"Nitro" refers to more than just Guinness and coffee shop beverages today. Nitrogen-carbonated products have started to crop up across the ready to drink category. Nitrogen is no longer just a creamier way to drink a pint of the black stuff or your morning coffee without cream. Realistically, any beverage can be pumped through a tap to add those microbubbles we all love. Want chocolate milk that's extra creamy? Try Starbucks' Nitro Chocolate Creme.
Taste Test!
We sampled two of the canned nitro coffees available at our local grocery store - Stumptown Nitro Cold Brew and Califia Farms Nitro Cold Brew Latte. The consensus? The Califia Farms latte tastes a bit like an oatmeal cookie (probably thanks to the almond-macadamia milk and cane sugar), but we were so distracted by the flavor that we didn't even notice the nitro. Stumptown was the clear winner as we all agreed that "The little bit of foam did make it taste creamier." Is putting creamer in Nitro coffee a bit of a faux pas? Asking for a friend.
A Differentiator Among Beers
Left Hand Brewing from Longmont, CO has a hugely successful Milk Stout Nitro available in both can and bottle, and they even worked with Ball to create the first US-produced cans with a special widget inside to provide the nitro experience to consumers at home. There are several other brands with canned nitro beers available in your local liquor store or bottle shop, including Guinness (of course), Breckenridge and Sam Adams. Nitro adds a unique differentiator to the product that is much different than standard CO2 carbonation methods. By using nitrogen, you add tiny bubbles that create a frothier, smoother mouthfeel and mimic traditional cask ale.
What This Means for Brands
Nitro is proving that what's old can be made new again. Finding new ways to repackage familiar products helps frands differentiate themselves and stand out amongst consumers. When it comes to talking to consumers about your product remember to talk about why it's truly different.