Guinness expert explains why it tastes so much better in Dublin
It’s fair to say St Patrick’s Day is a BIG DEAL in Dublin - around half a million people were expected at today’s annual parade as the city’s streets turned green and gold.
It also means that record levels of Guinness get supped, as locals and tourists pile into the black stuff as part of the experience. In fact, one in four pints sold in Dublin is Guinness.
Interesting fact - the draft Guinness you get in pubs was only invented in the 1950s, when brewery owners decided that the original drink might be a bit too gassy for some.
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Now, the drink is sold all over the world and produced in six breweries across the globe - including one in Africa.
But why is it that bit more special when you’re served a perfect pint of Guinness in Dublin itself?
Colm O’Connor, beer specialist at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, has his own theories.
"Obviously Guinness tastes great wherever you go, but in Dublin, there’s a few reasons why we think it’s so special," he said.
"We roast the barley on site, and it’s all sourced from within 80 miles of the brewery. They’re all Irish. "There’s also the draw or the flow as we call it - the lines are all cleaned once a month because we sell so much of it and the team who look after the pub supply here is so massive. So it’s super well looked after.
"And of course there’s the local craic - you can’t beat that."
Whether you’re at home or in the pub, the serve is all important - and one TikToker claims to have developed the perfect pour from a can.
He explains: "I’m gonna open the can and go straight in with it. So straight in, glass at a 45 degree angle... I'm gonna pour about 80 percent of it in."
After leaving it to settle for about a minute, Daragh adds the remaining black stuff.
He says: "You're not gonna lift up the glass, just hold the hand firm on it and plop that straight in, you should get a nice creamy head. All the way to the top, don't pull out, it won't overflow... Perfection."
Either way, spare a thought for punters at Cheltenham Festival recently, who were faced with the most expensive pint of Guinness in the UK.
Punters are expected to put away a staggering 220,000 pints of Guinness across the four day race festival - that's a lot of sore heads this week!
And if the Irish favourite is your alcoholic beverage of choice, then you will be able to toast your winnings to the 'world's most expensive' Guinness, which is on sale at an eye-watering £20 a pint.
Thought that might sober you up. Slainte!
If you're interested in visiting Dublin's infamous Guinness Storehouse, click here to buy tickets for their exclusive tours and experiences.
Topics: Ireland, Food And Drink
Simon Binns