Guinness should be poured from a tap equipped with a special spout that uses both nitrogen and carbon dioxide to dispense the beer through the lines . This creates a cascading effect , where the bubbles travel down and around the glass rather than up . The color changes from creamy light to dark ruby red as it settles . The head should be eleven-sixteenths of an inch . The smaller the head , the sweeter the beer , whereas the thicker the head , the more bitter the brew .
THE 119.5 SECOND POUR Hold a Guinness harp glass at a fortyfive-degree angle and pour three-quarters full , let cascade for one hundred and nineteen-point-five seconds , according to Guinness . Top with foamy head poured upright .
IRISH BARTENDER METHOD Pull the spout toward you and pour straight into glass until three-quarters full , let cascade for one-and-a-half minutes . Top with foamy head with the spout away from you .
STANDARD BARTENDER METHOD Pour at a forty-five-degree angle and finish with a continuous upright pour without settling .
CANNED BEER POURS If tapped Guinness isn ’ t available , a canned pour at home can be just as satisfying . The can must be chilled and poured into a room-temperature glass . A chilled glass will disrupt the nitrogen gas process . The can contains a nitrogen-filled widget to emulate a draft pour .
LADLE IT IN This works for a black-and-tan-layered beer . Pour a light beer , preferably an IPA , at an angle to fill the glass about two-thirds . Pour a Guinness over an inverted spoon to create the layered effect .
GET VERTICAL Flip the can upside-down directly into a glass and let it fill . For extra flair , pour it vertically from as high as you can . >>
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