Deciding whether to enjoy a few craft beers at home or go to your favorite taproom has more to do with what atmosphere you are seeking than the kind of beer you are looking to drink. But there are times when a draft beer is what you are seeking and for most of us they only way to get it is at local brewery. And even if you are have a draft system at home, it isn’t mobile. That all changes with the Fizzics DraftPour as you now have the ability to get a unique drinking experience regardless of where you are.
For me, I drink craft beer at home more than anywhere else so I’m always looking for new ways to heighten the drinking experience. So I was excited at the opportunity to try the Fizzics DraftPour system.
Keep reading to learn more about the DraftPour product including whether it is the right way for you to enjoy craft beer when you can’t get to a brewery.
Disclaimer: While my thoughts and opinions are all my own, Fizzics provided complimentary product and compensation in exchange for an honest product review; enjoy!
What Is Fizzics DraftPour?
One of the longest running debates surrounding beer is which is best; draft or packaged?
Many claim that there’s nothing better than draft beer which is limited to breweries, bars, restaurants, etc – unless you have a small draft system installed in your home via a bar or kegerator. And for many of us, that isn’t in the plans.
That is where Fizzics DraftPour comes in with the goal of improving the at home drinking experience. The result is a beer that is as close to a draft poured beer that you can get without the expense of buying beer by the keg.
The Fizzics DraftPour pours beers from most forms of packaging through a tap just like at a bar and then creates a dense, micro-foam head on it with the use of sound waves. The beer is poured by pulling the tap handle forward; micro-foam is added by pushing the handle back at the end of the pour.
The Fizzics Micro-Foam is dense, rich, and full of aroma. And it lasts considerably longer than the head that is formed when a beer is normally poured. All of this is easily created through the use of sound waves. More on all of this later.
My Fizzics DraftPour Experience
So to get the most out of my experience with the Fizzics DraftPour system, I decided to put it to the test by doing a side-by-side test. I would pour a beer into a glass as I normally would and then pour the same beer through the DraftPour.
Trying them side-by-side would determine if there was a difference and if that difference made the beer better. For my initial test, I choose two beers: Avery Out Of Mind Coffee Stout and Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing New England IPA.
I had a hard time determining what beers to try but I landed on these because they both have widespread availability (in case you want to try them too!) and both have strong aroma and flavor. This would challenge the Fizzics to see if it could really push more aroma and flavor out of a beer.
Avery Out Of Mind Stout
Starting with Out Of Mind, the coffee stout, I poured one can through the Fizzics system while another can was poured into a glass as I normally would. Visually, it was quite easy to tell these two beers apart. Fizzics adds a considerably larger and more dense head to the beer. It appeared as if it was a nitro beer.
The aroma was much stronger when poured by the Fizzics system. I will say that the flavor was nearly the same; maybe the Fizzics DraftPour had a touch more intensity but not by much. Mouthfeel was considerably smoother which was what I liked the most.
Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing
Next up was the Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing. I’ve had this one in the past and it even made my list of The Best New England IPAs You Can Find At Your Grocery Store. Same methodology, one can poured as normal and one can poured via the DraftPour. And to make it even more interesting, I used my B Cups IPA Plasticware.
This beer is known for having strong citrus flavors and is well carbonated and light bodied. Which is exactly as it presented itself when poured normally. Once it went through the Fizzics system, the aroma was stronger and the mouth feel was heavier. And my favorite part was the bitterness in the finish was mellowed quite a bit.
I didn’t stop with these two beers. I tried a gose, doppelbock, a pastry stout, and even a non-alcoholic wheat beer. Each had a different result. The gose didn’t benefit much but the pastry stout was crazy good. I found that using large format bottles was nice for learning how the system works and managing how much Micro-Foam to add.
In the end, I’d argue that dark beers have the most to benefit but the IPA did a great as well. I wouldn’t hesitate using it on any style of beer.
After getting my hands on the Fizzics DrafPour, it is easy to see that it pours a better beer in almost every situation. The aroma is strong, the mouthfeel is smooth, and the flavor is heightened. The DraftPour turns a standard beer into a “nitro-like” beer.
And you can’t look past the design either. It is sleek and would easily look great sitting next to any other essential kitchen appliance. It is made with corrosion-resistant zinc and a durable matte finish so it will last for years.
Check Out More About Fizzics On Amazon
What You Need To Know About Fizzics DraftPour?
Through my experience using the DraftPour, I discovered a number of things that you should know to be best prepared for using it. Check out these Pros and Cons.
Pros:
- Simple Set Up – plug in or use AA batteries
- Intensifies aroma and flavor
- Creamy, rich mouthfeel added to most beer styles
- No additional items needed
- Easy cleaning process
- Works with any size package up to a 750ml bottle
Cons:
- Cleaning is required after each beer
- Learning curve of when to start adding the micro-foam
- Easy to not pour correctly and create too much head
The Pros outweigh the Cons as this system truly elevates the drinking experience. Will I use the Fizzics DraftPour every time I drink a beer? No, but there are many beers that I’ll be excited to try through it. And I’ll be sure to break it out when I’ve got company and want to expand the overall drinking experience.
Who Should Buy A Fizzics DraftPour System?
If you are like most craft beer fans, then you love getting out to taprooms and enjoying the beer that is as fresh as possible in the place that it was brewed. But the reality is most of us drink at home more often than at the taproom.
Which means there’s a large crowd of people that may love the Fizzics DraftPour. Here’s a few characteristics of the type of person that would get a lot of use out of the DraftPour.
- Drinks at home more often than at taprooms
- Enjoys the dense, creamy texture of a “nitro” style beer
- Doesn’t plan on investing the space or money into a at home draft system
- Hosts or attends events with other craft beer fans
- Loves to experiment with craft beer styles and flavors
So if you are a person that fits the mold then you should check it out. If you are reading this, then you also probably know someone that fits this list so it would make a great gift ideas as well. It would be the gift of a “better-than-draft beer tap at home. It is versatile and unique which makes it perfect for the craft beer fan that appears to already have everything.
The Fizzics DraftPour isn’t necessary for enjoying a great craft beer but you could say the same thing about glassware or fancy bottle openers. But I’d argue that this is an item that will actually impact the flavor and drinking experience more than any other craft beer accessory I’ve tried.
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