The Guinness Storehouse

Sunday, January 16th, 2011

Dublin, Ireland

It seemed only appropriate that as our first touristy act in Dublin we should visit the Guinness Storehouse, a museum of brewing and a shrine to that most famous of Irish beers. So us Americans (Brittany, Emma, Anna, Jared, Sean, Erin, Kathryn, Maggie, and I) set out to walk to the site of the original Guinness Factory.

We got a little turned around, but eventually we came across these tourist-friendly signs: Guinness, this way!

The signs got more exciting the closer we got-- Here's Emma pointing the way.

Inside, the old storehouse was converted to an exposition that showed the ingredients, the brewing process, and the storage process. There were also exhibits on Guinness around the world, advertising through the ages, and, of course, a tasting room where we were coached through how to tasted and savor all the flavors of a Guinness. If you hold it in your mouth, you actually taste the sweetness towards the front of your tongue and the bitterness of the hops in the back of your mouth-- it's odd.

One of the main ingredients-- water. The water for Guinness comes from the Wicklow Mountains. We actually saw the mountain lake they draw from while on our trip for SSP.

One of my favorite ads. Guinness is good for you!

The last step was learning to pour the perfect pint- a crucial process. We were trained in the angle to hold the glass, and how bringing the tap towards you or away from you changes how the beer pours. And the final step is vital; always wait for your Guinness to turn black before you drink it, or you'll ruin the whole pint. Emma theorized this is why bartenders look so annoyed when you order a Guinness during busy times-- it takes them FOREVER to do it right.

Pouring the perfect pint! I now have a certificate that says I have the skills. I wonder what a bartender would do if I brought it to a pub and insisted on pouring my own...

My very first Guinness, nice and dark and ready to drink. It seemed only appropriate that I should drink my first here, although I wish I had some basis for comparison so I could weigh in my opinion on the American vs. Irish Guinness argument.

A bunch of us at the top floor lounge to drink our pints, with a lovely view of the surrounding city. (Jared, Emma, Erin, me, and Anna)