From: andy rogers <rogers@ial3.jsc.nasa.gov>
Subject: Re: Plastic Slivers found in Canned Guinness
X-Xxdate: Mon, 4 Jan 93 14:36:49 GMT
Organization: Lockheed Engineering
X-Useragent: Nuntius v1.1.1d13
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 14:41:01 GMT

In article <C0B841.AAK@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> Iskandar Taib,
ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu writes:
>Hmmm.. can someone tell us how this thing works? I suppose

excerpts from a post by someone else follow
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From: matthews@ajsh.colorado.edu (Alex Matthews)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.brewing
Subject: Re: Guiness Found - In a (patented) Can!
Date: 8 Nov 91 00:02:38 GMT
Organization: JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder
Originator: matthews@ajsh

A friend writes:

----- Begin Forwarded Message -----

THE GUINNESS CAN

I had the good fortune to be invited to attend a very special beer happening
(am I dating myself with that term?) recently by Tom Dahldorf of the
California Celebrator.  The event was Guinness' unveiling of their new
product, Pub Draught Guinness.  Now, I can hear the lot of you saying to
yourselves "Yeah, yeah, another 'draft beer in a can', big deal".  But this
one is different.  For the most part this product actually does what it is
supposed to do!

Anyone who has had Guinness Stout on draught and from a bottle knows there is
a vast difference between the two brews.  The brewery makes no secret of the
fact that the recipes are different not only between the kegged version and
the bottled, but also between different bottled markets.  Now the folks at
Guinness have developed a system which dispenses their stout from a can in
such a way as to rival a pub tap.  They have been working on this for some 20
years and the final method was preceded by over 100 failed attempts.

The problem has always been the fact that draught Guinness is (or should be)
dispensed with a mixture of Nitrogen and CO2 gasses rather than the
conventional CO2 alone.  The nitrogen is used because it makes very fine
bubbles while it is not absorbed into the brew as the CO2 is, thus it does not
"over-carbonate" the beer.  Also a special faucet is preferred which, in
combination with the gasses, creates that wonderful creamy brown head which
lasts to the bottom of the glass.  The new can combines the original kegged
stout recipe with technology which creates the draught effect to a tee.

Dr. Alan Forage, creator of the technology, was on hand to explain the
mechanics of the new can.  This is the way the system works:  The 16.9 ounce
can (containing 14.9 ounces of beer) is fitted with a small plastic device
(Guinness calls it a "smoothifier") which sits in the bottom of the can.  This
device has a pocket or cavity which is open to the atmosphere via a pin hole
in its top.  The can is evacuated of oxygen and filled with beer.  Prior to
sealing the can, a dose of liquid nitrogen is added to the beer.  The can is
closed and as the liquid nitrogen warms a pressure is created.  The pressure
forces about 1% of the beer and nitrogen into the plastic cavity.   When the
can is opened, the pressure is released and the small amount of beer in the
cavity is forced back through the pinhole quite violently.  The agitation
created by this "geyser" mixes the nitrogen with the beer in such a way as to
reproduce the tap handle character.  Open up the first empty can you have in
order to see what the "smoothifier" looks like.

Prior to serving, the beer must be chilled.  Guinness suggests a two hour
stint in a refrigerator, with a target serving temperature of 45-50 degrees
(if opened while warm, the beer gushes with excess force).  This is the one
area where flavor will be variable since most American refrigerators hold
their temperatures closer to 35-40 degrees.  We all know the colder the beer
the less the flavors are perceptible.  Education will be the key here.  The
entire contents should be emptied into a 16 ounce glass.  The head which forms
is exactly like that of the draught version.  And yes, it does last to the
bottom of the glass.

How does it taste?  In my opinion, this is virtually the same as what you get
at a well maintained pub.  The texture is right on.  The flavor is wonderful. 
I suspect there may be some slight differences as a result of the volume of
the package (14.9 ounces vs. 15.5 gallons) but I didn't notice any.  According
to Declan Maguire, group marketing director of Guinness Import Company here in
the U.S., extensive taste comparisons were made throughout Ireland and England
during the development of the product.  This includes side-by-side blind
tastings with the original version.

The cans come in packages of 4.  The suggested price is $5.99.  The stout is
4% alcohol by volume.  Guinness is releasing the new product in the San
Francisco, Chicago, and Baltimore/Washington D.C. areas to begin with. 
Locally, Safeway stores are carrying it at $3.00/2 cans.  The cans can be
recycled just like other aluminum ones.  I suspect the insert is made from the
same plastic which is used to coat the inside of the can and will burn off
during the recycling process.
----- End Forwarded Message -----

-- 
-Alex Matthews (matthews@ajsh.colorado.edu, matthews@jila.bitnet)
DoD #0010   
"Occasionally we may try to reroute you briefly onto a particularly
beautiful side road...." - Numerical Recipes

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reposted by andy rogers