If there's one thing the Irish love it's a pint of Guinness.
It may sound like a cliche but there is no denying that a large chunk of our population cherish a pint of the black stuff.
The iconic drink has become a staple of Irish society and is a fixture of most bars and pubs across the country and the world.
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And while the popular drink is enjoyed by millions around the globe, the truth of the matter is Guinness doesn't seem to travel well. That even includes our nearest neighbours, the UK.
On a mission to find out more about the matter, reporter Finn Byrne from our sister site My London compared a Guinness in England to a Dublin pint and the results are hardly surprising.
Read his account below:
When I was tasked with travelling to Dublin as part of experiencing travel conditions at Luton Airport, I knew there was an opportunity that couldn't be missed. Love it or hate it, Guinness is Ireland's most famous drink so where better to get a pint of the marmite coloured pint but at a bar on the other side of the Irish sea?
In the interest of fairness, I also picked up a pint in Luton Airport to see whether the Irish really can make the exact same concoction of hops, barley, yeast and nitrogen, taste better than us Brits. I picked up my first stout at an airport bar and I was joined at midday with some fellow pre-flight drinkers on Friday, July 1.
I entered the beer garden at Hawker Bar and Terrace where I sat down with a rather disappointing drink. My first criticism was that the glass wasn't even Guinness' own brand, a crime in my eyes. It was hard to get over the fact that the bartender decided my Guinness wasn't worthy of a proper glass.
However, on taking my first few sips I realised that he was right, this stout wasn't worthy of being poured into a branded glass. I'm not the biggest Guinness drinker but this couldn't run, it was worse than a Carling. Carling being the lowest of the low, in my most humble of opinions.
I tried the beer and can say that it did have a head and tasted vaguely like a Guinness. Those were the only positives. The Guinness was £6.65 (€7.72) and overall a 5/10- this was down to a lack of creaminess along with the fact that it tasted watery. The pouring of the drink was also underwhelming and unprofessional.
The flavour of the beer and it's uninspiring appearance was most likely down to this sub par pouring technique. The drink was allowed to sit for max ten seconds before the pint was ruined by a bartender trying to speed up the queue at the Hawker Bar and Terrace by finishing the pour too soon.
On the Guinness website it explains the process of pouring a pint. They say: "First, pour the Guinness Draught into a clean, dry glass tilted at 45 degrees, until it is three-quarters full. Now, it’s time to wait!"
'Wait', that is one thing that the young man at the bar did not do. Guinness adds: "Allow the surge to settle before filling the glass completely to the top, culminating in a beer that’s made to be savoured from your first sip to your last."
My bartender didn't follow any of the above guidelines. I had already passed security but after seeing the man butcher my Guinness I was in two minds about walking back to them and reporting an international crime.
To be honest, I did finish the pint, but I believe a lot more could be done to make sure the pint could even come close to the one I later tried in Dublin. Creaminess, the pint glass and, most importantly, the pour, were all wrong.
I would recommend workers at the Hawker Bar and Terrace read the Guinness website and revise their pouring techniques. The shortening of a queue shouldn't be prioritised over the quality of a Guinness.
Dublin
Firstly, look at the bar below. Now look at the picture of my pint in Luton Airport. A pint of that quality could never have been poured at this flashy establishment shown above. The flashy establishment in question - The Temple Bar, Dublin.
It is one of the most famous bars in Dublin and I headed there almost immediately after landing. Arriving at around 4pm on July 1 a live band was in full flow as I walked up to the bar to order. After my order was taken, I had to wait five minutes to receive the Guinness - usually I would be annoyed but I was instead buzzing that this Guinness may actually have been poured correctly.
It was. It had a creamy top and came to £6.81 (€7.91). Worth every penny. I don't think the barman ever had to read the Guinness website because surely every single Irishman is born knowing how to pour a Guinness? Pouring a Guinness might be easy for the bar workers but reviewing a Guinness, however, is more difficult than it seems.
I took no negatives from my drinking experience in The Temple Bar, Dublin. They had poured the drink correctly (I watched), the drink tasted creamy, was served in the correct glass and looked incredible when it was served. It went down with ease and with an Irish band playing in the background I was almost tempted to clear my weekend plans and party the night away.
The flavour is more difficult for a novice, such as myself, to comment on. It was lovely, had a bit more fizz to it (not too much) and it didn't taste watery at all. It tasted like a Guinness whereas the English one tasted like a glass of Guinness flavoured water.
I had already decided that the English Guinness had lost the competition before I even tried the Irish one. I was ready to change my mind but luckily didn't have too. The care given to the stout in Dublin was most likely the reason that there was such a disparity in taste compared to Britain's butchered counterpart.
Had the English drink been given some proper attention than it may have tasted as nice as the Irish one. Famous for their dark beer, it was clear that the Irish just cared a lot more about both their presentation and how the beer's preparation could add to a better taste experience.
If you want a proper Guinness than Ireland is your place and Luton Airports should be avoided unless they receive as whole pile of Irish luck (or hire a new barman).
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