Guinness Nitro IPA is the latest offering from the Irish brand. (Photo courtesy Guinness)
Nearly every brewery has an India pale ale in its arsenal. As the style with the largest share in the craft beer segment, it just makes good business sense. The IPA— generously hopped, moderate alcohol, decent malt presence—is a classic style enjoying a reinvigoration and reinterpretation.
So it should surprise no one that Guinness, the Irish beer brand synonymous with another style of ale—the stout—is getting into the IPA arms race. This week in New York City, the brand kicked off its U.S. launch tour (with dozens of other stops planned) for Guinness Nitro IPA with an intimate dinner at the Growler Bites & Booze, a serious-minded beer bar, just two blocks from the New York Stock Exchange.
Nitro IPA was developed in the Guinness pilot brewery, as part of the so-called Brewers Project series. Luis Ortega, the person credited with creating the recipe and whose name appears on the packaging said, in a press release that, “IPAs are complex and hoppy, but for some beer drinkers the bitterness can be too much. We aimed to make a balanced, smooth beer.”
It’s hard to argue with that. Despite being brewed with five varieties of hops—Admiral, Cascade, Celeia, Challenger and Topaz, this is not a hop bomb. Those used to American-style IPAs will find this very firmly in the British tradition, with a solid toasted caramel malt content. It will be available on draft, but also in 12-ounce cans that contain 11.2-ounces of liquid, allowing room for the famed Guinness nitro widget inside.
It’s the extra space inside the can that likely led to some inconsistencies during my initial tasting. At the event, the brewery handed unopened cans to the media, inviting us to pour our own beers. Rather than the traditional Guinness pint glass, the brewery suggests serving the beer in a stemmed goblet.
Thanks to the widget, the medium-amber colored beer cascaded in that pleasing nitro way, leaving a thick cake of a white head atop. The first aroma that I could discern was faint but present wet cardboard, an aroma linked to oxidation. Pushing past that, I compared notes with a colleague and we both agreed that hop character was lost among toasted barley malts. The mouthfeel was excellent.
Later, we sampled two more cans, pouring ourselves. My sample was nearly flat, with an intact but diminished nitro head, but had a very pleasing aroma of orange peel zest, with the slightest bit of pine coming through. My colleague’s sample was more carbonated but similar to the first sample. All samples had a slight mineral tang, a flavor consistent with the Guinness house yeast, and had a pleasing bitter finish.
Guinness Nitro IPA will be available on draft and in 12-ounce cans. (Photo courtesy Guinness)
It’s hard for a brewery to roll out a new product without tweaking and refining after launch. Guinness (which is owned by Diageo and produced more than 2.2 million barrels last year) is not a brewery to rest on its laurels. Over the last several years it’s released several new beers including a black lager, a blonde lager, a limited edition anniversary beer and several others. It’s a good bet that any initial feedback on Guinness Nitro IPA that need to be addressed, will.
What remains to be seen is if a nitro IPA will be embraced by consumers. Guinness is famous for its stout being poured and watching a glass of cascading carbonation is one of the true beautiful sights in beer. Nitro is ideal for stouts, but several years ago I wrote an article where several brewers said they believe that nitro pours, especially from draft, strip the bitter essence from a hoppy beer.
Expect to see Guinness Nitro IPA at a bar or package store near you starting this month.
John Holl is the editor of All About Beer Magazine.
My guess is that Guinness is feeling threatened by smaller craft breweries who have successful nitro and IPA beers that stand alone. Combining the two seems absurd to me cause the two are way too different. I’ll take Lefthand Brewery’s Milk Stout Nitro over a regular Guinness any day.
Eric, you obviously have not had a good pint of guinness in Dublin Ireland,
I’ve had a pint of Guinness form the brewery in Ireland and I’ve had Guinness on tap from a number of pubs in the UK. Tastes exactly the same. All that drinking it locally offers is freshness but at the rate they ship it to the UK, it’s nearly as fresh as it was when it comes out of the factory. Guinness is a good beer but there are many better stouts.
You do realize that Guinness and Left Hand Milk stout are different styles right?
I love it when breweries are making an IPA finally cuz the largest selling craft beer is an IPA and when they do they say, but we didnt want to make ours overally hoppy … well then u didnt make an IPA
There is different types of IPAs….Compare Boat Beer to Greenflash both IPA one less hoppy then the other.
I live in the Midwest and don’t anticipate the opportunity to try the Guinness IPA for awhile. I will when I have the chance, though!
I’m also in the Midwest (Michigan) and just picked up the nitro ipa at Walmart the other day. I’m sure you’ll see it soon! Really enjoying it so far – not much like an ipa but it’s a really nice take on a classic. Will definitely buy again
Just “discovered” (as in actually found) this in a corner liquor store tonight (I’m in Michigan, also). Got a 6 and have had one (thus far). Love at first sip. Definitely not for hard core hop heads but very pleasing in its own right. Don’t get me wrong, I like a heavily hopped IPA but I was not expecting this to be like that so I wasn’t let down. Pleasantly surprised would be a better description of my initial reaction. I’ll definitely be getting more.
I agree wholeheartedly. I have become a big fan of the Guinness Nitro. In fact it has become my favorite beer. A little pricy for me being a retired businessman living on a very fixed income but I make the sacrifice.
Did someone just say you havent had guinness from Dublin, Ireland? If I have to go to Dublin for Guinness to be good its not worth it.
This should be called an IPA light at best. I almost feel like I would have rather bought a miller lite for how weak this beer is. AKA I want my money back. But for reference of my taste, stone’s ruination is one of my favorites.
There’s nothing weak or light about 5.8%…For those of us that are heavily biased towards Guinness for good reason…Nitro IPA is love in a can! Go drink your overly hoppy stuff, have a real nice day…
Miller Lite is the worst beer I have ever drank…should not even be in the same cooler…great for putting out campfires…
Agreed. Coor’s Light blows it away. If you want to try a really good, balanced beer, with all the flavour one could ask for, Coor’s Light is the one to choose. Tip- Get it in the can, the cans that have the cold activated colour changes. Best drunk at 36 degrees Fahrenheit.
IPA’s that are worthy run the gambet from Heady Toopper, Sip of Sunshine, and Shape of Hops to Come all the way through to 60min and they all are great. Guinness’s might just fit in.
I work at walmart. I usually get Redhook’s IPA to take home. They were out so I gambled on this…man does it suck. Never again, indeed.
It definitely does every can was flat and virtually nasty tasting
I like I.P.A in the British style. This had a peppery aftertaste which I didn’t like much. Overall I found it bland and tasteless . It had a cold tea flavour, but I saw that some people really liked it so I guess it’s all about personal taste. The Shipyard Brewery from main is brewing some really good beers that are more to my taste, less hops and malty. My favourite beer is Abbot Ale by Greene king. Cheers!!
Samuel Adams Oktoberfest beer this year is great. Everything I want from a beer!!! It reminds of one of the better brewed English ales.
This is now available at Rite-Aid (soon to be prohibition-style Wal-Greens) and also other local groceries in California like Sprouts. I find the 11.2 oz cans utterly ridiculous. About the taste, I will just say it tastes FLAT. It reminds me of opening a beer and then putting it back in the frig. for 24 hours.
Never again. I tried the Guinness nitro gimmick years ago and I should have known this is not going to be much better.
American IPA have morphed into hop overload beers so high in alcohol and bitterness it really is an arms race many of these are very good beers but try drinking 12 you might as well drink straight hop oil. If you have ever been to the UK or tried a traditional British IPA they can be quite pleasant hoppier but not overpowering.
Love IPAs, love Guinness. Don’t love this, tho. Very disappointed.
Guinness should withdraw from the IPA race now. The nitro IPA is a sad, sad beer and owes my taste buds an apology.
Not thrilled with this so called IPA. It pours good with a good head but the beer is flat and has minimal hop flavors. I don’t get the whole nitrogen gimmick that yields a flat beer. Give me an Erdinger that has plenty of natural carbonation any day over this flat Nitro(gen).
Guinness is my favorite beer, hands down. I am also a fan of IPAs, although I’ve withdrawn from being a constant casualty of the “Hop Wars” that seem to be waged between craft brewers in the States, with ever increasing AVB (the exception being Hercules IPA, which has awesome flavor to me).
I was hoping for something moderate (Nitro is 5.8% alcohol – light for an IPA). Unfortunately, my first impression is… Bleh. Flavorless, uninspired. I don’t want an IPA that pours like a Boddingtons or Guinness Draught. I want some of the carbonation, and a little more bite in the flavor. If I had one word to describe this beer it would be “Bland.”
Well, that’s my take… I won’t ever buy this one again.
I accidentally found Guiness IPA at Giant Eagle here in NE Ohio with a $3 rebate offer on the package which ended up costing about $1 a can. While I prefer an IPA with a good amount of character malts, the roasted malts in the Guiness were not my favorite. The variety of hops listed on the can are not very evident in the beer but I do like the smoothness of the nitro; reminds me of cask-conditioned ale. It did go well with a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, though. Doubtful if I’ll buy it again.
Me and my favorite bloke, Jeff, taste tested Guiness Nitro IPA and Left Hand Brewery Nitro Milk Sotoudt. We also taste tested Jim Beam’s Signature Craft 12 year and Blanton’s Bourbon. Yes we are mildly toasted! The LHS was a much better match with the bourbon. Guinness IPA was harsh after 2 sips. By the third taste, it was fine. Overall the other Jeff liked the IPA. I was more of a LHS fan. It went well with the bourbon flavor. Cheers!
This is shit! I love an IPA but just like another person stated here I’ve also had a beer that I poured the day before and stuck back in the fridge. Leave the ping pong ball out of the damn can and give us a legit brew.
This is the worst IPA I ever had. I cut the can open to make sure there was just a widget at the bottom rather than a coagulated mess. Flat, tasteless and makes me thirsty for Miller Lite. $32 wasted on a bad attempt of an IPA.
Where can I buy Guiness Nitro IPA in the UK please?
Picked this up yesterday at a Haggen here in Washington State. . . I was actually pleasantly surprised!!!
For those complaining about it tasting flat, well that’s what nitrogen widgets do to beer. The same goes for a regular can of Guinness vs the bottle. And that’s also what the nitrogen widget does to Boddingtons Pub Ale as well. You sacrifice standard fizz for the creamy smoothness, but I totally get it if that’s off-putting for some.
Being from the PNW, I’ve had the pleasure of running the full gamut of IPAs, including some that are so nasty that I’ve had to smooth ’em out with a splash of whiskey (preferably Jameson). One of the aspects I like about Guinness’ offering is that it tastes like a cousin of an IPA. Familiar maltiness with a hint of that verdant, balanced hoppy IPA flavor that makes IPAs so wonderful (yet it also incorporates the toasted, mineraly undertones that are a beloved attribute of Guinness stout).
My dad absolutely abhors IPAs, but he sucked down the Guinness Nitro IPA like he’d been without water for 24 hours. So, their statement mentioned in the above review [“IPAs are complex and hoppy, but for some beer drinkers the bitterness can be too much. We aimed to make a balanced, smooth beer.”] will ring true for those who don’t generally like IPAs, or maybe those who want to tip-toe into the field without having their taste buds blown out.
It’s appalling to me that anyone would say they’d prefer ANY light beer compared to this. . . Might as well drink seltzer water.
Spot on. Best review I’ve read yet. Nailed my own opinion exactly.
This is the worst tasting IPA I have ever had. I almost gagged at my first taste. I consider myself as a person who knows IPA. I make recommendations to liquor stores about what they might want to offer their clients, and Nitro IPA will not be one.
Just bought a sixer of it. Was super excited to crack it open and taste it and was somewhat displeased… The IPA Nitro I have is flat with little to no carbonation 2 out of 5 stars…
This “IPA” tastes horrible and I am a Guinness Stout fan.
WOW!! Believe me.. I love me some well poured Guinness Stout.. If each beer bought one a fraction of stock in the Company.. well, I wouldn’t be proud of how much Guinness stock I should own. And either would any of my ex-wives.. That being said, this beer is so ill-conceived.. the after taste is simply unbearable, Whereas it should be your favorite part of the process.. Just something missing… it’s sort of.. shallow. seems like it was rushed to market. maybe it’s me, but the after-taste was just inexcusable
I feel like I should elaborate.. I love the Guinness company so, so much.. This “nitro IPA” has a perfect presentation.. pours beautifully, with that gorgeous inverted bubble cascade.. and THIS is like a gorgeous woman stripping… but once you get close.. she smells funny. and the closer you get! she actually smells bad. Sorry, my friends at Guinness (and I STILL consider you my friends) but hire ME! for a relatively small compensation, I could have told you that this would be a failure.
I am by no means a beer aficionado but I like IPA’s and have a special place in my heart for Guinness. I had this on tap. Since it’s new it was only $4 a pint which is pretty good. I loved it. Picked up a case and enjoyed almost as much at home. For me it was significantly better when I poured it into a glass as opposed to drinking it from the can
I don’t think this is an appealing feel. I was hoping for more. Really sorry to say, but it reminds me of a flat day old keg beer. I won’t buy this ever again.
Terrible product. I can’t believe Guinness actually put their name on this stuff. Not sure if I can finish the six pack. If I hadn’t paid $10 for it, I would pour it out in the kitchen sink. I love most IPAs & Guinness Extra Stout but, this stuff is awful.
The guy above who said it reminds him of flat, day-old keg beer is spot on. This is the worst $9 I’ve ever spent. Was really looking forward to enjoying a couple good beers tonight but instead I’m stuff with this disgusting mess.
My experience with the Guinness Nitro IPA is strange. The first one was just NASTY. I am new to IPAs- that bitterness takes a lot of getting used to- I like ales and lagers. I discovered that when I drink IPAs though- I drink them – rather than guzzle and slam them down. So it slowed me down. well this 6 pack has taken me nearly 2 months to finish. I refuse to not drink all of them. Oddly enough I am down to one. the first 4 I dunno- just nasty. Gross. I just didn’t want to drink these at all. But #5 I drank tonight- after 3 weeks in the fridge – Not bad. smooth bitter but great mouth feel. Aftertaste was actually pleasant. Maybe that one was better because it was REALLY cold. I drank it from the can. I was thirsty. It was actually GOOD. We’ll see what happens on #6!!
Fuck no. Just fuck no.
As an IPA, this beer fails miserably. I’m not even sure why or how they call this an IPA. It has none of the characteristics of an IPA, most notably that pine-y flavor.
However, as a Guinness, it’s not bad. It complements the Stout, yet has its own signature.
Ignore the IPA label, set aside those expectations, and you just might enjoy it. It’s definitely better than the Blonde Lager.
Where can I purchase the Guinness Nitro IPA? I live in Brooklyn, NYC…. I’d like to try it.
such a disappointment!! FLAT FLAT FLAT beyond acceptable!! unimaginable that a canned beer can have zero carbonation! Practically undrinkable! had to FORCE myself to consume this disgusting brew!since i couldn’t believe that in today’s world of such high quality offerings a beer as disgusting as this could be pushed upon an unsuspecting beer consuming public. A total disgrace to the Guinness label. (Ok, now tell us how you really feel. I HAVE!!)
Being a huge fan of IPA’s I saw the St Patricks display of Guinness Nitro IPA in a New Jersey store and grabbed a 6 pack. I like my IPA in a can so this met the criteria. Dales Pale Ale my #1 IPA is tough to beat. I was a bit disappointed in Nitro,heavy,flat and little or no hops flavor. The milky foam was impressive, but it really came off as being flavorless. At 9 dollars a 6 pack it’s priced ok but I’m glad I didn’t buy a case.
I don’t get why big breweries like this try to break into the market yet don’t go all in. If you’re going to brew an IPA and market it towards America, brew an American IPA which means a high IBU yield with grapefruit, orange or tropical fruit notes between 6.5-7% ABV. Don’t try and reinvent what we have just reinvented in the last decade or so.
Secondly nitrogen and IPA do not work well together, period. Sam Adams tried the Nitro IPA and it was terrible too
I bought a six pack today at Safeway. Before opening one I read all the reviews on this page. I told my wife the guiness ipa isn’t looking to good as I read the reviews to her. She said shit, oh well we can use them for cooking roasts and what have you. I said you know what let’s try one now anyways. I decided based on the reviews not to judge it as an IPA. When I opened it I let it sit to make sure the nitro ball did it’s thing. First few drinks, yeah I see the flat criticism was true but it reminded me of a boddingtons. Even Guiness stout is flat compared to most other beers. Half way through I thought it was very drinkable. Not carbonated but creamy like a nitro beers typically are.
This beer sucks, nuff said
Just picked up a six..Ya ya.. Guinness IPA is not same as American IPA..blah blah.. hey,a beer should be judged on its own merit.. you can’t compare this to others and I’m not. This beer falls flat. Yes pun intended. All around shitty brew..simple. This tastes like anvil hammered shit.
This beer kinda sucks. I’m very disappointed in the lack of flavor and the fact that I paid 10 bucks for a 6 pack. I would much sooner pay 20 dollars for 1 bottle of good beer than 10 for 6 of this. Guinness should just stick with what they were good at before.
I just had one on draft. I respect Guinness as a brand and love IPA’s, so this beer deserved a shot. After my first few sips I wasn’t impressed and then I saw that bartender was gauging my reactions. He told me that he knew it was terrible and poured me a Stone IPA (Oregon). Guinness has the signature stout beer and adding a horrific IPA is not helping
Love Guinness Extra Stout. Tried a Guinness Nitro IPA yesterday and won’t drink another one – EVER!
I thought it was good. Has just a slight IPA taste without going overboard. Most IPA’s are over hyped and nasty. Kind of like chewing on wood chips. Maybe I just outgrew the whole IPA fad. Smooth, easy drinking and different. At this point in my life, I’m good with that.
It’s not an IPA, and it is not a stout. It is somewhere in-between, with a grapefruit finish. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either. It’s one of those beers I would not turn down for free at a party, but I would probably not buy it on purpose at the store, either. The “Nitro” thing seems like pure hype, by the way.
The ipa label is misleading. Tastes like a flat light beer but its very smooth and easy to drink. Not as potent as most ipas but thats okay for me because the six pack does me really good. I’ve bought 3 six packs in the last week and will buy again. 4/5 stars.
I always drank red wine before tasting my first IPA. I had drunk lots of beer over the years at cookouts, etc., and preferred red wine, but I really enjoy IPAs. I just bought the Guinness Nitro IPA at the grocery store last night. After trying it I was disappointed. I thought that the beer had accidentally been partially frozen–the can didn’t seem full, less taste and carbonation than I was used to, and I mistook the “nitrogen widget” for ice. Just saying.
i have always believed that there was no such thing as bad beer. But the NITRO IPA has to be the exception, it’s horrible, why did you bother? It’s even worse than your BLONDE American Larger It’s so bad I can safely leave it in the refrigerator and know my sons won’t touch it.
Why are there balls in my beer? The stupidest most
Rediculos way to serve beer.Weak taste,even with a ball
I only bought a 6 pack and now I can’t even give it
Away. Terrible!
Not a fan. From a taste standpoint, I don’t see how this qualifies as an IPA. It’s weak, flat, and has a metallic taste.
Ted, You can give it to me. I was in San Diego and I asked the Bartender what IPAs they had. (My favorites are Bale Breakers Top Cutter IPA, Elysian Space Dust, Lagunitas IA, and Georgetown Lucille.) It was an Irish pub and she recommended the Guinness Nitro. I was surprised at how smooth and pleasant it was. It’s not going to replace any of my favorites, but on a hot summer day, I will consider a couple of these!
We love this beer! It goes down so smooth. We can’t get enough of it and have to drive around looking for it in our area. It sells out quick
Tastes like Iced Tea, slightly sweetened. Not good. Did I need to add that?