Guinness - fact or fiction

[DRT]

There have been many tales about whether or not Guinness "travels well" - I have heard it said that the farther away from the brewery in Dublin you are the worse it will be. I have drunk Guinness in Edinburgh, Dublin and London within the past 6 days and cannot tell the difference.

Does anyone have any experience that backs up the popular notion that Dublin is the only place where you can get a proper pint of the black gold?

Derek

[KillerB]

Are you trying to start a flame war already?

I agree BTW.

[DRT]

Are you trying to start a flame war already?

Not me, Guv, I never cause trouble

[Conky]

I'm sure I';ve explained this bit before, but Dublin (Or Irish) Guiness does NOT come from the water of the Liffey. The actual making of Guiness is like a National franchise, they can have different owners but MUST follow the chemical standards and same water purity.
Its like if you had a Big Mac anywhere in the world, it should taste the same.
So here's the rub. The biggest differencial is the cellar conditions and the pipes its served down, at source in the Pub!
I could introduce you to several licencee's who are like the Port Blenders. Everyone else hasn't got a clue, but they have. If the temperature is correct, and the pipes are clean, and its poured gentley with no haste, you will get a great pint, ANYWHERE!

Alan

[DRT]

Alan,

I think your story was true a few years ago but from what I have been told all Guinness is now made in Dublin and is no longer made under license in other countries. This may be complete and utter b*ll*cks but I am sure that is what I was told in the Guinness Museum in Dublin last year.

Perhaps we should hold an Offline there just to be sure, to be sure?

Derek

[Conky]

Go on then. A long night drinking Guiness!. Bloody Hell, the things I do for our friendship!
I presume you can stay awake on Guiness?

Alan

[RonnieRoots]

Well, I know that the stuff we get here doesn't taste the same as in Dublin, but I always thought that was because we get some sort of 'export' derivate.

[Conky]

Could it be that your drinking it out of 'Left Handed Glasses' ?
Just check the bottom of the glass. It'll either have a small 'L' or an 'R'.

[Luc]

There have been many tales about whether or not Guinness "travels well" - I have heard it said that the farther away from the brewery in Dublin you are the worse it will be. I have drunk Guinness in Edinburgh, Dublin and London within the past 6 days and cannot tell the difference.

Does anyone have any experience that backs up the popular notion that Dublin is the only place where you can get a proper pint of the black gold?

Derek

Derek , If black gold means Guinness in GB and black gold means oil in CAN. , I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that Guinness isn't my cup of tea . . .

[DRT]

Derek , If black gold means Guinness in GB and black gold means oil in CAN. , I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that Guinness isn't my cup of tea . . .

Luc,

Don't try putting Guinness in your car engine or your tea - just drink it straight

Derek

[Luc]

Are you saying I should drink Guinness straight ?
I would rather have Guinness when I'm drunk

[RonnieRoots]

Could it be that your drinking it out of 'Left Handed Glasses' ?
Just check the bottom of the glass. It'll either have a small 'L' or an 'R'.

Hey, I AM left handed!

[Todd P]

Well, I know that the stuff we get here doesn't taste the same as in Dublin, but I always thought that was because we get some sort of 'export' derivate.

I think we'll have to test this theory out by holding the aforementioned Guiness offline in Dublin. I'm betting its much better there than where I am!

Todd

[Conky]

If we're all in Dublin, on a Jolly Boys Outing....who cares what the Guiness tastes like! After all, that was just the excuse to get us all there.

[Conky]

I've spent the day getting over NINE pints of Extra-Cold Guiness at the Club last night! I also had a few Drambuies and a family size pizza.
I'm out of practice!

[mosesbotbol]

I was told that Guiness has several different recipes geared towards different regional tastes. African markets like a sweeter beer for instance... Not sure if it is true or not.

[Andy Velebil]

I do know that there is, or were, 3 different types of Guiness. The one that comes in the aluminum can with that plastic "widget" thing that gives it the creamy head. The glass bottle version (which I was told is the closet to the original formula), and then a 3rd that doesn't get imported into the US.

I also had a fraternity brother that swore there was ox blood in used to make guiness

[DRT]

Andy,

I don't think the container is the issue here.

From what I have heard The Black Gold was once produced in more than one place. This would inevitably lead to different taste, even if just because of the water used in the production process. Guinness is now only made in Dublin, straight out of the Liffy

Derek

[Andy Velebil]

Well my little pea-brain figured "just go to the source" so I scoped out their website. Seems there is two versions

#1
Strong tasting with a distinctive roasted bitterness, GUINNESS® Extra Stout is our authentic carbonated classic. It’ll transport you back to an 18th Century world of stouts when the ancestor of this beer was known as GUINNESS® East and West India porter. In 1821, the definitive early GUINNESS® became known as Extra Superior Porter.

At 5% ABV, it’s a mature, conditioned brew for a richer GUINNESS® beer experience.
Extra Inspired

GUINNESS® Extra Stout is our equivalent of fine wine. With texture and tradition in equal measure, it’s GUINNESS® to savour: connoisseur’s GUINNESS®. GUINNESS® Extra Stout is beer to enhance the flavour of meat in a casserole and GUINNESS® to concoct your own cocktails. So handle with care.

#2

GUINNESS® DRAUGHT

Adored since 1959, it’s the powerful surge and settle that gives GUINNESS® Draught beer its uniqueness. Lovingly poured around the world, GUINNESS®

[DRT]

I think #1 must be for export to the Colonies only - I have not seen that version here. No doubt someone will prove me wrong in 5 seconds

Derek

[Conky]

I'm fed up of telling you that Guiness does NOT come from the water of the Liffey.

Maybe you'll believe it if Guiness tell you.

Link

They'll also tell you that UK and US Guiness is all the same, but getting two points across at once, may be pushing it.

[DRT]

Quote:

Is it true that you get a much better pint of GUINNESS® stout in Ireland?
GUINNESS® is GUINNESS® - wherever you are. We always use pure, fresh water from natural local sources for the GUINNESS® stout brewed outside Ireland. That said, in blind tests (with a bunch of highly cynical journalists) none of our sample could tell the difference between Irish-brewed GUINNESS® and the locally produced variety. All the GUINNESS® sold in the UK, Ireland and North America is brewed in Ireland at the historic St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin.

So, Dublin GUINNESS comes from The Liffey

Derek

[Conky]

You are trying to be obtuse. For those who cant be bothered with the link. This is the simple FAQ, that Derek is avoiding, and the one were you don't have to read it like a Barrack Room Lawyer!

In Ireland, is GUINNESS® made with water from the River Liffey?

No. While the St James’s Gate Brewery is situated on the banks of the River Liffey in the heart of Dublin, the water used in our brewing process comes from the Wicklow mountains, a little way to the south

Go on, carry on wriggling...

[DRT]

...and where is the source of The Liffey? Yes, the Wicklow Mountains. Case closed

Derek

[Andy Velebil]

[Conky]

Seems appropriate!

Lets get more Emoticons going! Whats needed? I can find them, how do they get added?

Alan

[DRT]

This needs a new thread, so I'll start one in Site Stuff

Derek

[KillerB]

Well, I've just got back from Belfast where the Guinness was absolutely immaculate. I was drinking it in three bars - Robinson's, The Crown and The Northern Whig. All three patently take care of their beer, both in the cellar and from the tap. I think that Robinson's just about took the title but I could drink the stuff all night from any of them. I had a last one at the airport that wasn't as good.

I spent a fair amount of time in Dublin in the nineties and nowhere did it as well as these three bars. So I now believe that the further you are away from Belfast the worse it is. Except that I have had better Guinness than in Dublin in Liverpool and Coventry so I probably just agree that the guy that looks after the cellar and teaches the bar-staff is more important than how far it's travelled.

[DRT]

I have come to the conclusion that the qulaity of a pint of Guinness boils down to two factors:

1. how well the pipes/taps are looked after
2. throughput

Derek

[RonnieRoots]

I love a good pint of Guinnes, and I always find it amazing how the stuff they sell in a can has nothing to do with the lovely stout you can get in a good pub. I do sometimes buy those cans here (if everything else is sold out) and it's just bland and boring.

[KillerB]

I love a good pint of Guinnes, and I always find it amazing how the stuff they sell in a can has nothing to do with the lovely stout you can get in a good pub. I do sometimes buy those cans here (if everything else is sold out) and it's just bland and boring.

This follows my theory that widgets kill beer.

[RonnieRoots]

Ah, I see I also complained about Guinness in that thread. Apparently widgets also kill brain cells.

[mosesbotbol]

I like the widgets in Murphy's or Boddington's better than Guinness, but they all taste watery

I just adore a nice draft stout. Lots of ex-pat Irish in my area and our local pubs are as close as one can get to Ireland on this side of the Atlantic.

Have you seen the Guinness machines that "shake" the cup of Guinness until it frothes up? Pretty cool looking, but even waterier than the widget stuff...

[angeleyes]

Cellaring seems to be important. I have a local which has a basement bar, and (confusingly) cellar which is warmer and at a slightly higher level. Not surprisingly the Guinness is only ever good within a day or two of the first pour.

I think that Guinness that appears in more distant parts of the world is shipped as a concentrate, and reconstituted at its destination, and so tastes different owing to the water, yeast, strength etc.

Worst Guinness (apart from said bar), Venice, where it was a bit watery. Venice also happens to be the home of some of the worst ever restaurant food, and service! Best Guinness- anywhere which has properly maintained equipment and decent turnover so it doesn't go off!

[Andy Velebil]

Being also a lover of beer, people often forget that beer is perishable just like wine. If exposed to heat, which is often is during transport or when kegs are left sitting on the loading dock or back patio of a bar, can adversely affect its taste. I find that beer often shows better in the winter months when it stays cold throughout its life and isn't subjected to lots of heat. Commercial beer is almost always pasturized and filtered, with some exceptions, so think of those as like a filtered LBV's or ruby Port. They can be good, but they will never be as good as their unfiltered VP counterpart.

[KillerB]

Commercial beer is almost always pasturized and filtered, with some exceptions, so think of those as like a filtered LBV's or ruby Port. They can be good, but they will never be as good as their unfiltered VP counterpart.

I am brewing some Vintage Beer then. It will be unpasteurised and unfiltered. Shame it came out of a tin, really.