O/T Guinness

[jcdenton08]

Quick question; does anyone know why it's so hard to find a decent pint of Guinness? Do they water it down or buy dodgy barrels or what? It always seems too cold (icy!) and watery. Did find an amazing 'certified' pint of Guinness in a hotel spa recently but at £4.70 a pint I could not justify too many!! This was the first decent Guinness I'd had in years...

 

[Falkor]

Its very hard to get a decent pint esp now they do this extra cold crap, the best pint i had was in Bexley in kent in a pub called the Blue anchor.

I think alot of it also depends on how the pub owner keeps his lines.

 

[BensGrandad]

Good Guinness is largely down to pipes being cleaned properly and regularly and more especially the nozzle at the pump head being removed after each session and being washed out. I was told by a Guinness rep that cold and extra cold Guinness was brought out because the young people want cold beer and had they stayed with it at room temperature, as it always was, it would lose so many sales that it would probably have been stopped within 10 years. I prefer bottled but it is not available in many pubs now.

 

[ferring seagull]

Its very hard to get a decent pint esp now they do this extra cold crap, the best pint i had was in Bexley in kent in a pub called the Blue anchor.

I think alot of it also depends on how the pub owner keeps his lines.

This is absolutely correct ! The quality of the Guinness depends precisely on the publican being able to manage it properly.

 

[BensGrandad]

An Irish publican friend of mine had 2 pumps side by side one on a line going through the flash cooler and one on a line straight from the keg. He then half filled the glass from the cold line and then topped it up from the other one. You do not have to look after or manage Guinness you can chuck the keg around straight off of the lorry and serve it, the answer is in the pipe and dispense head cleaning.

 

[Captain Sensible]

The Fiddlers Elbow always do a great Pint

 

[ATFC Seagull]

The Fiddlers Elbow always do a great Pint

Used to, not sure nowadays.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Used to, not sure nowadays.

Really? Shame... it has been a while.

Ranleigh in Kemp town was good too, not been there is a while either.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Really? Shame... it has been a while.

Ranleigh in Kemp town was good too, not been there is a while either.

I had a few in there Friday night, first couple of sips are nice, but after 5 mins it started to taste more like that sour and dead Guinness you seem to get a lot in this country. I think the amount you sell makes a big difference as well, and its gone up from about £1.50 10 years ago to nearly £4, so they aren't turning over as many barrels. Still a decent pub though.

 

[Commander]

Hardly anywhere actually pours it correctly, that's part of the issue.

 

[albion534]

Basketmakers do an amazing guiness,

And as said before, it's all about pipes, temp, etc, and obviously letting it settle

What annoys me, is even when a place is dead, and you expect a crap pint, yet they still don't let it settle!!!!

U also heard that cold and xtra cold was designed so it settles quicker and they can serve other people...that was from my mate from Ireland

Also, if u want a good guiness....go to Ireland, tastes completely difference

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

I'm off to Shannon tomorrow afternoon for a 2 day business trip and am mighty looking forward to a pint of Irish Guinness since I've been told it is "diferent" to exported Guinness.

 

[Captain Sensible]

I had a few in there Friday night, first couple of sips are nice, but after 5 mins it started to taste more like that sour and dead Guinness you seem to get a lot in this country. I think the amount you sell makes a big difference as well, and its gone up from about £1.50 10 years ago to nearly £4, so they aren't turning over as many barrels. Still a decent pub though.

OK What about the Bugle Lewes Road? I was in there about 2 months ago. Although they had a barrel of Beamish on, so I drank that being married to a Cork girl, but it was mighty fine!!

 

[Falkor]

Hardly anywhere actually pours it correctly, that's part of the issue.

That is also true hardly anywhere leaves it to stand any more

 

[cyanide-sid]

Why do so few pubs do proper stout rather than the black lager that`s Guinness.

 

[jcdenton08]

I think I understand all the stuff about the pipes and way it is kept.. but why does a good 'proper' pint taste so much thicker and heartier than a bad watery too-cold one?

 

[Captain Sensible]

I'm off to Shannon tomorrow afternoon for a 2 day business trip and am mighty looking forward to a pint of Irish Guinness since I've been told it is "diferent" to exported Guinness.

Guinness now say that all Barrels of Guinness are from St.James's gate now so they should be standardised. In theory, so you get the same Pint in Hong Kong as you do in Dublin. As has been explained above, its more down to how its kept and poured.
Exactly the same with Real Ale.

 

[BensGrandad]

I'm off to Shannon tomorrow afternoon for a 2 day business trip and am mighty looking forward to a pint of Irish Guinness since I've been told it is "diferent" to exported Guinness.

Absolute myth it is now owned by an American firm Diageo and is brewed to the same specification whether it is for sale in Ireland, UK Asia or USA. In the nozzle is a small metal plate./filter in the Uk it has 5 holes in it and in Ireland it has 7 hence it is dispensed under slightly different conditions. Thinking about it, it may be the other way round with 7 holes in the Uk and 5 in Ireland so it comes out tighter in Ireland and thus more creamy appearance. If you do not believe this ask your local friendly publican to take the black nozzle off of the tap and pour a little and you will then taste the difference. It tastes just like a flat bitter. I have shown this to many hardened Guinness drinkers who were originally doubtful but eventually admitted it was correct.

 

[Padders]

Why do so few pubs do proper stout rather than the black lager that`s Guinness.

Exactly, why drink keg stout, find a pub with the proper stuff.

 

[Gritt23]

Its very hard to get a decent pint esp now they do this extra cold crap, the best pint i had was in Bexley in kent in a pub called the Blue anchor.

I think alot of it also depends on how the pub owner keeps his lines.

They do serve a cracking Guinness in there. It's just up the road from my in-laws and I've had many a pint of Guinness in there with my wifes 90 year old Grandad who drinks Guinness like you wouldn't believe.