The Barmaid set the pint of Guinness stout in front of me, tiny tan bubbles of nitrogen still cascading upward through its dark brown liquid. The last time I’d tasted one, almost 40 years earlier, I thought it vile. Dreading strong, coffee-like flavors, I feared the pending attack on my taste buds.
* * * * * *
“Let’s go have some craic!”
Despite the sound of it, this is not the battle cry of Irish drug addicts looking to score cocaine. Craic is an Irish term that means “fun”.
Sort of.
It’s not an exact definition. It attempts to call up that feeling of comradery, joy, cracking jokes, laughing, gossiping, maybe having a drink or three, and generally having a good time with your friends. The traditional place for this is an Irish pub.

This particular pub is on the outskirts of Waterford, Ireland. It’s been around for a few years, certainly long enough to see the evolution of Irish pubs. Established in 1705, it’s been owned by the current family since 1857. Our group was looking to have a craic in the loft of the old bar.

Cead mile failte – a hundred thousand welcomes
Back in the days before absurdly large cities, before the internet, before texting and social media, before even the telephone, people still looked for ways to have the craic. The local pub set the stage.
It was a gathering place to meet friends, acquaintances, and passers-through. Did you want to know the latest? Go to the pub. Ever wonder about the source of that stereotype of the barman with the kind ear who seems to know everybody’s business?
But even with all that, many publicans needed a second job to make ends meet. Although they were a central meeting point, folks had their own lives to deal with, and the pub may not be right next door. Trying to survive solely on Friday night craic (or whenever they did it) and the occasional drop in may not be enough to pay the bills. So, they’d have a second job: raising sheep, local grocery and general store, burying the dead.
Yep, undertaker and pub owner was a regular thing. Some of it may have been for convenience. The pub probably had a cool cellar for storage of beer – it could also keep a body cool before it was interred. It’s likely there’d be a wake on the premises with plenty of spirits served, in one way or another. And, of course, as the guy behind the bar, chances are the pub owner had already gotten the deceased pickled a time or two.
I don’t think our host at Jack Meade’s had quite gone to those depths. His routine was more as an entertainer; telling stories about the history of his pub and pubs in general, dropping a joke here and there, and singing songs.

Singing and music seem to be ingrained into the Irish psyche. Perhaps it’s because they were often obliged to make their own entertainment. Maybe it’s due to inhibitions loosened by a few glasses of beer or whisky. Whatever is behind it, it must be part of that mysterious feeling fed by craic. And sooner or later, somebody’s going to end up singing “Oh Danny Boy”.
But first, they need to oil those vocal cords. And what dark liquid lubricant might help with that?
Guinness Stout.

While ordering a Guinness in a typical Irish pub will result in a dark, malty beverage, Guinness is actually a brand rather than a beer style. Guinness makes several variations of its stout, as well as newer styles like IPA and Blonde.
The black stuff started life as a Porter, a style named due to its popularity with London’s street and river porters. Arthur Guinness started his Dublin brewery in 1759, signing a 9000-year lease at 45 British Pounds per year, a rate the brewery still pays for its large site. The recipe has evolved over the years.
Pouring a Guinness is an art form. Getting that head just right, with the bubbles still settling requires technique. But before we talk about the art of pouring Guinness, an aside. What’s the big deal about the bubbles?
Most draft beer and almost all bottled and canned beer get their fizz and head from carbon dioxide. This gas has larger bubbles and is more easily absorbed into solution. Nitrogen bubbles are much smaller and don’t absorb into solution as easily. Because the bubbles are so much smaller, the mouthfeel is much smoother. Some bars will offer pours from a nitrogen beer engine, i.e. a tap that forces nitrogen into the beer at the time it is being poured. For cans and bottles, they’ve created a “widget” – a small plastic object with an even smaller hole in it that can absorb pressurized nitrogen injected at canning time. When the container is opened, it releases the absorbed nitrogen from the widget. Guinness is partially carbonated with carbon dioxide, but its real character comes from being poured with nitrogen being injected.
So, the steps for pouring a Guinness:
- Get a clean, dry, 20-ounce, tulip-shaped pint glass. The bump in the tulip allows nitrogen bubbles to move down the side of the glass and back up into the neck of the beer. Tilt the glass away from you at a 45-degree angle; if you don’t, the Guinness will froth and take forever to settle.
- Pull the tap toward you, full on. Fill the glass to the bottom edge of the tulip’s bump. On Guinness glasses there’s a gold harp icon; for the perfect pour, fill it halfway up this harp and set it aside.
- Don’t touch it until you see a distinction between the dark body and creamy white head. This may take a few minutes. If you’re in a hurry to get a beer, order something else.
- After the head becomes defined, top off the beer. Pour it straight into the glass, no 45-degree angle needed this time. Stop when the head just peeks over the rim.
- Let it settle again. We’re maximizing our head, letting the bubbles absorb into the beer, and enjoying the show of seeing a beer gradually turn from tan to black, with interesting bubble patterns in ascent. If you attempt to grab the pour before this stage is done, the bartender may slap your hand.
- Sip. Earn your foam mustache. Sip deeper, and enjoy the flavor.
Incidentally, this technique works well for pouring regular beer as well, you just don’t need the long settling times.
* * * * *
But did I enjoy the flavor? When I first tasted one back in 1980, I could barely finish it, I gagged it down to be polite. It tasted strongly of coffee, and I hate coffee. (Ok, so I’m a little weird.) This time, first sip, “hmmm, that’s not half bad.” As I got further into it, that evolved to “hey, I really like this stuff!” I wasn’t picking up any coffee flavors, it was smooth and well balanced. Sure, there was a hint of roastiness, but this was supposed to be a stout – that’s to be expected. Stouts I’ve tried back home, and I don’t try many due to the coffee thing, tend to have much stronger flavors. This one tasted more like a mild Porter.
Other folks I’ve talked to have had similar experiences. The version of Guinness they’ve tasted before, outside Ireland wasn’t nearly as tasty. I suspect that’s because Guinness has an “Extra Stout” version they use for export. Maybe my first taste, way back when, was of the extra stout variety. Maybe my palate has evolved; since that first taste of Guinness I’ve tasted hundreds of varieties and variations on beer, it’s kind of a hobby.
In any case, I went from apprehensive to appreciative, and for the duration of the trip when I looked to have the craic with my fellow travelers, it might well be augmented with a Guinness.
Special thanks to the barmaid (Jane?) at Jack Meade’s for letting me photograph the art of pouring a Guinness.
I tasted Guinness years ago and disliked it. Perhaps I should try it again!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe so. If you like Porters it may be worth a try – but you may need to go to Ireland. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
OK, let’s have some craic and visit an Irish pub. That’s I feel now after reading about the fine art of drinking a Guinness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It doesn’t even have to be an Irish pub… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great article! (It is far too good to be called a “post”.)
I have always wanted to go to Ireland, and your article has intensified that feeling.
Strangely enough, I was in London in 1982 (a mere 2 years after your story took place) and was trying a Guinness Stout. I did not care much for beer back then (or now) but a friend of mine back here in the states had slipped me a few bucks before I got on the plane to London and told me to have a Guinness Stout in his honor. I did. I hated it. I barely got through it.
So I have shied away from Guinness ever since then. However, your article has made me think I should give it another try. All I need to do is find a nice Irish pub. 🙂
Thanks for another great read!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, if you don’t like beer I doubt Guinness will magically transform you. But then, you have been complaining about not having enough adventure to write about.
LikeLike
Hi Dave – Enjoyed this and wished I was there! Guinness was offering a variety pack not long ago – Antwerp, Foreign Extra, 1812 formula, etc (I may have the details a bit off) but we really enjoyed them all. I like the creaminess of it.
So, a scientific question: if 6 Guinness drinkers stood under a balloon, and burped, how many pints are needed for sufficient nitrogen to get them off the ground? Assuming none of them were smokers, and made the nitrogen explode.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, since air is mostly nitrogen anyway I suspect it would take a considerable number of pints to do anything. On the other hand, should they “burp” out the other end…
LikeLike
😁😃
LikeLike
I used to drink the stuff a long time ago, when the only draught beers you could get in the UK were insipid, weak, ghastly liquids such as Double Diamond and Red Barrel. Nowadays we are spoilt for choice and I no longer drink Guinness, but this is because having tasted it in Ireland, I know the ones we get in UK are not as good.
Which is a long and convoluted way of saying the stuff you were drinking is pretty damned good!
LikeLike
I’ve heard folks say the stuff in England wasn’t as good, or the stuff here in the USA. But I found some canned imports that looked like what I had in a fish and chips joint in northern Ireland, and it was pretty good, and found some draft that was good too. Maybe they’re figuring it out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds promising, then.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We loved visiting pubs when we were in Ireland. And even though my husband usually just drinks lite beer at home, he did enjoy the Guinness. I’m not a beer-drinker at all, and even thought it tasted pretty good. Maybe it was just the atmosphere?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Atmosphere never hurts, it’s kinda like food tasting better on a camping trip. But it can’t make nasty taste good. Guess it must have been my tastes changing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your description of having to get through the first couple of sips is spot on. The real trick is getting someone through the first sips who has never tried it. After I offered my neighbor a Guiness, he remarked, “tastes like what I used to seal-coat my driveway”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can see how your neighbor might say that, if his preference is lite beer. Kind of reminds me of the old joke: how is American lite beer like making love in a canoe?
LikeLike
I never thought about it before, but after reading this I can totally see how the pub was such an important part of village life. The epicenter, even. As for Guinness, I think I may have tried a sip once, but I guess it didn’t leave an impression on me. But I’m not a beer connoisseur at all. I’d take it over Budweiser any day, however. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suspect the smaller the village, the more important it was/is. The Irish seem to take their face to face relationships seriously. I wonder if that holds true for the younger folks.
LikeLike
Enjoyed this bit of craic at the Irish pub, Dave — you really captured the whole pub experience.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you enjoyed it, Jet, and hope you can find the craic at your next get together.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My first introduction to Guinness was in 1966 in Africa. Big billboards proclaimed :Drink Guinness, it gives you power. Not sure about the power part, but I did develop a taste for Guinness. 🙂 –Curt
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suppose it’s analagous to American beer commercials populated by beautiful girls, as if drinking the beer will attract them. Enjoying a good brew for the brew seems more likely.
LikeLike
Laughing, Dave. Peggy and I just rewatched the movie Big Trouble based on the book by Dave Barry. It starts out with a debate over using busty women to promote beer. Hopefully, none of my beer drinking tastes have been influenced by ads featuring beautiful women. But there is no doubt about it, sex sells. –Curt
LikeLike
Hey Dave, Wonderful article on Ireland, pub life, and pouring a proper beer. An ice cold lager is great for quickly quenching your thirst, but a Guinness stout is meant to be savored from the pour to the finish. It is nice by itself but also pairs well with savory meals, fried foods, and even desserts. Cheers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Joe. I admit my drink of choice for a quench is plain old water. That way I can stick savoring a good beer by itself, or with those pairings you suggest.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your mix of impressions and facts really works, Dave. A great celebration of a traditional lifestyle that has much to offer our hectic world …
LikeLiked by 1 person
True that, Dave. If we had a bit more craic and a bit less tribalism it’d be a much happier world.
LikeLike
Jaw-jaw not war-war, as my mum used to say!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post Dave, you take me back to my first ‘real Guinness’ many years ago…your description of the pour, the patience, and finally the flavors make me dream of a return. I’ve always enjoyed a good porter, and when poured by a pub who values quality ~ there is nothing better. Happy you enjoyed this one, cheers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Randall. The way you get around, I’m sure you’ll be back to the land of Guinness before you know it – and if not that land, another that appreciates quality.
LikeLike
Fortunately I don’t have the genes of an alcoholic because I like everything and have been drinking Guinness since before I was old enough to drink legally. But not all “Guinness” is the same and reading your article gives me some understanding of why — it is better fresh on draft and best in a craic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I guess Guinness must be a temperamental brew, for it to express itself in so many ways. But sharing it in a craicing good time probably makes ’em all taste better.
LikeLike
Draft Guinness poured properly in Eire is a whole different creature that Guinness from a bottle in other parts of the world. I enjoyed this post immensely!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Anne, that means a lot. I suspect I’ll avoid Guinness Extra Stout in a bottle – don’t want to spoil a good memory.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Unlike most people, I’ve loved a Guinness stout from the very first one. The ones right there in Dublin at the brewery were by far the best, though! Loved the history here; wish we could go back to those more in-person social times a little more these days.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think making a good dark beer requires finesse – the dark roasted malts are so strong its easy to overdo it. I just overdid the dark malts on a red ale I tried to make – now it’s a brown ale, and has as much or more bite than a Guinness. Oops. (But you might like it 😉 )
LikeLiked by 1 person
I tasted my first Guinness in Seattle a couple years ago (didn’t even try it in Ireland when I was there! For shame, I know). Since I’m new to beer and lean towards the lighter ones, my husband was convinced I wouldn’t like it. Instead, I took one sip and was in love with it. Must be my part Irish genes 🙂 Great post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
If you like Guinness, you might try some of the English Browns, such as Newcastle. It’s a bit lighter, but like Guinness it’s more malt centric than hop centric.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Will have to give those a try! Thanks for the tip
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fascinating read, Dave. I had no idea there was an art to pouring a pint, but watching the transformation from tan to black sounds interesting. I think even I’d be up for a craic. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suspect you’d be craic’n people up left and right, even if you weren’t pouring a pint.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Quite an interesting tale of pouring beer and learning to appreciate it. 🙂 I remember Guinness for its ad campaign. I’m not sure if I’ve tried it. After reading your post, I guess I should give it a shot.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I knew there was a method to pouring Guinness from travel shows, but it was cool to have it demonstrated up close. I don’t know if you like darker beer, or beer at all, but it seems like you’re stepping out of your comfort zone on a regular basis so why not?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh so cool! Did you stay in Faithlegg? I love this pub and the area. I was there in July.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We stayed at Dooley’s Hotel on the Quay. Our trip to Jack Meade’s was part of the tour. We didn’t see much of the bar beyond the old bar, I didn’t even recognise most of the place when I looked it up on the web after the trip.
LikeLiked by 1 person