I thoroughly expected this to be a gimmick, but I was nicely surprised as I bought myself it for Christmas, along with 12 Nitro cans.
After happily drinking draught Guinness for many years, I can honestly say that the nitro cans along with the nitro device definitely pour a superior pint to what we get with the 30 year old "widget", another gimmick, which also improved the drink, AND stood the test of time. While the impact of the nitro isn't quite as huge as the widget was vs flat Guinness, it is very noticeably better than a draught can pour and dare I say it, most pub tap pours! You won't believe me until you try it for yourself, and there will be people who think the difference isn't worth the price increase per can, but I think about it this way; if we buy into this latest gimmick, then the prices of the cans will surely decrease as they become the new norm and a solid/reliable revenue stream for the makers. At the moment though, it feels like most people are waiting for the price to come down before they buy them, but as far as I'm concerned, they should be cheaper than the draught cans regardless, because a nitro can requires no Co2 or widget! Still though, Guinness are entitled to cash in on their latest gimmick for a while. because it truly is a lovely pour! I hope that the more people who join team nitro, the cheaper the cans will eventually get.
But, for those of us who don't want to pay for nitro cans, there is a little trick that works brilliantly and costs nothing... You can use regular Guinness draught cans with the Nitro Surge! Yep, the only thing you need is a pin and about 2-3 minutes of patience! Pierce the draught can's lid, right inside the ring pulls groove, wait about 2-3 minutes for the gas to fully escape, and then open it and attach it to your nitro surge as normal, and you'll notice no difference to a nitro can! There is a catch for us who only have access to the 440ml cans, in that you'll have to pierce a 2nd can and then continue the pour in order to get to a full pint, which is quite annoying but the good news is that pint draught Guinness cans are already out and are slowly making their way into our local supermarkets!
Regardless of which method you use, the nitro surge definitely adds quality to your pint, and for around £25, it's a worthwhile investment for any Guinness drinker.
I think it deserves my 5 star review, as I honestly can't fault it, but the nitro cans and the near double price tag is a whole different story!
5.0 out of 5 stars
NOT just a gimmick! It actually gives a fantastic creamy pint!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 January 2024
I thoroughly expected this to be a gimmick, but I was nicely surprised as I bought myself it for Christmas, along with 12 Nitro cans.
After happily drinking draught Guinness for many years, I can honestly say that the nitro cans along with the nitro device definitely pour a superior pint to what we get with the 30 year old "widget", another gimmick, which also improved the drink, AND stood the test of time. While the impact of the nitro isn't quite as huge as the widget was vs flat Guinness, it is very noticeably better than a draught can pour and dare I say it, most pub tap pours! You won't believe me until you try it for yourself, and there will be people who think the difference isn't worth the price increase per can, but I think about it this way; if we buy into this latest gimmick, then the prices of the cans will surely decrease as they become the new norm and a solid/reliable revenue stream for the makers. At the moment though, it feels like most people are waiting for the price to come down before they buy them, but as far as I'm concerned, they should be cheaper than the draught cans regardless, because a nitro can requires no Co2 or widget! Still though, Guinness are entitled to cash in on their latest gimmick for a while. because it truly is a lovely pour! I hope that the more people who join team nitro, the cheaper the cans will eventually get.
But, for those of us who don't want to pay for nitro cans, there is a little trick that works brilliantly and costs nothing... You can use regular Guinness draught cans with the Nitro Surge! Yep, the only thing you need is a pin and about 2-3 minutes of patience! Pierce the draught can's lid, right inside the ring pulls groove, wait about 2-3 minutes for the gas to fully escape, and then open it and attach it to your nitro surge as normal, and you'll notice no difference to a nitro can! There is a catch for us who only have access to the 440ml cans, in that you'll have to pierce a 2nd can and then continue the pour in order to get to a full pint, which is quite annoying but the good news is that pint draught Guinness cans are already out and are slowly making their way into our local supermarkets!
Regardless of which method you use, the nitro surge definitely adds quality to your pint, and for around £25, it's a worthwhile investment for any Guinness drinker.
I think it deserves my 5 star review, as I honestly can't fault it, but the nitro cans and the near double price tag is a whole different story!