When you mention Ireland, you automatically think of Guinness: it's the quintessential Irish beer, a true symbol of the island and a product appreciated throughout the world, so much so that its original production facility in Dublin has been transformed into a museum that welcomes millions of enthusiasts from around the world every year. Characterized by an intense, aromatic flavor and a classic, very dark, practically black color, Guinness is part of the stout family, that is, that series of English and Irish dark beers that, as the name suggests, are very robust and full-bodied. Guinness isn't the only one in existence, but it has certainly become the most famous. But do you know when this delicious drink was born? It all goes back to one Arthur Guinness, the father of the most famous Irish beer but also of a very special award, the Guinness World Record.
The Origins and History of Guinness: From Stout to Irish Symbol
Before discovering how Guinness was born, it's important to take a step back and better understand what stout beer is and where it originated. What we call stout beer today originated in London in the 18th century: initially it was called porter-stout and, in fact, it was born as a stronger version of an already popular porter beer. Stout was a generic term used, at the time, in combination with different styles of beer, but, as the new porter-stout became more popular, "stout" came to refer to this new type and became a beer style in its own right.
Around the same time, around 1759, a man named Arthur Guinness opened a brewery in Dublin that bears his name. Initially, however, he focused only on the production of pale ale. It was only several years later that Mr. Guinness began experimenting with dark beer, and his experiments soon proved successful, thanks also to the advent of new pale ales in Great Britain, which increasingly replaced dark beers.
This was Guinness's fortune, and it quickly established itself on the market, so much so that its founder officially registered the trademark for what would become the famous Guinness beer in 1862. It was on this occasion that the famous logo, consisting of a golden harp, was also designed, inspired by an ancient Gaelic harp kept at Trinity College in Dublin. Guinness ensured that its beer increasingly stood out, especially compared to English stouts: the Dublin brewery was, in fact, the first to use black patent malts, roasted barley, and flaked barley in its production, giving the beer a more pronounced color and a much more decisive, bitter, and roasted flavor.
Arthur Guinness died in 1803 but his legacy passed to one of his many sons and in his hands Guinness grew ever more until it became one of the most widespread, exported and loved beers in the world: even in the 19th century there was a belief that Guinness and other stouts were beneficial to health, so much so that they were consumed by athletes and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
In the 20th century, stout production began to decline, replaced by other types of beer and by a reduction in costs that pushed breweries to reevaluate the parameters of gravity and alcohol content, which progressively decreased. However, this did not affect Guinness, which in fact became even more famous thanks to massive advertising campaigns conceived between 1930 and 1940 that are still part of the iconography and merchandising of the English brand, for example all the commercials featuring animals, including the famous toucan.
Guinness' and Other Stout Beers' Characteristics
What makes Guinness so beloved compared to all other stout beers? It's certainly a combination of factors: first and foremost, its unmistakable, intense dark color, the hint of toastiness, the freshness of the hops, the refreshing flavor, and the smooth, velvety texture. Even its versatility, though less well-known, is its appeal: Guinness Original, served strictly cold, pairs perfectly with cheeses and fish, especially lobster, and spicy desserts. It can also be a full-fledged ingredient, as in the unique Irish Guinness cake, made with beer.
Another unmistakable characteristic of Guinness is its very dense, almost cream-like head: to pour it properly, the glass—the inverted bell-shaped one that has become an icon of the brand—must be tilted at a meticulous 45°. The head is so important to the Guinness product that a way to recreate it even when pouring from the can has been devised, using the famous little plastic sphere inside the can, which allows the head to form when the glass is filled, just as it would from a tap.
Guinness belongs to and represents the series of beers known as Irish dry stout, characterized by a dark color, a dry, bitter flavor with a coffee and licorice aftertaste, and an alcohol content ranging from 4 to 7%. While they are the most famous, they are not the only stout beers in existence, although the others remain more artisanal and niche products.
Among the most interesting and particular stand out:
- sweet stout, of English origin, less bitter and often sweetened with lactose, they are distinguished by sweetish notes reminiscent of chocolate;
- oatmeal stout, derived from sweet stout but with the addition of oats which increases the fullness of the beer's body and makes it medium sweet, with an aftertaste reminiscent of hazelnut;
- Oyster stout / chocolate stout / coffee stout, a series of variations that involve the addition of different ingredients—in this order, oysters, chocolate, and coffee—directly to the brewing recipe. They are a recent trend that involves the use of various flavoring ingredients: in addition to those mentioned above, they can also be found with coconut, vanilla, or chili pepper.
Is There a Connection Between Beer and The Guinness World Records?
Perhaps you've never thought about it, but the name Guinness isn't just associated with beer: there's a very unique award called the Guinness World Record. Does it have any connection with the famous Irish beer? Yes, it is: it was Hugh Beaver, CEO of the Guinness brewery in Dublin, who created the famous awards. It was 1955, and during a hunting trip, he observed the speed of an animal and began to ponder the idea of which records could be officially recognized, from natural to human.
It seemed to him like a type of discussion that could be popular and intriguing, especially in places like pubs and over a glass of his beer, so he conceived a book that would collect all this data and curiosities. Thus the first draft of the book was born, published on August 27, 1955, achieving record numbers: today it has sold more than 100 million copies in 100 different countries and has been translated into 37 different languages, and is so famous that it has even become a television program broadcast in 35 countries. Today, the book and the industry are no longer associated, but by mutual agreement they have decided to keep the name, honoring the past ties without changing anything.
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