I know this is a wine blog, but we’re taking a detour today… My husband and I spent Thanksgiving in Dublin, Ireland this year, and you can’t do Dublin without going to the Guinness Storehouse!

I knew very little about this Irish staple before touring the Storehouse – but I’d love to share a little of what I learned with you guys.

Guinness Fun Facts

• Guinness has been a staple in Irish pubs for more than 250 years.
• It is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost 50 countries and available in over 120.
• The lease on the Factory, Brewery, and Storehouse in Dublin – signed in 1759 – required a down payment of £100, an annual rent of £45, and a term of 9000 years!
• The Guinness Draught was the first beer that used nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide.
• Over 30% of all Guinness is sold in Africa where it’s labeled as “Foreign Extra Stout.”
• 2.1 million gallons of water flows into the brewery every day.
• The Guinness Book of World Records was started by the managing director of Guinness Breweries, Sir Hugh Beaver, in 1951.
• There are less calories and alcohol in a pint of Guinness than most other domestic beers.
• It pairs well with seafood – especially shrimp and oysters.
• The Storehouse has a bar at the top – the Gravity Bar – and it has one of the city’s best views of Dublin. (It was also REALLY crowded when we were there.)

The “Perfect Pour”

It’s been said that you can tell if you’re in a “legitimate pub” by whether they know how to properly pour a Guinness. Did you know there are six steps to getting it just right? Let’s go through them now:

One:

Pick up a dry, clean 20-ounce tulip pint glass.

Two:

The glass should be held at a 45-degree angle under the tap and the tap faucet should not touch the tulip glass or the beer in the glass.

Three:

Let the beer flow nice and smooth into the angled glass and fill it up three-quarters of the way.

Four:

This part is VERY important — let it settle for 1 minute and 32.5 seconds. The settling helps build the foundation for the wonderful, creamy head on top.

Five:

Once it settles, top it off. 

Six:

Enjoy!

Have you visited the Guinness Storehouse?

Cheers!

Sources:
Vine Pair
Mental Floss
Esquire