Guinness is popular around the world, and has a very loyal following. It is immediately identifiable by it's inky black body, and thick, white head. Guinness is frequently drank, as opposed to sipped, and doing so leaves a characteristic series of "rings" in the pint glass, each one marking previous levels. A typical drinker leaves around 7 rings, though as little as 3 or even none, are common.
Guinness frequently gets accused of being "a meal in a glass", but this is largely due to lager drinker's perceptions of it being thick and heavy. Contrasting against a lager, Guinness certainly is thicker and creamier, but does not "fill you up" much more than a lager. In fact, Guinness in the bottle contains only 110 calories, not much different than typical light beers.
[edit]The Bubbles
Also known as "the inverse waterfall" or "gravity".
People observe that a settling pint of Guinness seems to show bubbles traveling downward, and the effect is somewhat hypnotic to a non-Guinness drinker, soothing to a Guinness drinker. The downward traveling effect appears to result from a faster column of rising bubbles in the center of the glass, causing the smaller bubbles near the edge to be pulled downward.
[edit]The Widget
Guinness in "pub cans" and Guinness in 11.2 oz bottles both contain a widget, which is a special device inserted at bottling (or canning) time. When the vessel is opened, the sudden drop in pressure causes the widget to expel compressed gas inside the bottle (or can), such that when it is poured into a pint, you get the traditional thick white head.
In the case of the can, the widget is a ball, about the size of a large marble. In the case of the bottle, the widget, called a "Rocket Widget" is a rocket shaped object with fins, allowing the widget to be inserted into the bottle, but not easily fall back out when drinking. Each time you tip the bottle, the free floating Rocket Widget releases a precise mixture of CO2 and NO2, creating a perfect Draught Guinness moment.
[edit]The Guinness Challenge
Guinness drinkers believe that anyone can become a Guinness drinker, even if they do not like stouts. The Challenge frequently is given to fervent anti-Stout drinkers, and the goal of which is to either become a Guinness drinker, or at least admit that it is a quality, likable beer.
The Guinness Challenge is simply to drink 3 pints of Guinness, in a single sitting, all in a row. The progression of a non-Guinness drinker's reaction is typically as follows:
Pint #1 - Signs of a struggle, anxious to switch back to a Lager
Pint #2 - Acceptance of Guinness as drinkable
Pint #3 - Actual appreciation of the beer, and pleasant comments.
[edit]Guinness Advertising
An advertisement from the 1946 New York Times promoting Guinness as some sort of 'health drink'. Modern lawyers would go crazy over this advertisementFor years, Guinness made claims that it was "good for you" and stories of pint of Guinness given to pregnant mothers is well documented. The company launched several campaigns to reaffirm Guinness's health benefits. And, indeed, it may be true that there are healthy benefits to the beer, being rich in Vitamin B, but the ad campaigns conveniently ignore the health risks associated with any alcoholic beverage, perhaps because they were not very well understood 50 or 100 years ago.
Another popular campaign features a Toucan, and other animals. The Toucan has at least one pint balanced on it's beak, and is sometimes presented in flight. The only other major brand to use a Toucan as a mascot is Froot Loops cereal. In addition to the toucan, several other animals have also been used throughout the years.
[edit]Mixing
Since Guinness is relatively light, it can sit on top of other beers, if properly poured. This fact has created quite a variety of "mixed" Guinness drinks.
Black&Tan - Bass and Guinness
Half&Half - Harp and Guinness
Snakebite - Guinness with a hard cider
Blacksmith - Guinness and Smithwicks
[edit]Interesting Facts
Uses Nitrogen rather than Carbon Dioxide as it's primary carbonate.
Almost always misspelled as "Guiness"
[edit]Variations
Draught Guinness
North American + Ireland, 4.2% ABV
Draft-flow
(aka "The Can") North America + Ireland, 4.2% ABV
Guinness Extra-Stout
North America, 6.0% ABV, England, 5.5% ABV, Ireland, 4.2% ABV
Continental Guinness
5.0% ABV
"Strong" Bottled Guinness
7.5% ABV
Bottled Guinness
Ireland, 4.3% ABV
Foreign Extra Stout
a blend?
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