Changing the way people drink beer, and making brews from the bottle or can taste better than draft beer from a keg — these are claims made by the creators of a device called the Fizzics Waytap, which pumps beer from a bottle or can through a tap and adds a dense layer of suds on top.
That seemed like a good reason to gather a few friends and crack open some beers for testing.
Three canned beers from Maui Brewing Co. — a pineapple wheat, an imperial pale ale and a Belgian red — were sampled side by side. Two beers of each variety were poured into glasses, one directly from the can and one through the Waytap.
The results, in short, were mostly positive for the Waytap.
“It’s not the taste, it’s the mouthfeel,” said one tester. “I hated the flat (version directly from the can) because I wanted the bubbles so much more,” said another. Yet another comment: “It’s just more fun to drink.”
Not every experience was positive, however. When trying Maui’s Big Swell IPA, two of three participants said the hoppy taste of this beer was better in the pour from the can.
Also, it can be challenging to pour some beers through the Waytap without creating too much foam even before using the system’s special feature to produce what Fizzics calls “micro-foam.”
Fizzics uses sound waves to produce this “micro-foam.” To use the device, an open beer (12-ounce bottles and up to 25-ounce cans) is placed inside the machine. Pulling the tap handle draws the beer up through a metal straw and out the tap. At a set point, the system pauses and then the user can push the tap handle backward to produce the special froth.
The Waytap system’s special feature produced a dense, creamy foam head that wasn’t attainable even by vigorously pouring beer into a glass directly from the can. Furthermore, the foam generated by the Waytap didn’t dissipate quickly like the foam head produced naturally.
A larger version of this product that initially cost $199 was featured on the TV show “Shark Tank,” where entrepreneurs try to persuade celebrity venture capitalists to invest in their companies. All five celebrities on the show praised the system, and the Fizzics co-founders received $2 million from Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban, in part to produce what at that time was the next generation of the company’s product, the Waytap.
>> Does it work?: Absolutely.
>> Pros: Creates a consistent creamy foam head on beers and the sense you are pouring draft beer from single-serving containers.
>> Cons: Takes more effort to “pour” a beer. Requires four AA batteries. Cleaning is necessary after use, and involves drawing warm water through the system. After dispensing a beer, a good sip’s worth remains in the container.
>> Cost: $93 through QVC. $130 through a variety of retailers including Target, Amazon, and Bed Bath and Beyond.
>> Worth it?: Probably depends on how much you use the product, given the price. Participants in the test thought it would be a good gift item.
Got a gadget that you love? Or are you curious about one you’d like us to test? Email mramos@staradvertiser.com or write Crave, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza Suite 210, Honolulu 96813.
