Guinness Draught Extra Cold - Guinness Ltd.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev -28.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Thanks to Mr. Russev for bringing from Europe. Coffee and sugar aroma. Opaque dark brown with off-white head. Noticeably thin mouthfeel, though creamy from the nitro. Like old coffee grounds bitterness. Horrid really. We know they can make a drinkable version.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-15-2008 20:38:53 | More by northyorksammy

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.58/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Nitro bottle purchased at Total Wine in Alexandria. Glad to have that zero taken out of my profile. Only one to go now. Served in a Hill Farmstead wine glass.

The pour is nearly a thing of beauty. The nitro pellet really does its job. Body is pitch black. The head is just barely off white and skies up a few fingers with good retention and quite a bit of lacing. Each swirl creates three layers--black up to a mix of brownish-black bubbles and then the white head. Really pretty. From there, downhill.

The nose brings some very light chocolate and roasted malt. It's hiding in the background. Some light toffee as well. The flavor is a bit unappetizing. There's too much toffee and not enough roast. The creaminess further enhances the toffee flavor. I think there's probably a touch of diacetyl in there, but not too much. Mild roast that really doesn't come through until the finish, which is too dry. Not a big fan of this one, other than looking at it.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

05-31-2011 15:23:08 | More by Thorpe429

drabmuh

Maryland

3.43/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I have suspicion that this beer is the same as the "Guinness Draught" beer under this link http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/209/754

This is a NITRO bottle gifted to me by the other Matt, a.k.a. Huhzubendah. Finally, there are no ZEROS on my profile. Pretty fun.

Beer is poured into an imperial pint glass. Beer is brown and clear with a cascading head of nitrogen bubbles that settles to a creamy frothy head of tiny bubbles that stays until the end leaving the glass uniformly coated with lacing. Its a Guinness, on draught it looks the best but this comes close.

Aroma is weak, slightly roasty. I have a theory that the nitrogen interferes with a beers aroma.

Beer is thin, this is the beer that people say its bread in a glass. Its about as light as beer can get. Its creamy in the mouth. Its a little sweet, its a little roasty, finishes cleanly. I pounded it in a few minutes without realizing it. I could drink a dozen of these.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

11-03-2010 05:25:05 | More by drabmuh

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.13/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Dark pour, tan head, chills nicely. Aroma was chocolate malt & roast.

Taste, texture a little thin, more roast flavor. Thin roast. Hardly any hops. This is a good beer to rehydrate with, while looking like you're drinking something that is considered "really strong" by the average bystander around you. Totally the stuff scruffy soccer guy drinks.

Almost as if black food coloring fell into some flat and old Budweiser (but this has even less alcohol in it).

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2010 16:46:53 | More by Beerandraiderfan

plaid75

New York

4.2/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

It has the same characteristics as standard Guinness Draught, except it is chilled to a few degrees below the normal serving temperature.

I must say that for as much as I loved the Guinness in Ireland, the Extra Cold was an unexpected treat. The few extra degrees really made a difference for me, as it made the stout even more drinkable than it already is without affecting the flavor.

I recommend that if in Ireland you seek Extra Cold out.

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-13-2007 13:50:08 | More by plaid75

kojevergas

California

3.7/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed from notes. Served on nitro-tap in Glasgow, Scotland, in a Guinness pint glass. The pour was a well-executed double pour, though I didn't stopwatch him. I'm a huge Guinness (and stout) fan, so I'm excited to see how different this is.

A: Brilliant bubble show; tan creamy wonderful head of excellent retention. Looks exactly like Guinness draught back home in Galway, Ireland.

Sm: Toffee, coffee, chocolate, roast, barley.

T: All of the notes from the nose. Creamier finish than the Guinness draught in Ireland. Balanced and brilliant. Not as bitter as Irish Guinness draught. The roast is different, shifted more towards the finish. The serving temperature dulls the flavour a bit.

Mf: Smoother than draught. A bit less dry on the climax, but even American Guinness draught is that way.

Dr: Sure I'd have it again, but in Glasgow's real ale/cask ale scene, why bother? Guinness draught is better outright. The price is right, but the abv is low.

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-07-2011 23:42:41 | More by kojevergas

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.08/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served from bottle into Euro Pint. Pours a dark dark brown with a red hue when looking down onto the beer. Has a one finger off-white head that stays until the end. Has an awesome pouring 'show' with the carbonation slowly making its way to the top. The aroma has slight nutty and malty hints. The flavor is light on the palate with little to no carbonation with malty notes. Overall this is not horrible, but it is definitely not a beer I typically buy with the availability. It will probably stay that way however...

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2010 22:14:47 | More by thagr81us

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: This isn't the best looking pour of Guinness I have seen, but even so, it's a pretty sight. The beer is dark brown, bordering on black. The head is thick, creamy and leaves a thick sheet of lacing around the perimeter of the glass.

S: The aroma could be bigger, but the beer itself isn't grandiose. Scents include chocolates, cream and very subtle roast.

T: The flavor is simple and straightforward. I have been told that this beer is of much higher quality when consumed at the source in Dublin. Chocolate is the dominant flavor, with a hint of bitterness in the back.

M: Incredibly smooth and creamy. Thin bodied and very low alcohol presence.

D: Overall, this is an ubiquitous beer and nothing amazing. That being said, I enjoy it, and will often choose it when at a bar and must choose between this and the usual macro suspects.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

11-04-2010 17:10:38 | More by Huhzubendah

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The beer that basically changed my thought process on beer. Poured black into a 20oz Guinness pint with a dense white head. In the nose, hints of coffee and hops. Light in the palate, but filling and bitter. A great first step into beer, by realizing different tastes and colors.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-07-2007 17:18:17 | More by OWSLEY069

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.88/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11.2 oz nitro-bottle poured into a Guinness Imperial Pint. No date.

A - Fantastic cascading that never ceases to tantalize me. One finger, dense-as-cream, tan head with impeccable retention and thick lacing. Clear mahogany brown - almost black.

S - Dry roasted malts with a slight coffee and chocolate thing going on. No hops at all.

T - Super dry roasted malts provide a chocolaty cocoa coffee flavor with a slightly bitter finish. Delsih.!

M - It's a creamy and smooth but crisp and refreshing medium-bodied beer.

D - I could, and have, had these all night. Fantastic all around and not so rich (actually not very rich at all) that they can't be pounded (something I've also done). The last sip of all the foam is something to look forward to.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

07-30-2009 21:01:12 | More by BeerFMAndy

champ103

Texas

1.85/5  rDev -47.3%
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

This is all over the UK. During my travels in Scotland and England this last year this was on at every bar along side the regular Guinness Draught, and I was able to write a few notes down.

A: Pours dark brown, not really black and with plenty of reddish highlights towards the middle. I can't believe people actually think this is pitch black. A two finger tan head forms from the nitro pour. Some lace as well.
S: Some malt, lots of sourness, and mold bread.
T: Pretty much just cereal grain, and soggy bread. That distinct Guinness sourness as well.
M/D: Dead, thin, and lifeless. Just really week. Something I will drink only when my options are this, Tennent's, and God forbid Tennent's Extra Cold while out and about in the UK.

A really crappy stout to say the least. Hugely popular in the UK though. Maybe even more so than the regular Guinness Draught from what I could tell. All marketing and nothing else. Avoid.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-23-2010 20:05:40 | More by champ103

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

3.1/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

11.2oz bottle with a nitro rocket. I had it served in a Guinness pub glass and had one right out of the bottle.

The poured beer was black with and incredible head of turbulant foam that remained rich and creamy until the end, great thick lacing.
After the appearance everything else goes downhill...

Smell is faint roasted malt
Taste is like watered down roasted malt.
Mouthfeel is flat and watery.
Suck 'em down in a hurry (and then move on to a better beer).

Serving type: nitro-bottle

01-16-2010 01:19:35 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

Vancer

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The ol' "serve extra cold" Guinness. But I still luv the widget pour with the cascading ivory head, atop that black beuty beer. Creamy and ice cream looking, very nice. Plenty of sticky sheet lace.

Subtle aroma of malt and chocolate. Quaff is also subtle on the flavor - if they'd add some more burnt toasty malt, this would really be top notch.

As such, not bad, nothing outstanding - a sturdy drinker in either the summer heat or winter cold. A very sessionable brew.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

07-09-2009 20:58:27 | More by Vancer

Mebuzzard

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Ran across this in London. I wonder if it's the same as the Guinness 39 (I've never seen that one). This is served 3 Celcius degrees colder than original draught.
Looks the same. Pitch black body, nice white head. Good pour, barman. No shamrock, though.
Smells the same as well.
Tastes the same; perhaps a bit smoother. Not quite as dry, and even more the same as it warms.
No improvement. Still a good brew as Guinness is one of my favorite mass produced beers.

Serving type: nitro-tap

01-15-2007 22:43:53 | More by Mebuzzard

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 14.9 oz. nitro can. Has a black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is mild, some malts and slightly sweet. Taste is also rather mild, some malts, much less flavor than some other Guinness stouts. Feels creamy in the mouth and overall is a pretty good beer.

Serving type: nitro-can

04-10-2011 14:43:28 | More by tone77

lordofthewiens

Maine

3.15/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle with the widget, which did its thing and produced the appearance of a draft pour. The beer was a very dark brown with a thick off-white head. While the head diminished in size, it persisted throughout, and was very sticky. The beer had a vaguely roasted malt/coffee aroma, with a similar taste. If you've had some better stouts, you'd consider this a little timid, more like a Stout Lite. Still, not a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2008 19:48:35 | More by lordofthewiens

Floydster

California

2.58/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

12 ounce bottle poured into a pint glass last night, a friend brought over a bunch of these for my dad, color was nearly black, big 1 1/2 inch tan head that was pretty soapy with a pillowy backdrop, leaves some lace at first, decent retention, smell is quite weak with roasted barley, burned malts, and some light bready scents, taste is rather dry, leaves a bit of a coating in the finish, roasted malts and barley is pretty much all I pick up, mouthfeel is slightly chewy and roasty, medium to full bodied, too much carbonation, could drink two of these and that would probably be about it, a little lighter than the standard Guinness I am used to having, would probably go for that over this if I had the choice, do not see myself having more of this any time soon, might be worth trying

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2009 20:14:27 | More by Floydster

armock

New York

1.78/5  rDev -49.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

A - Poured a basically black color with a tan head that leaves lacing

S - This beer has a weird malt smell

T - Well theres a weird malt taste thats not so good

M - This one has light carbonation and feels watery

D - This is a very disappointing example of Guinness this is probably the reason why people think dark beer is shitty

Serving type: nitro-bottle

01-18-2008 23:39:27 | More by armock

Rayek

Colorado

3.13/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had this at a friends house. Not my favorite form of Guinness.

A: I can't bring myself to drink straight from the bottle, so I poured this into a pint glass. Jet black color with a small tan head. Head has nice retention, but leaves no lace.

S: Smells of well roasted coffee beans, a little dark chocolate and not much else.

T: Heavy coffee flavors, plus a hint of chocolate. Mild burnt bitterness lingers through the finish. Not very complex.

M: Thin and watery, with little in the way of carbonation.

D: Decent session brew. Light body makes it very drinkable. Lack of complexity made me want a regular Guinness.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

10-06-2008 22:57:35 | More by Rayek

yemenmocha

Arizona

4.03/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours near black with tan head. Head is a little small compared to nitro can that I'm accustomed to for this beer.

Nose is a little weak - some roasty malts and nougat.

On palate this beer has a mild roastiness, thin body, fairly dry, and extremely easy to drink.

Finish is somewhat short and roasty.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

06-05-2008 05:10:37 | More by yemenmocha

kingcrowing

Vermont

3.2/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

11.2oz bottle poured into a guinness pint glass.

Pours with that awesome nitro thing, you know what I mean if you've had it before. Looks awesome, nice dark brown, almost black with a creamy small light brown head.

Taste is a bit disappointing, quite watery and tame, a bit roasty but not too much here. I'd say the nitro can or draft is the way to go for this beer, skip the bottle.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

11-02-2009 16:21:59 | More by kingcrowing

CuriousMonk

Virginia

4/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap from brewpubs across Ireland during my visit in 2001. Guinness Extra Cold is a chilled version of the classic Irish dry stout Guinness. Pours the same appearance as a draught - nice head and laces that lingers throughout the drinking session. Aroma of coffee and stout chocolate. Great carbonation and medium body throughout. Tastes wonderful being extra cold. Really liked the igloo on top of the tab handles. Too bad they're not served in the States. The beer is brewed at the James Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland and would be a great pint if it was served at normal ale temperature of around 8-12 degrees. Needless to say, even if the beer was too cold, it was still quite quaffable!

Serving type: nitro-tap

01-28-2011 05:18:44 | More by CuriousMonk

Proteus93

Virginia

3.08/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A: A very dark rusty-red brownish hue, letting just the smallest amount of light through. The nitro widget creates the creamy head associated with the style

S: A toasted malt aroma, with a soft milk chocolate scent - heavy on the milkiness, with a lactose aroma quite apparent.

T: Muted spent coffee, a lighter malt roast. Some metallic flavours coming through , though they aren't intolerable by any means

M + D: The mouthfeel is just too thin overall for my tastes. The nitro bottle just doesn't manage to bring out the creamy feeling I'd hope for. Granted, the styhle tends to be a little thinner and easy going to begin with, but it could afford to be a little heavier. Easy enough to drink back, which is a bit of a plus.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

08-01-2008 23:39:01 | More by Proteus93

CampusCrew

Florida

3.63/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I had this years ago while visiting Scottland before I was a hard core beer advocate. I wasn't a fan of Guinness but trying this in Scottland was amazing. I guess drinking Guinness fresh is a big difference. It actually got me to appreciate regular Gunniess in the states and was one of my transition beers into the wonderful world of craft beer. Guinness will always have respect from me as getting me to appreciate better beer. The coolest thing while I was thee was seeing a bartender pour a beer with a shamrock on the top.

Serving type: on-tap

02-28-2010 16:50:18 | More by CampusCrew

brdc

Wisconsin

2.5/5  rDev -28.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Small capped bottle, with a widget.
Poured into a pint, the usual dark Guiness color, foamy tan head, thinner than expected, probably it is served too cold (as the bottle recommends...)
Aroma is midly roasted, some coffee, not very strong. Quite thin on the palate to my surprise, with the same roastiness but not a lot of complexity or depth.
Acceptable at best. Drinking from the bottle as recommended does not make it any better.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

03-15-2008 04:16:30 | More by brdc