Sunday, December 5, 2010

Would You Like A Widget With Your Beer?


My brother, Tom, donated a variety of beers including a case of Guinness beer for our family Thanksgiving weekend festivities.

See that whatchamacallit lying beside the beer bottle?


A plastic thingamajiggy is inside each bottle!


There is a method behind the brewer's madness.  HEAR SOMETHING?  THAT'S THE ROCKET WIDGET DELIVERING YOU THE SAME GREAT TASTE OF GUINNESS DRAUGHT.

In the old days, beer and nuts were often served together.  Remember those awesome beer nuts?  I think they still make them.

The Irish ventured to step outside of the box to brew a unique beer.  They created a rocket widget and stuck one in each bottle of Guinness Draught.  I hate to be the one to burst their bubble, but Cracker Jack has been putting prizes in their product since 1912 and a variety of prizes at that.

We had to use a pair of pliers to get the widget out.  I guess it's not meant to be an easily accessible prize after all!  

Next year, I'll ask Tom to bring a case of Cracker Jack instead.

(Still curious about the widget?  Check out the fourth comment for an in depth explanation of exactly why they're used and how they work).   

7 comments:

Gullible said...

What? What's its purpose? Does it somehow dispense the beer properly. with just the right amount of foam? You find the strangest things, Shaddy, and turn them into enjoyable posts.

Linda McMann said...

I have the same question - what is it in there for?? Only you could have found it though!

Anonymous said...

OMG that's funny. I came across one of these not too long ago too. There's something about drinking a beer from a bottle that has something rolling around inside of it. Not being a beer person myself, I don't get the whole "Rocket Widget" thing, but the beer dudes we were with that day all thought it was a splendid idea.

I'll vote for the Cracker Jacks or beer nuts though!

Cheryl Peters said...

GULLY & PARROT: The reason for the widget is quite interesting. Read on.

The widget floats inside the bottle and is "activated" when the bottle is opened. Each time the bottle tips, a mixture of gases is released, creating the same creamy head Guinness drinkers expect when ordering the beer on tap.

The widget is shaped like a rocket to keep it oriented correctly. The gas (gaseous nitrogen) is released from the bottom of the widget. The majority of the gas is released when the bottle is first opened, then smaller amounts give the head a boost every time the bottle is tilted. The theory is that a head remains on the beer, inside the bottle, right down to the last sip.

I drank an entire bottle just because I was curious. I can't say I liked the taste. It's very bitter.

I appreciate Guinness' dedication and efforts in seeking to provide the genuine flavor of tap beer in a bottle.

Cheryl Peters said...

SARIE: Please read my comment above. It's an amazing advancement in the world of beer. I'm not much of a beer drinker either, but Guinness sucked me in with the widget.

Natasha said...

Hmmm.... This sounds like a load of hooey to me.

Couldn't you just shake up the bottle for that creamy head?

I'm waiting for you to write to the company, share your blog with them, and then report back to us that they've sent you a case of beer or the keys to the brewery itself.

Cheryl Peters said...

NATASHA: Honestly, I don't want a case of it! Drinking ONE bottle was a challenge.