Widgets - A Bad Thing?

I've had a couple of different beers now with these widget thingees in them. Aside from the nice creamy head...what good are these things. The beer is totally flat! Am I drinking them to cold? I just can't see the point.

I drank a lot of Caffreys in London when I lived there. The beer was never flat, never that cold but was refrigerated, it was creamy when poured and then cleared as the head rose. How soon after popping the tab do you pour them, we used to give the Caffreys about 5-10 seconds for the widget to degas and then pour. I have seen other people pour as soon as popping the tab and the widget doesnt have time to do its thing while others wait for a while and when they pour the beer it is already cleared either way the head doesnt develop the way it should. At least those are my two widgets worth. MPW

El Pistolero said:

I've had a couple of different beers now with these widget thingees in them. Aside from the nice creamy head...what good are these things. The beer is totally flat! Am I drinking them to cold? I just can't see the point.

Click to expand...

It's supposed to be flat! And yes, you probably are drinking it too cold. The nitrogen beers are supposed to be creamy as opposed to carbonated. Have you ever noticed that Guinness is flat? That's not to say it is never carbonated. It is lightly carbonated in the keg (and widget bottle). Take apart a "Guinness" tap and take a look... there is a diffuser that the beer passes through that decarbonates it. It's probably a matter of taste also. Just thinking of a cool, flat, creamy guinness makes my mouth water

Kephren said:

It's supposed to be flat! And yes, you probably are drinking it too cold. The nitrogen beers are supposed to be creamy as opposed to carbonated. Have you ever noticed that Guinness is flat? That's not to say it is never carbonated. It is lightly carbonated in the keg (and widget bottle). Take apart a "Guinness" tap and take a look... there is a diffuser that the beer passes through that decarbonates it. It's probably a matter of taste also. Just thinking of a cool, flat, creamy guinness makes my mouth water

Click to expand...

Yeah, what you said.
Widgets are the bomb-diggety. The shiznit.

Guinness, Kilkenny etc. are all supposed to be flat.

I can go the occasional Guiness, but generally I prefer my beer carbonated (and chilled - the thought of drinking warm ale...well, you don't want to know)

On a side note, but somewhat related, I picked up a 20# CO2 tank yesterday for $50. Took it to my HBS today and traded it for at 20# NO2 tank and just paid the $25 for refill. Bought the N2 regulator for $75 and a N2 tap for $25.. plus some hops... a draft beer.. some tubing... and now I have a Nitrogen setup and it only cost me............................................. $234! And I still keep telling my wife how I'm saving money! 20# of N2 should be good for a few years, though.