Guinness FAQ and Folklore

Updates coming soon, hopefully.

Contents:

  1. Other Guinness 'Net Resources
  2. Guinness Facts
  3. Guinness FAQs
  4. FAQs About Serving Guinness and Guinness Drinks
  5. "Black and Tan" FAQs
  6. Guinness and Health
  7. Specifications of the Various Types of Guinness

Other Guinness 'Net Resources

Guinness has a large and significant presence on the 'Net. Consider The Guide to Guinness:

This links to just about everything Guinness, including all the sites listed here. In addition there are some city Pub Guides, a jpeg and an mpeg (1.7 Meg!) of Guinness.

The Official Guinness site is on Futurenet, which is requiring registration. However, this can be by-passed by going directly to:

If you're looking for the 1,354,314 byte Guinness Screen Saver, you're in the neighbourhood. It's located at:

My favourite Guinness site other than my own is Cian O. Kiersey's Guinness Page:

which has:

John Griffen's Guinness page with some great examples of old Guinness Posters, great for wallpaper is at:

Finally, there is the Canadian Guinness site, with pictures and a list of Canadian pubs serving Guinness:

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Guinness Facts

References:

"No other brewery uses as much roasted barley as Guinness, which prepares its own." (MJBC, p 181)

"The brewery...uses several varieties (of hops), among which Goldings are perhaps the most influential." (MJBC, pp 180-181)

Guinness "...uses its original yeast, though this has been selected down from several strains to one, which was arrived at in about 1960. It works at high temperatures (around 25'C/77'F), and it is very dispersed, having neither risen to the top nor sunk to the bottom, when it is removed by centrifuge." (MJBC, pp 181)

"Dublin makes five or six principal versions of Guinness, in a total of 19 variations, and exports around 40 percent of its output." (MJBC, p 181)

All the grain used by Guinness is grown in Ireland. The non-malt grains used in the domestic product is 25% flaked barley and 10% roasted barley. (MJBC p 181)

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Guinness FAQs

Q: I've seen Guinness sold in Germany even when the Reinheitsgebot applied to imported beers. How can that be?
A: "In line with the German Purity Law, the barley is replaced with pale and roasted malt in Continental Europe." (MJBC p181)

Q: What types of Guinness are there?
A: Michael Jackson states that there are 5 or 6 main types in 19 variations. So far, we've been able to identify (Detailed specifications are listed in the last section of this FAQ):

Q: Why does the bottled Guinness taste so different than the draught or canned "draught-flow" product?
A: (U.S./Canada answer): These are two entirely different beers. The bottled Guinness if Guinness Extra Stout, while the others are simply Guinness. The Extra Stout uses more roast barley and has somewhat higher IBUs, resulting in a harsher, sharper flavour. Which you prefer is a matter of personal taste.
(Ireland answer): The bottled product is bottle conditioned, meaning the presence of live yeast. The yeast gives it a very different character.

Q: What's the significance of the harp symbol on Guinness products?
A: Arthur Guinness & Sons deliberately chose the harp symbol as its logo or symbol to appeal to nationalist pride in Ireland. The harp is also a symbol of Ireland, which appears on the back of their coinage. The Irish Government and Guinness versions of the symbol are identical, except for the fact that the Guinness Harp faces left, while the official government version faces right.

The following is un-substantiated, but interesting and supplied by Antony Courtney :
At Trinity College Dublin, a complementary glass of Guinness is served with Commons, the traditional evening meal for Scholars and Fellows of the College (and other paying guests), served in the Dining Hall.
The Guinness for Commons is provided to College Catering free of charge by Guinness. The long-standing folklore explanation around the Commons table is that this was due to an arrangement reached between Guinness and Trinity College Dublin in the 17th Century. According to the explanation, Trinity allowed Guinness to use the harp which appears in the Trinity coat of arms as part of their logo, and in return Guinness agreed to provide free Guinness for Commons in perpetuity. (Note that this is unsubstantiated rumour, but one which has been around for quite some time.)

Q: What products besides the various Guinnesses does Guinness produce?
A: Arthur Guinness & Sons also own and produce Smithwicks (pronounced without the "w"), also sold as Kilkenny. Rumour has it that the Kilkenny name is used to make the ale sound more Irish in som markets. Others have suggested that the Smithwick's name had been trademarked in some markets.
Guinness also owns Harp Lager and Macardles ales. In England they also market "Guinness Draft Bitter" which uses the same draught-flow system and Guinness stout.

Q: Is there anything I need to know when I go into a pub for a Guinness?
A: First, you don't "go into a pub for a Guinness". A bird doesn't fly with one wing! You always have two! One of the classic posts to the r.f.d.b newsgroup was Alan Clinton's "A guide for the un-initiated to buying Guinness in an Irish pub." It is reproduced in Appendix I.

Q: What do the numbers on the Guinness labels mean and why isn't there a set of numbers on the Pub Draught(tm) cans?
A: We are still looking into this, but we believe there are licence numbers for the different styles of Guinness.
ejoynt@whoi.edu (Ernest H. Joynt, III) offered the following information:

The letters and numbers preceding the six-digit number are actually written with the first letter over the other two. For example, the Guinness Extra Stout is "L over A1".
The Pub Draught Guinness (tm) does not have this type of numbering on the can. We do not know why.

Q: Is the Guinness family still involved with the Guinness company?
A: The family still has a large financial stake in Arthur Guinness & Son PLC, but have not been directly involved in the management since 1992.

Q: Why are there so many Irish pubs springing up?
A: Well, there are two types of people in this world: Those who are Irish, and those who want to be!
In fact, Guinness has set up a business that will totally outfit and "Irish Pub" for a would-be publican. All the publican has to do is provide the site. In Germany, there are new Irish pubs opening weekly.

Q: Someone told me that Guinness intentionally added sour Guinness to their beers. Is that true?
A: Yes, part of the process is to blend in some specially soured Guinness. The following was extracted from the Homebrew Digest. I believe the original author was Martin Lodahl, but I may be mistaken:
"...they have a series of huge oaken tuns dating back to the days before Arthur Guinness bought the brewery, which they still use as fermenters for a fraction of the beer. The tuns have an endemic population of Brettanomyces, lactic acid bacteria and Lord knows what else, and beer fermented in it sours emphatically. They pasteurize this and blend small quantities of it with beer fermented in more modern vessels."

Q: I've heard that Guinness contains oysters. Is that true?
A: No. At one time, oyster shell may have been used as finings to rid the beer of unwanted solids, but this was not in this century, and may not have ever been done by Guinness. There are oyster stouts that contain oyster, oyster extracts, etc.
The confusion might also come from two other Guinness and oyster facts: Guinness sponsors the Galway International Oyster Festival and Guinness is the perfect drink to accompany oysters.

Q: Doesn't Guinness contain oatmeal?
A: No. It is a rather common misconception that Guinness (and all other stouts) contain oatmeal. Oatmeal Stout is a distinctive style stout. The revivalist of this style was Samuel Smith's Brewery in Yorkshire, England, at the request of its North American agent, Merchant du Vin of Seattle.

Q: How does one spell Guinness?
A: Never! That's a waste of nectar! Oh, Sorry. I thought you said "spill".
Guinness is spelled exactly as you see in the question -- two "N's", two "S's" and a "U" before the "I". The "G" is always capitalized out of reverence. Unfortunately, it is misspelled in the index of the 1991 Pocket Guide to Beer (only one "N").

Q: Doesn't Guinness contain {insert name of animal} {insert your favourite word for urine}?
A: No. It is not part of the formulation, and there is virtually no opportunity for this to happen by chance. We cannot be as unequivocal about Labudmilloorsons, however. ;-)

Q: What's the proper thing to say when someone {buys you a Guinness/ gives you a 4-pack of Draught-flow cans/gives you your own cask}?
A: Whale oil beef hooked! ;-)

Q: Is there a Guinness smiley/emoticon?
A: (:-{d) (licking the rich, creamy Guinness foam off the upper lip.)

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FAQs About Serving Guinness and Guinness Drinks

Q: What temperature is correct for serving Guinness?
A: Guinness can be served cooler than other ales. 5-8 degrees celsius is about ideal, although some places keep their Guinness at cellar temperature along with their other ales.

Q: What is a Black and Tan?
A: Guinness (or some other stout) mixed with another lighter coloured beer such as a pale ale or lager. There is now a separate section of this FAQ on Black & Tans.

Q: What is Black Velvet?
A: Guinness and Champagne in equal proportions (MJBC p 176)

Q: Are there other Guinness drinks?
A: A poor-man's Black Velvet is Guinness and cider. There are several variations involving black current cordial or cassis. Cordial will sweeten a Guinness, and if poured in through the head, leaves a purple "splotch" in the head. A Purple Meany is half Guinness, half bitter (the dregs of the cask if possible) and cordial. (No thanks to Niall McAuley and Duncan Snelling for these horrible drinks!)
Brendan Mullooly submitted the following:
Guinness & Trappist: Black Brother, Black Death, Black Monk & Kriek: Black and Red, Black and Sweet, Black Cherry
"A drop of Diesel" was popular in some Irish pub's in the mid 1980s. It is a pint of Smithwicks with a shot of Guinness dropped into the full pint glass, darkening the Smithwicks and adding a hint of Guinness taste.
I received a note from Tim Gamble (tgamble@ix.netcom.com) that he and his brother Ned Won a Guinness-sponsored "Guinness Originals" contest in about 1986 with the following recipe:
"...we dropped a tiny bit of ice-cream into the Guinness, and then we new we had something....There is some kind of a chemical reaction, like dropping a bar of magnesium into a vat of acid, between the two. Turns out the following formula is the safest and tastiest:

Q: I once saw shamrocks on a Guinness. What that all about?
A: Susan Hoban, author of "Irish Pubs Across America" - A guide to over 300 Irish pubs in the U.S., writes: "In fact, one will encounter many a shamrock atop a pint of Guinness in America, made by the bartender 'drawing' the shamrock at the end of 'drawing' the pint." Other variations have include writing your initial in the foamy head. One correspondent reported that "The bartender offered to 'sign' my name on the head: if the name did not hold until I finished the drink, I would get one free. Needless to say, I never got a free pint."
One legend has it that in Irish Centres, the Shamrock was drawn into the head and the supporter was required to pay an extra small fee "for the cause".

Q: How does the draught-flow can work? What's that plastic thing in the can do?
A: The simple, non-technical answer is that the little plastic bladder is filled with nitrogen, not nitrous oxide or nitrous dioxide as claimed by a couple of posters. Since the can's contents are under pressure, some of the Guinness is forced into the plastic bladder through a pin-hole. When the can is opened, the nitrogen and beer mixture is released creating the lovely foamy head.
Nitrogen is used because it creates smaller bubbles than carbon dioxide, which can also leave a tinny taste.

Q: Where can I get more detailed information on this?
A: Here. Thanks to Joel Plutchak, who saved this information that someone else (unattributed) posted. (I would be happy to give credit to the original poster -- email me)
"The problem has always been the fact that draught Guinness is (or should be) dispensed with a mixture of Nitrogen and CO2 gasses rather than the conventional CO2 alone. The nitrogen is used because it makes very fine bubbles while it is not absorbed into the brew as the CO2 is, thus it does not "over-carbonate" the beer. Also a special faucet is preferred which, in combination with the gasses, creates that wonderful creamy brown head which lasts to the bottom of the glass. The new can combines the original kegged stout recipe with technology which creates the draught effect to a tee.
"Dr. Alan Forage, creator of the technology, was on hand to explain the mechanics of the new can. This is the way the system works: The 16.9 ounce can (containing 14.9 ounces of beer) is fitted with a small plastic device (Guinness calls it a "smoothifier") which sits in the bottom of the can. This device has a pocket or cavity which is open to the atmosphere via a pin hole in its top. The can is evacuated of oxygen and filled with beer. Prior to sealing the can, a dose of liquid nitrogen is added to the beer. The can is closed and as the liquid nitrogen warms a pressure is created. The pressure forces about 1% of the beer and nitrogen into the plastic cavity. When the can is opened, the pressure is released and the small amount of beer in the cavity is forced back through the pinhole quite violently. The agitation created by this "geyser" mixes the nitrogen with the beer in such a way as to reproduce the tap handle character. Open up the first empty can you have in order to see what the "smoothifier" looks like."
Technical details from the patent are in Appendix II.
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"Black and Tan" FAQs

Q: What is a Black & Tan? What is a Half-and-Half?
A: The answer depends on who you ask. The all-Guinness Black & Tan is Harp Lager and Guinness. (Harp is brewed by Guinness at Dundalk). Many consider the classic Black & Tan to be Bass Pale Ale and Guinness. (To some Irish, they appreciate the fact that the Irish comes out on top!) However, Bass Ale is not as available in Ireland as it used to be, and either Harp or Smithwicks is generally used. However, there are many variations involving a stout or porter and another lighter coloured beer, either lager or ale.
A half-and-half is often just another name for a Black & Tan. However, in many North American Irish pubs, the Bass/Guinness ombination is called a Black & Tan, while the Harp/Guinness combination is called a Half-and-Half.
To quote Brendan E. Molloy (b.molloy@ic.ac.uk):
According to "The Guinness Drinking Companion" by Leslie Dunkling:
Black and Tan = Guinness and Mild
Half and Half = Mild and Bitter
The above book (now sadly out of print) was published by Guinness Publishing and if anyone knows they do! The full Oxford English Dictionary also mentions these mixtures (look under Beer, Ale, Drink, etc.).
With the decline of Mild in the UK these names are dropping out of use. In Dublin, where Mild is no longer available, you will get Guinness mixed with Bitter if you ask for a Black and Tan. Some publicans serve other combinations so it is best to check before you buy.
Note: Mild is a slightly sweetish 'Tan' coloured beer, that is typically light in alcohol. However, Guinness promotional advertising in the U.S. refers to a Black & Tan as being the Bass and Guinness version. Ken Papai described the ads as follows:
Here is the Guinness Import Company (c) 1992 ad on their beer card/beer coaster that they distribute at pubs and beer shows:

THE TRUE COLORS OF HALLOWEEN (picture of black & tan in a pint glass)
Guinness (picture of a harp, the Guinness trademark and logo)
Bass Ale (Bass logo)
BLACK & TAN

It should be noted that Guinness Imports Ltd., also imports Bass Ale.
So, Black and Tan, Half and Half, B&T, Half'n'alf, it all depends on where you are and who you ask. When your bartender is a 240 lb., 6'4" fellow named O'Malley, a Black & Tan (or a Half-and-Half) is whatever he says it is!

Q: How do I pour a Black and Tan?
A: Steve Glover, who has tended bar in Ireland, says that the layered Black and Tan is an American affectation that they were happy to do for extra money :-). Otherwise, both beers (they used Smithwicks and Guinness) were simply poured in the same glass fully mixed.
If you want a layered drink: Carefully. Practice. With a special spoon. There are many answers.
I have had success pouring the Harp or Bass vigorously so that it develops a good head. Using a Black & Tan spoon, pour the Guinness slowly over the back of the spoon. It will remain layered for some time. (You can make your own by bending the bowl of a spoon back so that when you lower it into the glass, the bowl is concave down.)
The Guinness promotional beer coaster cited above offers the following advice:
HOW TO POUR A FRIGHTENLY PERFECT BLACK & TAN
1. Hold your pint glass at an angle, and fill just over halfway with Bass Ale on tap.
2. Slow the flow control on the Draught Guinness tap down to a trickle.
3. Fill to the top, letting Draught Guinness hit the side of the glass.
or...
Pour Draught Guinness over an upside-down spoon to disperse the flow.
4. Let settle, and enjoy the True Colors of Halloween!

Q: Why does the Guinness float on top of the other beer?
A: "Quality always rises to the top" (Jon Binkley)
Tom Otvos (tomo@everyware.com) offers the following hypothesis:
I have sometimes wondered about why the Guinness stays on top of a layered Black and Tan myself. A friend of mine and I (both of us engineers) came to the conclusion that the SG of Guinness is not appreciably different from other beers, but that it is the higher viscosity of the liquid that prevents if from mixing. We assumed that it was this viscosity that gives Guinness its body, and the perception that it is a "heavier beer".
David B. Sapsis sends this hypothesis:
I am virtually certain that although the very high protien content of this brew (what do you expect from a grist that's 25% flaked!) does in fact make it more viscous, and this is born out in mouthfeel, the driving force behind Guinness floating on other beers is differences in density. Not only is Guinness very well attenuated (I have degassed Pub draft and found its gravity to be 1009) it is also usually served quite a bit warmer than the "bottom half". Thus, an ale served around 40F is at the peak of its density temperature curve (max rho at 4C) and is likely to have a higher finishing gravity, both raising the delta rho. Now I do believe that the initial boundary layer formation is highly viscosity dependent, because ... if you overpush the stout, you can break the boundary and mixing results.

Q: Is there any meaning to the Black & Tan name other than its obvious reference to the colours of the beers?
A: Yes. The first known reference to the expression Black & Tan was in reference to a breed of beagles used as hunting dogs in Ireland.
The term was also used to refer to a regiment of British soldiers recruited to serve in Ireland after the First World War. They had a reputation for being quite brutal and committed many atrocities against the Irish in the years 1919- 21. Their viciousness and ferocity, like the hunting dog and the colours of their makeshift uniforms made the moniker Black & Tan doubly appropriate.

Q: Should I order a Black & Tan in Dublin?
A: Some have posted that this is not advisable, as you might stir up tempers. Steve Glover and others post that ordering a Black and Tan is no problem.

Q: In another newsgroup, someone asked if Black & Tans were invented in the U.S. Is this true?
A: Wasn't everything worthy and of good repute, including justice, honour (sorry, honor) and civilization invented in the U.S. of A.? ;-)

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Guinness and Health

Q: Is Guinness really "good for you"?
A: Medically, possibly. Its alcohol is low enough to have a relaxing effect. The bottle-conditioned product may produce a mild laxative effect due to the live yeast. Too many bottles of the bottle-conditioned product can have an extreme laxative and diuretic effect, which is not good for you.
There is medical folklore about Guinness and stout, in general. "In some countries, stout is seen as an aphrodisiac, or as a beneficial bath for newborn babies." (MJBC p 177) Since most research indicates the aphrodisiac effects are primarily psychological, there may be truth to the former. Too many may have an adverse affect on performance, however.
Of course, if you feel as good as I do after enjoying and Guinness, then there is no question that it is good for you!

Q: But isn't Guinness high in calories?
A: Not especially. "Guinness is not notably high in calories..." (MJBC, p 177) This refers to the draught, bottle-conditioned and draught flow (tm) product, which are fairly low in alcohol. Calories in beers come from the alcohol and the residual sugars. The higher the alcohol, the higher the caloric content.

Q: Where did the "Guinness is Good for You" come from?
A: Guinness's advertising agency (S. H. Benson) did some market research during the 1920's to find our what people liked about Guinness. People responded that they felt good when they had their pint and the slogan was born. The slogan is still used in some countries (notably in Africa) that do not regulate advertising claims as zealously as the U.K. and North America. Some have even posted that the advertising features athletes and imply that there athleticism can be attributed to Guinness.

Q: Guinness has been dispensed in hospitals, correct?
A: Yes. In England, post-operative patients used to be given Guinness, as were blood donors. Sadly, this is no longer the case in England. In Ireland, Guinness is still made available to blood donors and stomach and intestinal post-operative patients. Guinness is known to be high in iron content.

Q: What about the old wives' tale about nursing mothers drinking Guinness?
A: Current medical research suggests that pregnant women and nursing mothers should totally abstain from any form of alcoholic beverage. In pregnancy, it can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, characterized by slow development. Alcohol does pass in the mother's milk, so nursing mother's should avoid Guinness and any other form of alcohol. I have received numerous comments from readers that I am being overly cautious and that Guinness is still given to nursing mothers in Ireland and brown ale to mothers in Belgium.

Q: Guinness is high in vitamin G, isn't it?
A: There is no vitamin G! However, the folklore surrounding Guinness has often lead to it being called vitamin G. Recommended Daily Allowance: 3 pints a day.

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Specifications of the Various Types of Guinness

Draught Guinness (Ireland & North America):

"Draught-flow" Canned "Pub Draught Guinness"
Similar specifications as the Draught Guinness, above.

Bottled Guinness (U.S.) -- This is an "Extra Stout"

Continental Guinness (Draught and bottled)
"a little more than 4 percent by weight, 5 by volume" (MJBC p 181)
"strong" Bottled Guinness

Guinness Extra Stout (England, according to Eckhardt)

Guinness Extra Stout (Ireland, according to Jackson)
(bottle conditioned)

Bottled Guinness (Ireland)
"similar" specifications as Draught Guinness

Foreign Extra Stout (this is a blend of Guinnesses):

Guinness Extra Stout (Ireland in 1901, according to Eckhardt)

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Appendix I

A GUIDE FOR THE UN-INITIATED TO BUYING GUINNESS IN AN IRISH PUB.

  1. Choose your pub carefully. A pint of Guinness does not appreciate loud music, loud people or bright flashing lights.
  2. Ask politely for a pint of Guinness. Depending on the pub, it is possible to catch the barman's eye and mouth the word "pint", he will translate this accurately.
  3. The barman will fill the glass between 70% and 80% capacity. It will then be put to the side for a few moments to allow it "to settle". Once the brownish liquid has almost turned to a solid black the barman will then fill the rest of the glass.
    NB: do not under any circumstances take the glass before it is filled. Some virgins seem to think that the settling stage is the final stage and walk away with an unfinished pint. At this point we Irish DO understand the predicament, but I assure you it causes endless mirth as well.
  4. Once you have received your pint, find a comfortable stool or seat, gaze with awe into the deep blackness, raise the pint to your mouth and take a large mouthful. Be firm.
  5. A good pint can distinguished by a number of methods. A smooth, slightly off- white head is one, another is the residue left on the inside of the glass. These, surprise surprise, are known as rings. As long as they are there you know you're okay. A science of rings is developing - the instance that comes to mind is determining a persons nationality by the number of rings (a ring is dependent on a swig of Guinness each swig leaving it's own ring). An Irishman will have in the region of 5-6 rings (we pace ourselves), an Englishman will have 8-10 rings, an American will have 17-20 (they sip) and an Australian won't have any at all as they tend to knock it back in one go!
  6. As you near the end of your pint, it is customary to order another one. It is a well known fact that a bird does not fly on one wing.

- Alan Clinton (aclinton@dub-fdev.dub.comm.mot.com)

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Appendix II

Patent Information on the Smoothifier

Robert James posted:
I was doing some patent search work at the Washington library in Chicago the other day and I ran across no. 4,832,968, the U.S. patent for the Guinness in a can stout. The basics:

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