Dublin, Ireland
Nitrogen dispense is developed for stout
A nitrogen and carbon dioxide blend was developed to give keg stout the soft texture and dense head of well-kept cask beer.
1959
Why it matters
Changed how the world’s best-known stout is served, and created a dispense category still associated almost entirely with it.
How well this is established
| Certainty | Well attested. Broadly agreed across sources, though the precise dating or detail may vary between them. |
|---|---|
| When | 1959. Known to the year rather than to the day. |
| Where | Dublin, Ireland |
Styles this shaped
Traditions
- Irish stout brewing — The Dublin divergence from London porter, built on unmalted roasted barley and later on nitrogen dispense.
Either side of this
← 1956: Westmalle names the tripel · 1960: Berliner Weisse declines and is reinvented →
See the whole sequence on the beer history timeline.
Last reviewed 2026-08-16.