Expectation Bias

[Phelonious Ponk]

I am of the arguable opinion that one of the best beers available widely enough to be bought at the neighborhood grocery store is Boddington's Pub Ale. It is shipped from England flat, and canned with what is probably the second-greatest invention of the 20th century, just after the microchip -- the floating widget. When you pop open the can, the release of pressure opens the floating widget within, releasing a carbonation that is exceedingly fine (tiny bubbles), creating a subtle, soft texture and creamy head that cannot be duplicated in bottle beer, only on tap. It is wonderful.

But I often wonder, does it really taste that good? I'm not sure I know, because there is the soft crack/fizz of the can opening, the bit of foamy overflow that always occurs (good to open over the sink), the ritual pour down the full length of the inside of a tall mug, during which the finest mist reaches your nose, even from as much as a foot away, teasing you with its sparkling hoppiness. Then there is that creamy tan head in my moustache, just before the beer itself finally reaches my mouth.

By the time I get through all that, the first taste of Bud Light might be a revelation. This (obligatory audio content), it occurs to me, must be a lot like listening to vinyl.

Tim

Here, have another:

 

[mep]

If the “floating widget” is the same as used by Guinness, it is a nitrogen charge. Guinness beer on tap doesn’t use C02 which is common for most all tap beers, it is pumped via nitrogen.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I haven't had a Boddington's in ages. Time for a Pub Crawl me things! Slainte!

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

If the “floating widget” is the same as used by Guinness, it is a nitrogen charge. Guinness beer on tap doesn’t use C02 which is common for most all tap beers, it is pumped via nitrogen.

Perhaps. I'm not checking the specs; just enjoying the magic. It is a most musical widget!

Tim

 

[Kal Rubinson]

This (obligatory audio content), it occurs to me, must be a lot like listening to vinyl.

Yup. The "soft crack/fizz" is similar.

 

[mep]

Shame on both of you. Can’t even talk about a good beer without taking some pot shots at analog. I’m personally glad that I like both analog and digital because I enjoy them both. I happen to enjoy analog more though. With regards to the dig towards LPs that Kal threw out there, the better the LP playback chain, the lower the noise floor.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Yup. The "soft crack/fizz" is similar.

Yeah, but after a few you won't care! It'll all sound digital!

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I'm glad that I like both digital and beer as well.

Tim

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I'm glad that I like both digital and beer as well.

Tim

Actually...I do too Tim! It's all music and that is most important to me. I've even been known to carry around an MP3 player listening thru some questionable earplugs.

 

[c1ferrari]

Shame on both of you. Can’t even talk about a good beer without taking some pot shots at analog.

Hehehehe

 

[Ronm1]

Bodd's is certainly a fine brew, but I prefer Smithwick's. As mentioned in another thread, for a non ucro it has always been a step above, IMHO, of course.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Bodd's is certainly a fine brew, but I prefer Smithwick's. As mentioned in another thread, for a non ucro it has always been a step above, IMHO, of course.

Yep, Smithwick's is fine stuff, but my neighborhood grocer doesn't carry it. As much as I love the English and Irish brews some of my favorites are the odd American craft beers, but they can be a bit hard to come by.

Tim

 

[treitz3]

Tim, have you ever had Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale? To this day, it's still one of my favorites. Of course, I may have a little expectation bias towards getting a fresh one.

 

[microstrip]

Yep, Smithwick's is fine stuff, but my neighborhood grocer doesn't carry it. As much as I love the English and Irish brews some of my favorites are the odd American craft beers, but they can be a bit hard to come by.

Tim

Tim,

I am very disappointed with this thread. I would expect that objective people would discuss beers in terms of bitterness, saltiness, sourness, sweetness, umami and piquance!
Perhaps with some of them disagreeing on the inclusion of the last two basic tastes.

 

[fas42]

Tim,

I am very disappointed with this thread.

Me, too ... considering it's been posted in General Audio Discussions, "audio" seems to have fallen on the floor somewhere, amongst the empty cans and bottles, perhaps ....

Frank

 

[steve williams]

Might I make a compromise by moving the thread appropriately

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Hey... I mentioned vinyl.

Tim

 

[JackD201]

Nitrogen or CO2, good head is good head. Wait, that didn't come out right. S****, neither did that!

 

[c1ferrari]

Nitrogen or CO2, good head is good head. Wait, that didn't come out right. S****, neither did that!

 

[jkeny]

Ah, now, this is where the thread become more like audio debates - if they used CO2 gas then it would acidify the drink somewhat. Some would argue that the level of carbonic acid formed could be measurable but not tasteable, - so as long as a head had been formed it wouldn't matter - others would argue that the way the head was formed was paramount to the enjoyment of the drink

BTW, the best pint of guinness I have ever tasted was in the brewery pub itself - it probably requires a lot of control over the variables to get it just right - or was this expectation bias (it was at the end of the brewery tour so I had been pre-programmed by the tour guide)?

Edit: But I still remember that the taste of this guinness was smoother & sweeter than the stuff I had tasted before & I didn't need no A/B testing to ascertain this!!