If you’re a fan of craft beer, you probably know all about nitro. The term refers to the use of nitrogen gas to carbonate beer.
Guinness and Boddington’s have been doing it for years and Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout is currently one of the most popular craft stouts in the U.S. The result of carbonation with nitrogen gas is creamy and noticeably carbonated beer. The rise of nitro-infused beer is similar to the demand for nitro coffee. You can’t seem to visit a coffee shop without seeing a tap for nitro-infused cold brew coffee. Like all trends, it was only a matter of time before bartenders got involved.
Similar to the way the gas is used in beer, nitrogen-infused cocktails use nitrogen to affect the texture and mouth-feel. Using an iSi canister and gas cartridges, the same device Starbucks uses to make their whipped cream, the result is a cocktail with a creamy mouth-feel with no impact on the overall flavor. But there’s more than just taste involved, though. It also adds a really cool cascading effect in the glass as the gasses are released.
Coffee, teas, and even sodas work really with nitrogen. The creamy texture and perceived sweetness of nitrogen helps to tame the power and acidity the drinks can have without adding sugars something that new generations and health advocates appreciate.
Comments