Guinness – The Wonder Beer!

A recent article in the New York Times discussed the growing popularity of Guinness stout in America. I have been a longtime Guinness drinker, and the article inspired me to examine why I enjoy this beer.

Stout is a type of dark beer (ale) that is generally warm fermented and typically brewed with unmalted roasted barley. Stouts have a distinctive malty flavor. Wikipedia has a nice explanation of Irish stouts like Guinness:

“With sweet stouts becoming the dominant stout in the UK in the early 20th century, it was mainly in Ireland that the non-sweet or standard stout was being made. As standard stout has a drier taste than the English and American sweet stouts, they came to be called dry stout or Irish stout to differentiate them from stouts with added lactose or oatmeal. This is the style that represents a typical stout to most people. The best selling stouts worldwide are Irish stouts made by Guinness.”

My parents were both Irish immigrants, but they did not drink beer. It was not an alcohol-free household; they drank wine and cocktails, but neither one had ever acquired a taste for beer. When I was in high school learning how to drink, I started on European imported beers because a buddy discovered that it was easier to under-age buy imported beer vs. domestic. Granted, it was an easier time to drink underage (the drinking age was eighteen) when I was a teenager. Most liquor store staff figured if a kid was buying a German import, they must be of age. And so we drank imported beer – primarily German. Without even knowing it, I became a beer snob because of it.

Fast-forward to college, and I had my first Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day, 1978. One of my dorm mates bought a six-pack to celebrate. Most of my classmates feared it, but I was game for it, given that I was Irish and had grown up on European beers. I tried it and instantly loved it.

When I discussed my new love of Guinness with my mom, she quickly said that when you gave blood in Ireland, you were given a pint after donation, given its healthy properties. According to her, it was low in alcohol, rich in antioxidants (similar to red wine), a good source of iron, and low-calorie—the perfect recovery drink. All of these things are true!

When I started my work career and had to drink at a work event, Guinness was my first choice as it was a safe drink for a work event for several reasons:

• It was low in alcohol, and so it reduced the chance of my getting drunk.
• It was low-calorie.
• You could sip it and make it last – like all stouts, Guinness reveals new and beautiful flavors as it gets warm.
• It was a conversation starter. Before the craft beer revolution, most people had no exposure to a stout and generally assumed that, given its dark color and thick head, it would be hard to drink. This would be an opportunity for me to preach its virtues. Most people assumed I was a beer stud for drinking it—the traditional American lager drinker was intimidated by a stout. I was always looking for ways to separate myself from that pack at work – I wore bowties – and drinking Guinness was another differentiator.
• It allowed me to tout my Irish heritage.

Before the craft beer revolution, I was an imported beer snob. I never liked traditional American lagers and pilsners—they were too flavorless. Guinness was my go-to beer for several reasons: it was easy to get in bars and liquor stores and tasted great.

When the craft beer revolution hit, I was well prepared to enjoy it, given my imported beer pedigree. I stopped drinking imports and was all in on American craft beers. Stouts and porters were frequent beer styles of craft brewers, and their take on stouts was to go to the extreme with high ABV and funky flavors, barrel-aged, etc. – I was all in!

After drinking many barrel-aged stouts and porters, I have come to appreciate the simplicity of Guinness. I will order Guinness if it is on tap – a properly poured Guinness is a little taste of heaven. Guinness does a good job training bartenders how to pour it. Canned Guinness has a nitro cartridge that closely resembles a tap pour (but a properly poured tap is still better). If you have not had a Guinness, try one!