It's funny that when you think of the most famous beers in the world, 2 beers so diverse as Budweiser and Guinness would have to be right up there. There's a big difference, however in how each got to be so well known.
Let's be honest, Budweiser is no different to hundreds of other beers, so you'd have to attribute it's popularity to excellent mass-marketing. At the same time, Guinness has become a worldwide icon through delivering something a little different, certainly gaining it's reputation through the quality of it's product.
You may wonder why I started off my review with such an argument. Well, I was amazed during my recent reading to discover that the Budweiser sold in Europe, is brewed by the Guinness brewery in Ireland.
Anyway, back to the Guinness.
Guinness was originally brewed in 1759 as a porter, which happened to be the best selling beer type of the time. Their porter was so good that it dominated the English and Irish markets. After tinkering with the recipe, Guinness Stout as we know it started selling in 1820. By the early 20th century, Guiness was, and still is, the largest brewery in the world.
Guinness should be served at about 60F, in an unchilled glass. The pour should take some time. If you're in a bar don't let the bartender flip the tap, walk off, then come back and top it up. The glass should be held at a 45 degree angle and poured slowly. The pour itself should be something to savour. What you will get is a thick, black (opaque), full-bodied ale, with a creamy head. The head should last until the end of the glass, leaving a series of rings down the glass. Of course this will not happen if your glass was frozen.
The flavor of Guinness is incredibly complex, and may not be immediately pleasing to first time drinkers. My first taste of Guinness at the age of 16 was something of a disappointment. I was expecting something sweet, chocolatey and creamy. The hops are very dominant in Guinness, so the original malty, coffee-like flavor, quickly gives way to a long bitter finish. For most, Guinness is an acquired taste, but once acquired, difficult to beat.
The canned version of Guinness contains a nitrogen charge and is definitely worthwhile for its creamy consistency. Although not all epinion reviewers will agree with me, I belive Guinness is one of the companies that has mastered the draft in a can.
Because of it's coffee like taste and texture, I would have to recommend a cheesey appetizer with a Guinness e.g. Nachos or Mozz sticks. However many would pair Guinness with oysters.
Guinness can also be a pretty versatile cocktail ingredient. The more well known are: Black Velvet: half Guinness half champagne (substitute cider for a poor man's black velvet) Black & Black: Guinness and blackberry licquer Black & Tan: Guinness and bitter or pale ale
Others I've heard of are, Guinness and Tomato Juice, or Guinness with port, brandy, and champagne, which apparrently is a hangover cure. I accept no responsibility for this one.
You will hear so many people tell you that the Guinness is completely different in Ireland, but as far as I believe there is no difference in the recipe. The main difference is that the Guinness is so much fresher as it sells so quickly. Hence, you're more likely to get a Guinness that's been sitting in the pipes for a couple of hours in the USA than in Ireland. Don't let this discourage you though, as Guinness is great wherever you drink it.
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