THE SECRET TO A CREAMIER ALE

You might not know much about ‘nitro’, besides that Guinness is served that way and it means you have to wait a while to get your pint. Maybe you find yourself wondering – why is Omen served ‘on nitro’ so deliciously creamy? How is nitro any different to regular beer? What does it even mean anyway? 

The TGBC is here to support our community, including those less nerdy about beer. Let’s learn all about nitro, together, as a curious wolfpack.

NITROGENATION VS. CARBONATION

First thing’s first. ‘Nitro’ is short for nitrogen, symbolised as ‘N’ with the number 7 on the periodic table. So, when something is served ‘on nitro’, the gas added to the beer to make it bubbly is nitrogen, with only a small percentage of carbon dioxide, aka CO₂. Some gas is added before the beer is kegged, with more added directly as the beer is poured, to help with tap flow and make sure the liquid doesn’t go flat in transition.  

Adding nitrogen affects the drinking experience, as the less common addition to beverages behaves differently in liquid. Part of what makes it less common is that when beer ferments, some carbon dioxide is naturally produced, where nitrogen isn’t. By adding more CO₂ to beers, brewers are essentially just upping the content of what’s already present.  

But that doesn’t make nitrogen any less compatible with beer. In fact, in certain contexts, the opposite is true.

SMALLER BUBBLES, SMOOTHER BEER

The most distinguishing difference between nitrogen and carbon dioxide comes across in the mouthfeel. This is because of the bubble size. In nitrogen, the bubbles are significantly smaller, meaning more bubbles in a lesser surface area. 

That’s why you get the feeling of foam enveloping your tongue like a silken blanket from beers like the Omen. Think about walking down a beach with ultra-fine sand versus one with coarser, grittier sand – the smaller the grains, the softer they feel. The same is true of larger carbon dioxide bubbles and the finer ones of nitrogen.

That’s why, if you want a more pronounced sparkling sensation and sharper drinking experience, carbonating is the way to go. This suits a crisp beer like a lager perfectly. By contrast, a richer beer like a dark ale can be perfect for the creamy texture produced by nitrogenation; you can read what makes dark beers so rich here. 

LASTING FOAM ON YOUR SCHOONER

Beyond the size, another characteristic of nitrogen bubbles is that they tend to stick around on top of your beer longer, while CO₂ quickly fizzles away. This is because most of the air around you is nitrogen; it’s the most common pure element on earth, comprising approximately 78% of the atmosphere’s volume. 

That makes the foam more stable. Between the size of the bubbles and the fact they remain almost indefinitely on top of a beer until disturbed, this gives a consistent and satisfying head to beers poured on nitro, like the Omen.

You can really take your time with your nitrogenated beer and savour it, which again suits a heavier winter brew vs. something you want to smash in the thirsty summer heat. Those colder months are about slowing down and taking your time, like a cosy bear in hibernation. And a nitrogenated Omen is the perfect accomplice to that!

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Don’t get us wrong, as our most-awarded beer, any Omen is a good Omen. And you can find your nearest seller of both via our Beer Locator tool – or ask your local watering hole to stock Omen on nitro while it’s still in season!