The best Guinness is in Ireland, due to all the reasons Diageo will give you, but moreso the dedication and attention to detail, by the people serving it. As a former barman, from a small town, in Limerick, the quality of Guinness can make or break your pub.
I recall once setting up a bar in a hotel in Galway, where the detergent washing the glasses left a residue on the glass which prevented the head sticking to the glass. Overnight the old man afternoon Guinness drinkers disappeared. We resorted to hand washing glasses, and it took over 3 weeks to bring back our afternoon trade. Most people think its just a case of plugging in the barrell, but in fact it is an intricate process. On Mondays and Fridays I would clean the Guinness lines with water, every morning I would pour out about 1 to 2 pints depending on the length of the lines, to ensure freshness. The keg room had to be at a specific temp, the glasses must be Guinness glasses, the flow must not be too fast. The pint must be poured at 45 degrees, filled to the top of the harp on the glass, and left to sit for 2 minutes. The head must not be bigger then your thumb. All of these actions and more no to mention the true dedication by people in my former profession give the taste of Guinness back home the world reknowned flavor.I have visited many an irish pub in US, Asia, Europe and I can tell you there is nowhere that pays this much attention to detail, if they did I am sure they could achieve a very close taste. I also recall a couple of years ago when Diageo began inspections at pubs in regard to the pint pulling technique, I myself was tested a few occasions. Isn't a pity that is not the case around teh worls. For example O Neills Chinatown London,where the throwing of the glass under the tap, letting it pour while going the other end of the bar, then filling it right up and serving it...Sacrilege!!
To finish my rant, the best pint of Guinness you can get,
Tigh Joe Mac pub, Inis Mór, Aran Islands, Ireland. On a cold Febuary afternoon, around 1pm, straight off the boat from the mainland, enter the small wooden Pub, on a little hill observing the Pier. A row of fisherman faces at the old bar turn to inspect the new intruder. A turf fire burns in the centre of the main wall. Irish the only language heard from the crackle of the radio. The large red faced barman, grunts an acknowledgment. Pionta Guinness, le do thoill? I ask, he waddles away without a word, and begins to fill the Pint exactly as it should be. You take your seat, and then the Guinness is served with a slight swirl of brown inside. A taste of absolute creamyness, no harshness whatsoever, but a real stout taste sparks your cold thirst. The coldness of the atlantic on your skin falls away to the firey warmth of the turf fire, coupled with a cold smoothness of cold Guinness, heaven? Could be. The main key in the taste? The kegs are kept outside, battered by the atlantic and artic winds, and only when needed is rolled inside and tap'ed right under the tap, a line of perhaps 2 foot maximum. The flow, with over 15 fishermen downing pint after pint at 1pm, is there a doubt?
Sláinte!
May 26, 11 09:31
