Today, let’s travel to Ireland to discover a world-famous brewery with a rich and fascinating history. Founded in 1759, the Guinness brewery is full of unusual facts and legendary stories, making it the perfect symbol of St Patrick’s Day in March. A true icon of Irish cultural heritage, Guinness is celebrated around the world every year on St Patrick’s Day. On our blog, you can also discover many other breweries, such as Amager Bryghus, a Danish brewery, and Bass, a lager available on PerfectDraft. If you’re planning a trip to Ireland or celebrating St Patrick’s Day the traditional Irish way, discover these 14 unusual facts about Guinness.
1 – Guinness: a solid Irish history
The world-famous Guinness brewery boasts a remarkable history that dates back over 260 years. In 1759, Arthur Guinness opened his first brewery at St James’s Gate in Dublin after signing an extraordinary 9,000-year lease. This visionary decision paid off, as Guinness now sells millions of pints every day across the globe.
2 – Guinness Storehouse: the Guinness museum in Dublin
An iconic brewery like Guinness deserved a museum of its own. Opened in 2000, the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin offers a fully immersive experience into the brand’s history and brewing process. Spread over seven floors, visitors can explore the ingredients, production secrets, advertising campaigns and the art of pouring a perfect pint, finishing with a free Guinness at the Gravity Bar and its 360° view over Dublin.
3 – The symbol of Guinness: the harp
Guinness is instantly recognisable thanks to its iconic harp logo. Interestingly, Guinness adopted the harp in 1862, long before Ireland chose it as a national symbol in 1922. To avoid legal issues, the Irish State uses a mirrored version of the harp, originally dating back to 1702.
4 – Guinness is not just about stouts
While Guinness is best known for its rich and creamy stouts, the brewery also produces other beer styles. These include Hop House 13 Lager, a refreshing lager with citrus notes, a balanced and hoppy IPA, and an American Lager with a light, malty and biscuity finish.
5 – The art of serving Guinness
Serving a Guinness is a ritual in itself. The famous six-step pour takes exactly 119.5 seconds. The beer is poured in stages into a branded Guinness glass, allowing nitrogen to create the signature cascading effect and creamy head that rises slightly above the rim at the end.
6 – The Irish are not the biggest Guinness consumers
Despite its Irish roots, Ireland is not the largest consumer of Guinness. The UK ranks first, followed closely by Nigeria, where Guinness has been brewed locally since the late 19th century. Ireland comes third, with the United States close behind.
7 – Guinness is lower in calories than you might think
Often described as a “meal in a glass,” Guinness is surprisingly low in calories. A pint contains around 200 kcal, making it one of the lowest-calorie beers in its category.
8 – Guinness is not black
Although it appears black at first glance, Guinness is actually dark ruby red. Hold a pint up to the light and you’ll notice its deep brown colour with red highlights.
9 – Guinness in traditional Irish dishes
Guinness is also widely used in Irish cuisine. Popular dishes include beef and Guinness stew, Guinness pie and chicken cooked in Guinness. It can even be used in cocktails, paired with ingredients like rum, mint or crème de cassis.
10 – Alcohol-free Guinness
To appeal to a wider audience, Guinness launched an alcohol-free version in 2021. Guinness 0.0 delivers the same roasted, caramel and chocolate flavours as the original stout, but without alcohol and with fewer calories.
11 – The ball inside a can of Guinness
Inside every can of Guinness is a patented floating widget. Introduced in 1999, this nitrogen-filled ball recreates the creamy head and smooth texture of draught Guinness when the can is opened.
12 – Your face on a Guinness pint
At the Guinness Storehouse, visitors can enjoy a unique experience by printing their selfie onto the foam of their pint. This fun activity takes place at the Guinness Academy and is a highlight of the visit.
13 – Guinness World Records
Guinness is also behind the famous Guinness World Records. The idea originated from a debate about the fastest bird in Europe, leading to the creation of a book dedicated to recording world achievements across countless fields.
14 – St Patrick’s Day and Guinness
St Patrick’s Day, celebrated every year on 17 March, is Ireland’s national holiday. Guinness is one of the main symbols of the celebration, with more than 13 million pints consumed worldwide on this single day.
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