Ballast Point Red Velvet nitro bottles

I wasnt expecting this to have a watery mouthfeel and be so thin. Was kind of a letdown IMO. Not worth the 15.99.

 

The beets were used for coloring only, to those who say they can't taste them.

And I found the nitro to be as thin as guinness which is not a problem for me. But definitely not the same feel as left hand nitro milk stout.

 

I bought one 12oz of this to try, and Im on board with most of you, this beer was terrible. Super bland, couldnt really tell what the heck was going on in it.

 

I finally found a place selling an individual bottle of this. I picked it up last night. Looking forward to trying it without sinking $15 into a six pack.

 

Just reviewed it (2.96). Glad I bought a single. It poured with ZERO head and the body reflected same.

 

Did you turn it totally upside down? It's a nitro beer so very little head without a "vigorous" head is to be expected. Also wouldn't expect any carbonation since it isn't carbonated.

 

I've had multiple and I enjoyed it. To those saying it's bland, have you not ever had nitro before? The nitrogen mellows flavors drastically. It's nothing new. Nitro being thin is a possibility. Guinness and Kilkenny are thin. So is Left Hand Hard Wired. I for one enjoyed it.

 

drain pour.

 

I think by now I have realized that I dont like nitro. This beer confirmed it for me.

 

This beer literally tastes like a flat adjunct lager.

 

This beer ranks right up there with Watermelon Dorado as the nastiest beer I've ever tasted. Absolutely horrible!

 

Taste aside, I have a question.... if anyone has insight.

This bottle doesn't seem to have any sort of dongle or trigger inside the bottle that triggers the nitrogen. Thinking of Left Hand Milk Stout, or more commonly Guiness, there is a dongle of sorts on the inside.

I very quickly notice when pouring this one that it doesn't have the same kind of nitro pour that those two do, the bubbles flatten out very fast and overall it seems... "less" nitro-y.

Anyway, does anyone know the science between the nitrogen dongle things and how they do what they do? I feel like BP went with an alternate method to save money, if I were to guess.

 

The small unit is called a "widget" by Guinness, the inventor, and a Google search for "Guinness widget" will turn up numerous websites that explain the process.

Left Hand claims they don't use a widget (thus the "POUR HARD" instructions) -

... and Diageo/Guinness dropped the use of the "rocket widget" in their bottled Guinness Draught back around 2010-2011 and they continue to use the "ENJOY STRAIGHT FROM THE BOTTLE" instruction on label and crown. Cans still use the widget.

 

I had this on tap, and while it is one of the worst tasting stouts I've ever had, it is also one of the best smelling. Wow, just like red velvet cake. If it tasted liked it smelled - it would be too damn sweet to be a beer.

 

They could have done so much better with this beer. Get rid of the nitro and red coloring and add more chocolate and whipped cream flavor and have a more hearty stout mouth feel to the beer

 

There is no saving this beer, hopeless cause.