Guinness Extra Stout

I could say a lot of good things about Guinness, but a single fact trumps all of them: it’s the single most consumed alcoholic beverage in all of Ireland.

And the Irish know their alcohol: Guinness makes almost 2 billion euros a year in Ireland, compared to only 7 billion euros total the Irish spend on food and non-alcoholic drink. That’s a lot of Guinness.

History of Extra Stout

Born in 1759 at the St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland, under the unassuming name “Dublin Ale,” Guinness has just about the most illustrious history a beer can claim. Contrary to popular opinion, it was not the first “stout” beer (that came a hundred years earlier). But it was the first stout beer to gain international circulation. In 1821 “Dublin Ale” became “Extra Superior Porter,” and in 1862 it became the “Extra Stout” we know and love today. And with the distinguished history comes character. Google “Guiness Extra Stout” and you can see pictures of everything from a 19th century engraving of a Dubliner enjoying his pint to photos from the launch of the S.S. Guinness: the first steam boat ever built solely to export beer.

Taste

Guinness Extra Stout is to classy, dark beers what PBR is to party beers: the pinnacle, the quintessence, the beer you just keep coming back to. Its dark ruby color is often mistaken for black, and its taste is usually compared to coffee or dark chocolate. And it is a very bitter beer, but it’s also got a distinct creamy taste that could almost be called sweet. This unique blend of flavors is due to roasted barley which remains unfermented.

Impressions

As popular as Extra Stout is, nobody thinks it’s a party beer. Even the Guinness website says it’s their “equivalent of fine wine…beer to enhance the flavor of meat in a casserole or concoct your own cocktails. So handle with care.” It’s true: Extra Stout is not a beer to fuck around with. Don’t drink it out of a can or even a bottle if you can help it–go down the corner to your local pub and get it on tap, the way it’s supposed to be drunk.

If you are stuck drinking it out of the bottle, use the trademark Guinness “double pour” (which inspired Guinness’s advertising slogan “good things come to those who wait”). Pour a glass 3/4 full, let it sit for about 1-2 minutes–the exact time is a subject of much dispute–and then pour the remaining quarter. This makes the perfect foamy head and improves the overall taste. Yes, it really does make a difference.

Party Value: 1.5/5

Taste Value: 3.5/5

Class Value: 4.5/5

Side note: some studies have claimed that Guinness Extra Stout can be beneficial to the heart, and in the 1920s Guinness launched an ad campaign using the slogan “Guiness is good for you,” but the company was recently warned to withdraw the phrase.

My official position is that all beer is good for you, and if you don’t believe me you’re obviously not drinking enough.

---

Related stuff:

1. Guinness Draught
Guinness Draught is the black coffee of beer. It's dark, bitter, and definitely an acquired taste. (When it doesn't taste like coffee it almost tastes like dark chocolate.) ...
2. Beer Bandit Makes Off With 450 Kegs!
Police in Dublin are looking for a man who apparently drove, alone, straight into the Guinness brewery and hitched his truck to a fully loaded trailer awaiting delivery to...
3. Budweiser
It's impossible to write a review of Budweiser this week without mentioning that Anheuser-Busch, the brewery that makes Budweiser, has just announced their intent to release a new...