The Gems of the Emerald Isle Series is a collection of articles about the wonders of nature and famous attractions in Ireland. In this post, let’s talk about “The Black Stuff". This term is often used here in Ireland and mostly everyone knows what it refers to. It is just simply Ireland's national drink, Guinness. And yes, it’s the same Guinness that manages world records since 1955 through yearly publication of “The Guinness Book of Records”. Sir Hugh Beaver (1890—1967), Managing Director of the Guinness Brewery used this is a promotional campaign with the idea of settling pub (bar) arguments and compiling a book of little known facts and figures (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com). Joey and I are not beer drinkers so we never had a strong wish to do a full tour of the Guinness Storehouse. But since we have been living in Ireland for over a decade now, I think it’s time to blend in with other tourists and get to know more about this black stuff. Let me take you to the only Guinness Storehouse in Ireland; this is located inside St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin City. The cost of the tour is €20. It highlighted how its story began, the beer's humble beginnings, and the struggles the company went through to achieve the Guinness that we come to know now. The experience was divided into seven floors which featured the ingredients, roasting & brewing rooms, smelling & tasting rooms, photo booths, food & drink where some items have Guinness as one of the ingredients, and finally the Gravity Bar on the top most floor. I particularly liked the way the tour was conceptualized. It was fully self-guided yet interactive, and the directions were easy to follow. We walked through exhibits and videos at our own pace. The tour also had the "The Connoisseur Experience" where you can learn how to expertly pull your own pint of Guinness. I pulled mine in one of the corporate events that I attended and was given a certificate for it. The "Gravity Bar" which is the highest bar in Dublin showed a 360° view of Dublin City. This was where we got our pints of Guinness in exchange for our tour tickets. Here are some things that we picked up during our tour: Their story begins here … Arthur Guinness started brewing since 1759. He signed a lease for the St. James’s Gate Brewery, Dublin for 9000 years at an annual rent of £45. It’s only year 2017 and the 258th year of their 9000 years’ lease, gets me wondering if the lease is still valid. Here is the official response from the FAQ section of www.guinness-storehouse.com: “The 9,000 year lease signed in 1759 was for a four-acre brewery site. Today, the brewery has expanded to cover over 50 acres. The 1759 lease is no longer valid as the company purchased the lands outright many years ago. So don't worry, we're not planning on going anywhere.” Happy days! It is good for you! Guinness has 4 main ingredients: barley, yeast, hop, water and 1 magical ingredient, Arthur Guinness himself. He has a great influence on Dublin. As we say here: "Here's to Arthur." Get 10% back from your Hotel Booking when clicking this button -> The exhibits described how they choose the barley to make Guinness. At this brewery, 100,000 tons of Irish-grown barley each year is used. Then, the yeast that Guinness uses is derived from the traditional yeast strain used by Arthur Guinness himself, the secret to every good pint of Guinness. The yeast strain has been passed on from one brew to the next to ensure consistency. It is valuable that a reserve supply is always kept locked in the Director's Safe. Hops, the 3rd ingredient, are used as flavoring agent in beer. They are the flowers of the hop plant Humulus lupulus. They require specific amount of sunlight and only grow in two regions of the world. Finally, the water used in brewing Guinness at this brewery (St. James's Gate) comes from the Wicklow mountains. Only water of the highest quality is used to brew Guinness Smell and taste the magic. The Guinness expert showed us how to engage our senses and appreciate the smells of the different ingredients. In here, we were given a Guinness sampler to practice how to taste Guinness and how to get the best from the pint. The beer that travelled ... It is said that 10 million glasses of Guinness are being sold everyday throughout the world making the biggest selling stout. It has been travelling the globe since 1769. Almost 1 in 2 pints consumed in Ireland every day is a pint of Guinness. The Color of Nobility Contrary to its famous alter-ego, “The Black Stuff”, Guinness is not really black! It is not even brown. While it is distinctively dark, the Guinness beer (or stout to be more specific) is actually ruby red in color. This is a result of roasting malted barley, in a similar way to coffee beans. The creamy white head is caused by the bubbles of nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas as the beer is poured. No artificial colorings or flavorings are added. “Good things come to those who wait.” This was Guinness’ advertising campaign slogan in 2009 referring to its famous 'two-part' pour ritual. I suppose bartenders all over the world are given precise instructions on this. The ritual takes precisely 119.5 seconds to pull the perfect Guinness pint:
There are approximately 198 calories in a pint of Guinness - less than a pint of orange juice! Overall, Guinness Storehouse is a well-designed attraction to spend an afternoon in Dublin. Even for us who do not drink beer enjoyed the tour. It was not boring or tiring, just about right. An absolute must for your to-do list when in Dublin!
Gems of The Emerald Isle Series: Giant’s Causeway The Gems of the Emerald Isle Series is a collection of articles about the wonders of nature and famous attractions in Ireland. In this post, we begin with the Giant’s Causeway. The Giant’s Causeway lies along the sea coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland (part of the United Kingdom). It is roughly 60 miles away from Belfast City Center. Legend has it that Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool), an Irish giant was so determined to defeat his most fierce enemy, Benandonner, the giant from the Isle of Staffa in Scotland. Finn did not want to get his feet wet so he built the causeway across the sea to Scotland. He summoned Benandonner for a fight. Not realizing that Benandonner was extremely bigger than he expected, Finn retracted, went home and disguised as a baby tucked in a cradle. Benandonner followed him to Ireland and when he saw the size of the 'baby', he got frightened that the baby's father, Finn must be a giant among the giants. He turned-tail and ran away back to Scotland, destroying the causeway behind him so Finn could not follow. The columns we see now are just remnants of a huge road built by Finn, which is presumably once linking Ireland to Scotland. Interestingly, a similar geographical formation can also be seen in the Isle of Staffa. While the legend sounds amusing, the Giant’s Causeway itself is astonishing! Resulting from a volcanic eruption 60 million years ago, the Giant’s Causeway has about 40,000 gently inclined interlocking formations made of basalt (volcanic rocks or solidified lava) sticking out of the sea. Most of the rocks are seven, six or five-sided, while some are four or eight-sided. It is perplexing to think that massive volcanic eruptions could result into something symmetrical and perfectly-spaced patterns. Geologists explain this process as columnar jointing. Definition (http://www.dictionary.com): A structure that forms in rocks (most commonly in basalt) that consists of columns (mostly commonly hexagonal in shape) that are separated by joints or fractures in the rock that formed when the rock contracted, most often during cooling. When the lava flowed to the sea, the basalt cooled rapidly from the outside toward the center, causing shrinkage cracks to form. It’s about half a mile walk down to the Giant’s Causeway from the Visitor Center itself along steep slopes and gravel paths. But it’s not rigorous walk, you will be rewarded with stunning views and picture-postcard sceneries along the way. If walking is not your cup of tea, there are shuttle buses plying the route for £1 (Php 65). We opted to walk, stopped when we felt like it and explored at our own pace. The stones are piled up so perfectly they look like the work of a skilled mason. Do not miss The Camel which is said to be Finn’s ride across long distances. We spent two hours walking on columns and exploring the gorgeous Northern Ireland coastal waters. The Giant’s Causeway is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We've been wanting to see it and it did not fail to impress us. The chance to walk, climb and get up close the basalt columns makes the experience even worthwhile. It's mind-boggling how these geological formations came into existence. Yet undoubtedly, there is magic in the causeway. A breath-taking masterpiece of nature! Get 10% back from your Hotel Booking when clicking this button -> Top Tips:
In The Press Published in Roots & Wings Magazine (Stockholm, Sweden) Autumn 2017 Issue, Pages 20 to 25 http://www.rawmags.com/single-post/2017/10/11/The-Autumn-2017-Issue Published in Travel Plus Magazine (Manila, Philippines)
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About MeI am a software engineer based in Ireland; a qualified accountant who made a 360-degree career shift to Information Technology during the Y2K era. Joey (my husband) and I have big appetites for travelling, learning new cultures, and a passion for experiencing varied cuisines. Follow us as we chronicle life's little perks! |