Guinness is an Irish dry stout made distinctive by its malty coffee and chocolate flavors and a velvety mouthfeel thanks to the use of nitrogen.
Guinness is simply made of roasted barley, malted barley, hops, yeast, and water. These elements come together to create a stout with flavors of coffee, chocolate, and caramel with a little hoppy backbone for balance.
When poured from the tap, a can, or a bottle, it is given its distinctive creamy head from the use of nitrogen rather than carbon dioxide.
Guinness is made with barley that has been roasted. The drying action of roasting barley-like coffee beans imparts toasty, caramelized flavors with a touch of acidity and vanilla notes.
The combination of using roasted barley and malted barley creates a distinctive chocolate flavor in Guinness.
The combination of hops, as well as the citric quality of roasted barley, lends a balanced bitterness to Guinness.
Even though Guinness was originally intended to be served from a keg, the nitrogen-filled widget technology present in cans helps bring the same nitro experience home. Appropriately chilled and properly poured Guinness is delicious anywhere.
Like any other beer, some people take to Guinness immediately whereas others may need some time to come around to its malty, slightly sweet, roasty flavors. Others may never understand the allure of a proper pint of the black stuff.