That being said, always pour a Guinness into a glass as it was intended, or you are killing a perfectly good experience.  For those of you who may not have tried Guinness, let me spell it out for you.  Though the stout pours dark and thick, it is lighter on the palate that you would be led to believe.  Unlike an Oatmeal Stout or a Porter, Guinness has a medium body and smooth, easy finish, with a drinkability that rivals lighter beers.  It maintains a unique flavor that is a bit smoky and bready, but mostly refreshing, creamy and smooth.  It always tastes like another round.  Guinness in a can comes closest to a Guinness off the tap, and makes a handy substitution in a pinch.  The downside to Guinness in a can is that it only comes in a four-pack of cans, rather than a six-pack, and it still has the slightest sharp edge that a tap Guinness does not.

All beer drinkers should experience the pleasure of Guinness in a can.  It makes a handy pint in a pinch that appears to be fresh from the tap, and Guinness is awesome for making beef stew and meat pies, as well as any soup that needs a dark stock.