Tuesday, October 31, 2017

If It’s St. James Gate In Dublin, Then It’s Guinness.

Guinness Beer and the Guinness Storehouse. 

It’s an Experience.  



As you walk your way from the Heuston Station, on a brisk cool morning with a dew,  you pass by some brick walls, nestled and maintained with some walls marked “Storehouse l – Gate”, or the “Storehouse”. Lying behind those walls is a warehouse with rows and rows of steel barrel kegs of Guinness. Ready for export to Europe, Canada, the USA, and that pub down the street -  Harkin's - The Old Harbour.

Moving along, as you near the entrance a host or hostess graciously invites you to enter the building. What a delightful experience, but let’s not to get aha’ of myself. (Hint with the 360°  view of Dublin Town, hint!)

GROUND FLOOR

For me, it was a heady treasure to be invited for a guided tour with major domo or Beer Specialist, Kevin. We returned this cool morning to the press area, it was early. Nevertheless, there was a steady stream of visitors coming in on this day of St. Patrick’s Day.

Constantine: (as we started our tour) So Kevin, where you from originally?
Kevin: Right here, all my life.
Constantine: What brought you to this job?
Kevin: My family.
Constantine: What do you do here?
Kevin: My title is Beer Specialist (as he hands me his card, impressively). I provide tours for the Public Relations office and I work the Connoisseur bar, among other duties.
Constantine: Are you the first in your family?
Kevin: No, I am the 5th generation to work at Guinness.  (Stopping abruptly, he points down to the floor. There I see inlaid in the glass cover, a document.  It is the lease of 9000 years for 45 pounds a year. That’s not a typo! In the City Centre. Near the Lifsey. Just down from the Heuston station. Within a stone throw of the Old Harbour Pub. And a wee bit from where the Vikings first came upon Dublin.)

Constantine: The Connoisseur bar?
No, It's Not Kevin!
Kevin: We are  going to drop by, it’ll give you a show. It’s closed but I will give you a private tour.

FLOOR ONE - BREWING


As we start up the stairs, Kevin points out that the interior is designed to replicate the inside of the traditional Guinness Glass. We pass the information that indicates Guinness is made from four ingredients, and you’ll see samples of each: Water, Barley, Hops and of course the YEAST!

FLOOR THREE - THE ADVERTISING.

I was especially taken with the Guinness advertising over the ages. This is a fine example of how Guinness has become such an iconic beverage. Especially true in Ireland, where exterior blank walls of local pubs will have a beautifully illustrated painted wall with advertising for the local beer, you know what I mean - A Guinness! Many of these walls are copies of the posters and older tins and other advertising supplies that Guinness distributors would place in pubs and bars in order to keep that name and harp symbol in the public’s eye. Focusing the customer to say

“I’ll have a Guinness”.

The Toucan Poster - One of which I have in my home from an earlier.

Photo - Author
“Guinness is good for you.      
How grand to be a Toucan,
Just think what Toucan do.” quote from a Toucan poster

In my mind Guinness is a mythical experience:
* Look at the color.
* Look at the foam.
* Harken the taste, some say acquired.
* Pride - there is something about standing at the bar and saying
                               
“A Guinness, please”

 FLOOR FOUR - HOW TO POUR.


As we passed by the Academy (4th  floor) I made note of the place, as I might want to avail myself of learning to pour a Guinness.

Moving on to the .......
The Connoisseur Bar -  oooooooooooooooooooohhhhhh. I said to self!

Down a semi-private corridor, I was taken to a wood-paneled, ultra-hip, sophisticated, beautifully adorned, loft  cocktail pub style with round top tables and a bar.

And, here is the exclusive Connoisseur Bar. If I recall correctly, it’s by invitation only. It’s pretty darn cool and worth the price. Next time you may see me there, so if you drop by just ask for Constantine. Or better yet, Kevin.
  
Well, as you can read, Guinness Storehouse is a very exciting place. Not just a place to go, so much more.

To top it off, you find yourself on level 7. This is the piece d’resistance - a 360°, fully glass-enclosed, floor to ceiling, view of Dublin, or further than that. Perhaps all the way to Kilkenny!

Connoisseur Bar
The continuing interview with Beer Specialist Kevin.
As we meandered the hall, I continued the questions - and he tells me the story of Whiskey.

FLOOR FIVE

Whiskey.
This is a long and complicated story. ‘Bout some Irish  history, it might seem. It reminds me of the Ulysses aspect of my Irish heritage, or perhaps I day dream.

Story. Arthur Guinness and George Roe had a rivalry, not ribaldry. One was a brewer; the other a distiller. Guess which. They were located near each other. Roe (since 1757) over at St James Tower on the north side of the Liffey. Guinness at the Storehouse, across the river on the South. They  attended competing churches,competed on tithing, it’s a long story. Years pass.

So voila Guinness, or maybe more correctly - parent company - Diageo,  has now made Roe & Company Irish Blended Whiskey, so watch for it! Just across from Guinness again competing but this time with the Distiller Carolyn Martin!


Constantine: What do you do with your time, when you are off?
Kevin: Well this past Saturday I spent the day at the National Institute of Genealogy. I enjoy research.

Constantine: Cook?
Kevin: I burn cornflakes. Good that my ma and Grandma are good cooks.
Constantine: Can I take a picture of you here in the Connoisseur Bar?
Kevin: Guinness prohibits that until you are 25. (Good idea, oh yes, the intelligence of management; know the mischief that those under 25 can get themselves into, group selfie or other.)

Constantine: IS there  a proper way to drink Guinness?
Kevin: Yes there is. First you wait until all the nitrogen bubbles surface. Then you can take a drink. You drink Guinness from below the foam.  The foam should be the last of your drink.
  

FLOOR SEVEN    the end of our journey and time to relax with a Guinness.
The Galaxy Bar, So Cool!





Constantine: Poet?
Kevin: Yeats of course.

 The Guinness Storehouse® is open 7 days a week 9:30am - 7pm (last admission is at 5pm)
    • Late opening during July and August, 9am - 8pm (last admission is at 6pm)
    • Open all year apart from Good Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, & St Stephens Day.

[Don’t you just love the Irish – St Stephens Day!]



The link for saving on tickets is      https://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en/tickets


Thanks Kevin and Laura-may



Santé-

Drink: Guinness Draft
Appetizer: Small plate Shepherd’s Pie.
Music: If I Should Fall From Grace with God. The Pogues.

Constantine's Irish heritage -  This is a series of posts on Ireland, as Constantine continues his search of Ireland, in pubs and elsewhere, for his family the Maginnis and the O'Hares of County Down and Inniskillin. And Glasgow, too. Thus likely making him an "Ulster Scott".


A Note on Irish Whiskey.
The US Wall Street Journal publication writes of the Irish Whiskey revolution. A Renaissance Ahead. Irish Whiskey is up 131% So it makes sense that Diageo, the parent company of Guinness, as well as so many other liquors –

                Whiskey:               Irish                        Bourbon                Scotch

                Growth                   131%                         56%                        13%
               
                Cases                      7.8M                         20M                       94M

Photos – unless otherwise noted, all pictures are courtesy of The Guinness Storehouse – DIAGEO, Global Leader in beverage alcohol.


               




No comments:

Post a Comment