Automating the Guinness 'perfect pour'

Guinness is an old brewery in a very old town and both have an interesting dual reputation: historic, yet with an eye toward the latest technology.

The city has become the technological center of Europe while the beer has been ... . Well, let's just say it has been going through a few internal tremors as it tries to keep up with the ever-changing, and ever-fickle, international beer market.

Guinness's latest move is a gimmick called the Surger, a unit that uses small sound vibrations to release the nitrogen gas in the beer and cause a cascading effect, also referred to as “the surge and settle.”

A Guinness Surger can, which contains the same Guinness beer found in kegs and brewed at the company's St. James’s Gate facility in Dublin, is poured into a glass and placed on a small plate. Similar to the draught tap system, the Surger unit releases the gas in the beer, creating the surge and settle that forms the signature creamy head.

Based on the UK price of £16.99, Surger units should sell for about $35 in the U.S., and every can of Guinness Surger beer -- the only kind recommended for such use -- is about $2.50. However, presently the Surger setup is available only in bars.

Curious to learn more?

• This You Tube video will show you how easy it is to use the Surger.

• This You Tube video will show you what happens when you try using it on another brand.

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