On our last day in Ireland, Rob and I just walked around Dublin while waiting for our 4 pm tour of the Guinness Storehouse. The Jameson Distillery in Cork had been a blast and we figured the brewery would be very similar.
Since we walked to the storehouse, we passed through a not-so-nice area of Dublin. Lots of stores were closed down, the buildings weren’t very well kept, and it was not the kind of place I would want to be after dark. However, once we turned at the clearly marked signs,
we walked through the alleyways of the old storehouse. The cobblestone streets and brick buildings really gave us a feel of what it would have been like to live and work there when the brewery first opened.
The Guinness Storehouse itself is shaped like a pint glass and could hold 14.3 million pints if you felt so inclined to fill it up. As a heads up, you save 20% on your tour ticket if you buy them online!
At one point during the self-guided tour, we were ushered into a red-roped line by an elderly tour guide. Having no idea what it was for, but assured that it was worth, we filed down this fun-house type of hallway with loud music, neon lights, and slanted ceilings and walls.
The other side brought us to a sterile, white-everything room that held nothing but beer taps and smoking pillars. The idea was to assault the senses on your way in, so when you hit the white room you were totally ready to absorb the layered tastes of Guinness. Sounds like baloney to me, but I’m not a beer snob. The smoking pillars were the scents of the different stages the beer goes through before it’s drinkable.
After grabbing a tasting glass, we headed to a darken room where a Guinness guide taught us how to properly sip the drink. The key is elbow up.
When we finally arrived at the official tasting room, the place was packed but the views were spectacular. You could see all of Dublin in the 360 degree top floor.
Our bartender was extremely serious about this job, utilizing all the proper wait times to waterfall the beer and let it settle. I guess when you work at the Guinness flagship, you better know your stuff.
Since I’m not a huge Guinness fan, I had a few sips of mine and pawned it off on Rob. The mellow music and view was enough for me!
Even though Guinness is not my thing, I definitely recommend checking out the storehouse. It was a fun way to spend an afternoon!
RQ: Are you a fan of brewery tours? Guinness: yay or nay?
I’m Brooke Selb, a Personal Trainer and Health Coach specializing in helping busy moms and moms to be to easily juggle mom life with family friendly recipes, and easy exercise routines to help you achieve your fitness goals that fit in with your already busy life with sound nutritional advice.
I loved the roof of the Guinness place (I called it a museum?)! I LOVED Guinness at the time and I felt the tour did an excellent job of leading up to the free pint at the end with the beautiful views of the city. Now Guinness is OK to me. There are other stouts I prefer.
I’m not a huge Guinness fan either, but I thought it tasted better at the brewery than I have ever had it in the US. My family likes it and I always keep trying it, because hey you never know, but so far I still cant do it. Maybe it was just in my head, but I was able to finish the entire thing. I love that you are posting about your trip. It brings back such great memories!!!