On the fifth day of St. Patrick, my true love gave to me 5 Guinness pints, 4 Harp lagers, 3 Magners Ciders, 2 shots of Paddy, and a pint of Kilkenny. . .
The exploration of great Irish drinks leading up to St. Paddy’s day continues with the biggest one of them all – Guinness.
Guinness is not only the national drink of Ireland (with an impressive 30% share), it has become one of the most iconic brands in the entire world. Although the term “stout” first appeared 50 years before Arthur Guinness was even born, Guinness is credited with defining the style as we know it today and single handedly dominates the worldwide stout market.
Arthur Guinness started brewing in 1759 in the now famous St. James Gate brewery in Dublin, but did not officially create a “dark beer porter” until 1778. At the time, porter was the most common style of beer in the British isles – a dark ale brewed at a commercial level to quench the thirst of the emerging Industrial Revolution working class. Guinness’s dark porter, however, was completely different and a new style of beer was born – stout. With numerous new styles of stout being created by microbreweries everywhere, Guinness is now technically a “dry Irish stout”, but not a single other brand or style of stout can come close to the prominence that Guinness can claim.
A fresh Guinness from the tap at an Irish pub is the best way to enjoy this iconic beverage, but if forced to buy it at home, I highly recommend the tall cans with floating widgets. These cans were invented by Guinness in the 80’s to best simulate the creaminess that one experiences at the pub and the results are superb. A proper pour involves a classic Guinness pint glass tilted at a 45 degree angle. Nothing in the entire world of beverages looks as inviting as a freshly poured Guinness where the white creamy head and the ebony black body mix in a beautiful array of chocolaty colors.
Guinness is not only one of the most delicious beers in the world – it also has had some of the most ingenious marketing campaigns of any beer brand with distinct posters, apparel, and “brilliant” ads. Guinness also is relatively low in calories (lower than skim milk and the majority of non-light beers) and contains antioxidants which are good for the circulatory system. Good health has never tasted so good!
I hope that you get the opportunity to enjoy a Guinness in the near future. It is a very flavorful experience that is not for everybody, but once one acquires the taste, it instantly becomes a favorite.
Slainte!
