Guinness Debuts Nitro IPA

There is no doubting the Guinness character of this IPA. The aromatics from the Topaz, Celeia, Challenger and Cascade hops emerge from the surge and settle of the nitrogenation and announce an India Pale Ale. 

The beer is complex, but more balanced and approachable due to the choice of an English IPA style versus American and due to the familiar Guinness touches, including the same yeast as used in Guinness Stout. One can imagine this beer being a welcome addition to the taps at pubs and beer bars where Guinness is served, and in that sense it encourages people to engage a new style without leaving the Guinness brand. But ultimately the market will determine if a well rounded IPA finds a broader reception in pubs due to drinkability and on shelves in the form of canned six-packs.

The key to brewing this IPA was getting the engaging aromas by whirlpooling with hops and then adding a hefty amount of dry hopping. The end game is to reduce the bitter impact on the palate by the use of nitrogenation to keep the taste buds more engaged.

“IPAs are complex and hoppy, but for some beer drinkers the bitterness can be too much,” said Luis Ortega, the brewer who created the recipe. “We aimed to make a balanced, smooth beer.  Guinness perfected nitrogenated beer more than 60 years ago, so we believed we could really add something new to the style. There's plenty of hoppy flavor, with citrus aroma to the fore, but the nitrogen rounds it all out. The mouthfeel is fantastic, and the use of Guinness yeast gives it an echo of the character of our famous stouts.”

The Nitro IPA also brings a new approach into an American market segment where craft brewers are now regularly experimenting with nitrogen-infused brews. It’s as if the long-playing maestro wants to demonstrate who’s got the licks when it comes to nitrogen pours. This includes the revolutionary widget Guinness introduced in the 1980s that brings nitro to the cans holding this new IPA. Those cans, by the way, are white with green and gold lettering, another signal change.

"There's plenty of hoppy flavor, with citrus aroma to the fore, but the nitrogen rounds it all out," said brewer Luis Ortega.