{"id":26966,"date":"2019-07-25T10:02:11","date_gmt":"2019-07-25T17:02:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bucketlistjourney.net\/?p=26966"},"modified":"2025-02-06T12:58:36","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T19:58:36","slug":"learn-to-pour-the-perfect-pint-of-guinness-in-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bucketlistjourney.net\/learn-to-pour-the-perfect-pint-of-guinness-in-ireland\/","title":{"rendered":"Guinness Storehouse: Touring Dublin’s Popular Beer Factory"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Besides the sprawling green landscapes, captivating Irish castles<\/a> and leprechauns, Ireland is also famous for its beer\u2014Guinness beer to be more specific! Although other brands and breweries exist, it\u2019s the “black stuff” that is the most known in the country and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had been in Ireland for two whole days yet still refrained from drinking the countries best selling alcoholic beverage, a pint of Guinness stout. Why?<\/em> Because I had never even had a sip, much less a pint, before and I wanted my first time to be at the Guinness Storehouse Brewery in Dublin, where the phenomenon started. True story.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, I wouldn’t have to wait too long to be broken of my Guinness virginity. On day three we headed over to the Guinness Storehouse, an operation that’s expansiveness covers three postal codes and the capacity to brew 20 million pints a day.  We would be touring the seven stories dedicated to the history and making of this world famous beer. But, that’s not all.<\/strong> <\/em>We would also be participating in the exclusive connoisseurs tasting where we would be learning how to pour the perfect pint and, of course, partaking in a little drinking too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Guinness Storehouse: Touring Dublin’s Popular Beer Factory<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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About Guinness Storehouse in Dublin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It probably comes as no surprise to anyone with interest in visiting Ireland, that the Guinness Storehouse is Ireland\u2019s most popular attraction among tourists. Located right in the heart of Dublin, it\u2019s an excellent way to start your tour of Ireland \u2013 and it\u2019s a great last stop on your journey around Ireland, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Guinness Storehouse consists of several floors detailing the long and interesting brewing history of Guinness, including interactive experiences for the curious visitor. At the top of the storehouse, you can find a great rooftop bar, in fact a world-famous one, where it\u2019s only right to down a pint of Guinness beer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The seven story visitor experience was located on the outskirts of town and loaded with interactive fun. The levels will take you from the history of Guinness to a tasty tasting experience to the gravity bar located at the top floor that will give you a spectacular view of the city. There were indoor waterfalls, entertaining photo booths and plenty of places to indulge in a pint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Guinness Storehouse Tour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t need to book a tour or a guide to visit Guinness Storehouse. It\u2019s perfectly possible to do it on your own self-guide tour! I recommended to reserve at least 1 1\/2 hours to tour the Guinness Storehouse. Of course, you\u2019re allowed to spend a longer portion of your day at the storehouse, and it\u2019s perhaps also possible to do the tour quicker \u2013 but do you really want to rush it? I\u2019d like to take my time with this visit, that\u2019s for sure!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, no, unfortunately it isn\u2019t possible to visit the actual <\/em>brewery. However, the folk at the Guinness Storehouse are also conscious of this, and thus they\u2019ve tried to create the Guinness Storehouse tour to be as close to an actual brewery experience as you can get!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Floors of Guinness Storehouse and What You Do on Them<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So, as I mentioned before, the Guinness Storehouse consists of several floors filled with information and activities \u2013 seven floors, to be exact! But what exactly can you find on each of these floors?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ground Floor \u2014 Arthur’s Lease, Ingredients & The Store<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On this floor you can see the famous 9,000 year lease, find out exactly what goes into a pint of Guinness and be introduced to the ingredients used to brew the beers. And there\u2019ll even be an indoor waterfall for further visual pleasure! The Guinness Retail Store, from where you can find all the Guinness merch you could possibly dream of having, is located on this floor as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1st Floor \u2014 Brewing, Cooperage & Cafe<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you get to the first floor, you\u2019ll be going through the actual process of brewing the beer, learning how the casks have been made over the years and how the beer has made it all over the world. There\u2019s a caf\u00e9 called Cooperage Caf\u00e9 on this floor, and it may just be the perfect first pit stop for some food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2nd Floor \u2014The Tasting Rooms<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second floor is where you\u2019ll get to have yourself a little bit of a \u2018Tasting experience\u2019, in which you\u2019ll get to master the art of tasting Guinness beer. This is also the floor with the introduction to the Guinness aromas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3rd Floor \u2014 Advertising<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although this is a floor dedicated mostly to all the iconic Guinness advertising over the years, it\u2019s so big and flashy and quirky that you\u2019re bound to be loving every bit of it! There\u2019s also a Drink IQ section which will go through some of the unfortunate cons of drinking (too much) alcohol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My favorite floor was the World of Advertising where you can immerse yourself in over eighty years of one of the world’s most iconic brands. This section not only made me giggle, but also made me marvel at the creativity of Guinness over the years. History can be entertaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Characters from the famous Guinness posters come to life; a moving 3d version of Fish on a Bicycle plays, 20 ticking clocks hang from the ceiling and a seal balancing a pint on its nose delights. The finale of the floor is the cinema portion that boasts a 138 foot long screen that wraps 180 degrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4th Floor \u2014 Guinness Academy, Connoisseur Experience & Beer Selfie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve been especially looking forward to the interactive stuff, you\u2019ve made it to the right floor! Here is where you\u2019ll find the Guinness Academy, which is all about teaching you how to pour the perfect <\/em>Guinness. Or, alternatively, you can also taste different types of Guinness with the Connoisseur Experience (you get to learn to pour the perfect pint with this experience too!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though the general entrance gets you two small glasses or a pint of beer, the connoisseurs experience was something entirely different. It was in a private, sleek bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exclusive bar on the fourth floor was dimly lit with a tin tile ceiling and antique-style portraits hanging on the walls \u2014reminiscent of a secret speakeasy. We had our own personal connoisseur who had worked for Guinness for 8 years and is now a brand ambassador. He probably gets a lot of free stout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The are 24 different types of Guinness around the world and we were going to taste five including the Dublin Porter and the Guinness Extra Stout in a bottle. The latter of the two is the fizzy version of the one on tap and there’s a special way of opening it. Start by putting it on a flat surface. As you open the bottle towards yourself listen to the hiss and look for the puff of smoke \u2014 this confirms it’s fresh. Pouring should be done at two 45 degree angles, both the glass and the bottle. At the end pull glass away. The perfect Guinness pour \u2014 from a bottle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Perfect Guinness Pour: 2-part pour in 4 steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now it was time for the grand finale, to learn to pour the perfect pint from the tap. This requires a 2-part pour, in 4 steps. The perfect pint doesn’t have to be poured by some one with an Irish accent, it just has to be done using proper procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Use the Right Glass<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose a cool clean glass that has not been washed with food as that may leave a greasy residue and ghosty streaks. It is best to use a branded Guinness glass, a 20 ounce tulip, that’s made specifically for the stout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. Choose the Proper Angle<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tilt the glass away from you at a 45-degree angle and place it under the tap, never letting it actually touch the spigot. Pull the tap towards you and fill three-quarters of the way up, straightening the glass as it fills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Let it Settle<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set the beer down on the counter and let it settle for 90 seconds. During this time the nitrogen bubbles float down the interior side and back up the middle \u2014 building a creamy head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Top it Off<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you have allow the beer to settle, top it off by pushing the tap (instead of pulling) and filling the glass so the foam creates a slight dome over the glass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now we were ready to indulge in the deep ruby-red Guinness. Let me tell you the wrong way to taste it, the way I may<\/em> have done it at first: hold the beer, take a selfie, dip your finger in the foam to take a taste (which is really bitter!), take a tiny sip until you determine Guinness isn’t for them.  Instead take a big gulp, drinking about a quarter of the glass before making any decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

If you wish to take your beer drinking experience even further, here is where you can also order a STOUTie<\/em>, in other words a beer with your selfie right on top! Isn\u2019t that neat? It is made with a natural malt extract and it\u2019ll cost you 6 euros and you can make the purchase already alongside of your entrance ticket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5th Floor \u2014 Food, Bar & Restaurants<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that you\u2019ve spent some of your time going through each of the floors at the Guinness Storehouse, learning all about the brewery, how about sitting down for some refreshments and snacks? There are three restaurant-type of places to choose from, each with their own charm. You can get a sample of what a traditional Irish pub feels like at Arthur\u2019s Bar. Or you can grab some comfort food at Brewer\u2019s Dining Hall. Or you can go a wee bit fancier and choose 1837 Bar & Brasserie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7th Floor \u2014 Gravity Bar<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you\u2019ve finally made it to the top once you reach this gorgeous rooftop bar! You\u2019ll be rewarded a free pint \u2013 well, you already paid for this drink when you paid for the entrance fee \u2013 that you can sip on or chug or however you usually drink your beer, all the while looking at the panoramic views of Dublin down below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you happen to be traveling with minors to Guinness Storehouse, they will, of course, be given an alternative, alcohol-free, beverage, as opposed to the beer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Getting Tickets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to getting tickets to Guinness Storehouse, it is possible to buy them on the spot. However, my personal recommendation would be to purchase them online in advance. Why? There are two reasons! For one, by having your tickets already when you enter Guinness Storehouse, you get to skip the queue at the ticket booth. For another, purchasing your tickets online is actually several euros cheaper than if you buy them on the day of your visit! This is good to keep in mind if you\u2019re still wondering whether to outright fit Guinness Storehouse into your itinerary or whether to visit spontaneously if you end up with the extra time to spare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Purchase Tickets:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n