A taste of Guinness

Bryan Francis on the power of Guinness and why it is worth waiting for.

'Good things come to those who wait' has been the tagline of the iconic Guinness ad campaign. The campaign has been so successful that every time someone buys a pint of Guinness they actually fall for the line. The latest ad title evolution tells the story of mankind's three-billion-year wait for the perfect pint and opens with three friends enjoying a Guinness in their local pub. We then follow them on an extraordinary journey back through time down the evolutionary chain. They turn into Neanderthals, then apes, mammals, prehistoric fish, small dinosaurs and strange mole like creatures before ending up as mudskippers somewhere near the dawn of time. They take a sip from a muddy puddle and react in disgust. The result, a highly entertaining, and visually compelling film.

And good things do come to those that wait! Consider the fact that over 10 million glasses of Guinness stout are enjoyed every single day around the world, and 1,883,200,000 pints are sold every year. Refer to Guinness as just another beer and be prepared for the snorts of derision that will come your way; to imbibers it is almost a pint of religion not be messed with.

Guinness is a dry stout (a style of dark beer made using roasted malts or barley) that originated in Arthur Guinness' St James' Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. Based upon the porter (a dark ale) style that originated in London in the early 1700s, it is one of the most successful beer brands in the world and is exported worldwide. Arthur Guinness started brewing ales initially in Leixlip, then at the St James' Gate Brewery, Dublin, Ireland from 1759. He signed a 9,000 year lease at Ł45 per annum for the unused brewery. Ten years later in 1769, Guinness exported their product for the first time, when six and a half barrels were shipped to England. Outside the UK, the first export was to Portugal in 1811. Today Guinness is brewed in almost 50 countries and enjoyed in 150.

The distinctive feature is the roasted barley that remains unfermented. A portion of the barley is flaked (i.e. steamed and rolled) and roasted to give Guinness its dark-ruby colour and characteristic taste. It is pasteurised and filtered and despite its reputation as a "meal in a glass", Guinness only contains 198 calories per pint on par with an equal sizes serving of skimmed milk or orange juice! The brewery in Ireland uses water from Lady's Well in the Wicklow Mountains and the barley used is Irish-grown. Breweries outside Ireland use pure, fresh water from natural local sources. The unfermented but hopped Guinness wort extract is shipped from Dublin and blended with a beer brewed locally. That said, the company states that in blind tests none of the participants could tell the difference between Irish-brewed Guinness and the locally produced variety. But pubs around the world resound with cries of "not nearly as good as the Irish Guinness". Interestingly if you catch two Guinness drinkers downing their pints attempt to eavesdrop; the conversation will turn to 'sinking bubbles', a long time subject of bar conversations. Also called the Guinness cascade, the phenomenon involves gas bubbles appearing to travel downwards in a pint glass of Guinness. No magic or leprechauns involved, the effect is attributed to drag; bubbles that touch the walls of a glass are slowed in their travel upwards. Bubbles in the centre of the glass are, however, free to rise to the surface, and thus form a rising column of bubbles. The rising bubbles create a current so as beer rises in the centre, the beer near the outside of the glass falls. This downward flow pushes the bubbles near the glass towards the bottom. Although the effect occurs in any liquid, it is particularly noticeable in any dark nitrogen stout, as the drink combines dark-coloured liquid and light-coloured bubbles. Sorry for busting that bubble but that doesn't take away from the taste of Guinness.

Once the bubble has been dissected the conversation will turn to 'the perfect pull'. According to the company Guinness Draught is best served at 6°C, with the legendary two-part pour. First, tilt the glass to 45 degrees and carefully pour until three quarters full. Then place the glass on the bar counter and leave to settle. Once the surge has settled, fill the glass to the brim. It takes about 119.5 seconds to pour the perfect pint. But don't fret, it's worth the wait, they say. Some bartenders also draw a simple design, using the head of the tap, such as a shamrock in the head during the slow pour. But this isn't just marketing. There is a pretty big difference between a Guinness that is poured quickly (and not done in two parts) and one that is done in two parts. If you pour it fast in one fell swoop, you won't get the creamy head on it, and the liquid will be a bit too bubbly.

Another part of Guinness folklore surrounds the 'widget'. A plastic moulded device that sits on the top of the contents of each can of Guinness Draught. When the can is opened, a small amount of beer and nitrogen, trapped in the widget, is forced out through the beer, which creates the creamy head that you find on a pint of Guinness Draught served in a pub, giving the canned/ bottled beer the taste and texture of a pub-poured pint .

The next topic would be its colour: is it black or red? Look closely, the beer is not actually black but rather dark ruby red because of the way the ingredients are prepared. Some malted barley is roasted like coffee beans, which is gives Guinness its distinctive colour.

'Guinness' iconic stature is partly due to its advertising. The most notable and recognisable series of adverts was created in the 1930s and 40s involving posters that included phrases such as "Guinness for Strength", "Lovely Day for a Guinness", "Guinness Makes You Strong", "My Goodness My Guinness", (or, alternatively, "My Goodness, My Christmas, It's Guinness!") and most famously, "Guinness is Good For You". The posters featured distinctive artwork and more often than not featured animals like kangaroo, lion, seal and a toucan. An advertisement from the 1940s ran with the following jingle: Toucans in their nests agree/Guinness is good for you/Try some today and see/What one or toucan do.

Mixed drinks containing Guinness
Black velvet: Guinness and champagne in equal quantities.
Black Maria: Guinness and a 25ml shot Tia Maria.
Irish car Bomb: A half-and-half shot of Irish Cream and Irish Whiskey is dropped into a half a pint glass of Guinness.
Poor Man's Black Velvet: Guinness and cider in equal quantities.

Guinness in Bangkok: Here are some places around town where you don't have to wait to get your pint of Guinness.

The Bull's Head (02-259-4444)
This three-floor pub located in Sukhumvit Soi 33/1 is very typically British. The all-wooden interior, complete with a real stuffed bull's head continues to pull in the locals, expatriates and tourists with its range of traditional British pub grub like fish and chips, steak and kidney pie, and toad on the hole. The drink list is extensive and includes a nice selection of beers on tap, including Guinness. Another big draw in the place is the 99-CD jukebox that includes a selection from the 1950s to more contemporary track and allows you to play DJ for the night. Patrons are also entertained on a regular basis by live acts, stand-up comedy routines, chess tournaments and quiz nights. Excellent service and friendly staff make this a great place for a night out.

The Dubliner (02-204-1841-2)
The only Irish pub in Bangkok that's Irish owned, this three-storey venue offers a slice of the Emerald Country. Cultural icons from that country adorn the interiors; the Biorra road sign, mirrors advertising Bushmills, old advertisements for Caffrey's 2D Ale etc. The mezzanine floor is more like a library with dark wood furniture and book shelves lining the walls. It also offers a great view of the huge TV screen that is constantly tuned to various sporting events. The topmost floor is home to the pool table and also the venue for quiz nights. Foodwise Dubliner has an eclectic menu offering all kinds of pub grub as well as some international dishes. Friday nights can get loud with punters dancing to Irish songster Lee Shamrock who brings the house down with his antics. A great place to party.

Robin Hood (02-662-3390)
Opened in 2004, The Robin Hood has in a short while made a name for itself amongst the large expat community that resides along Sukhumvit Road. Named after the great English folk hero, The Robin Hood has a warm, traditional feel throughout its two-storeyed interior. Posters from the various Robin Hood movies adorn the wall, while Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are promotion nights. Keep in mind that Wednesdays is Guinness promotion night. The menu offers standard pub fare and daily set lunches and a weekend roast, served by friendly staff. Screens around the place show Premiership football and other sporting events, while an in-house musician Johnny and The Good Reason's Band play six nights a week.

Irish Xchange (02-266-7160-1)
Bangkok's first original Irish pub has gone through a lot of names, Delaney's, Shenanigans to its present avatar. Located in Soi Convent, with access from both Silom and Sathorn Roads, Irish Xchange is the place to get your fix of pub grub and Guinness draft after a hard day's work in the business district. A variety of live bands keep customers entertained through the night in this two-storey venue. Traditional dishes from the Emerald Isle like Irish stew and beef cooked in Guinness are hot favourites with the punter. Major sports events are also shown here.

The Londoner Brew Pub (02-261-0238-9)
Another Sukhumvit favourite, The Londoner is located in the basement of the UBC II Building. Along with one of the best selection of beer in town, The Londoner offers a great range of live entertainment with a variety of bands playing; though it is a hot favourite with Bangkokians to catch sporting events live. It's a standing room only during World Cup Football matches. On the menu is popular English fare and international dishes. Try out the steak sandwich or the meat lover's delight, the Londoner beef bonanza.

O'Reillys (02-632-7515)
Located on the corner of Thaniya Road, O'Reillys with its distinctive green façade is the third in the triumvirate of Irish pubs in the city. On offer is a good selection of Gaelic favorites in this distinctive establishment as well as international bites like a selection of pizzas. Don't miss out on the great Irish stew here or other traditional offerings like shepherd's pies, fish and chips, or beef and Guinness pie. For those that prefer local fare with their pints, there is a Thai menu as well. Be warned that O'Reillys is popular with Silom lunch and dinner office crowd. And of course it has draft Guinness on offer.

Duke of Wellington (02-234-2875)
The newest watering hole to offer Guinness is located directly across from Patpong in the United Centre Building right in the heart of the business district. The warm, comfy venue offers a full English menu, big breakfasts, Thai food, and a large selection of beer and cocktails. Without a doubt it is the selection of various pies, bangers and mash and the fish and chips that are hot favourites here. With four large-screen TVs the Duke is also the perfect place to watch sports.