As part of our quick trip to Dublin this March for my Irish cousin Katie's wedding, we of course had to make a stop at the Guiness Factory, St. James Gate Brewery. It's the only touristy thing we did on our 72 hours in Ireland, but it was the obvious choice. Guiness may be my favorite large-batch beer, and it was one of the first real beers I ever tasted--my cousin Steve shipped a 4 pack to me for my 21st Birthday. See this article for an explanation of why I hadn't tried a Guiness before I was 21.
You don't actually get to tour the factory, instead it's a museum in the shape of a pint glass. The museum circles up something like 9 floors, culminating in a rooftop bar that looks out over the factory. My mother likened it to Disney World for adults, and I would have to agree. My favorite part was the memorabilia museum, which traced the iconic advertising and marketing of the brand over the years. That, and the pouring instruction. Somewhere up near the top we stopped in and received instruction in pouring the perfect Guiness, which we of course had to master before we were allowed to consume the glass we poured. I left with my very own Guiness pourers certificate. Think I can add that to my list of certifications on my vita?
More to come soon from Ireland, including the majestic wedding of my cousin Katie and her husband, Ben.
The 9,000 year lease....yeah, you'd love to get locked into those terms.
Somehow I bet the real yeast gets locked into a safe more secure than this one.
The water comes from the Warwick Mountains, not the polluted River Liffey as is commonly assumed.
My cousin Lacy, husband Drew, and my Dad before we learn the art of the perfect pint.
Nice pour Dad!
I just had shoulder surgery from a ski accident, so I was glad to see that my splint allowed me to still pour a pint.
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