The Art of Guinness

Guinness, savoured by people the world over, holds something of a legendary status. The company has a tighter grip on its corner of the 'stout' market than any other variety of beer worldwide, ever!
So what makes Guinness so appealing? Well, its hard to say as the Guinness company have kept their recipe well guarded from their beginnings. It is safe to say that its marketing campaign has helped to foster customer loyalty over the years. Curiously, though Guinness is rarely ever appreciated by young drinkers, it always passes from one generation to another. Even the obvious downside of having to wait around two minutes longer for a Guinness than a lager is addressed with the simple advertising slogan… 'Guinness … Good things come to those who wait!'. Combine that with the slogan ; 'Guinness… pure Genius', and the mystery that surrounds this dark, odd tasting brew, with its thick creamy head (that holds better than most other stouts) and you have a combination that, well makes Guinness appear to be something of an art form.
Enjoying Guinness
Guinness comes in a number of varieties including:- Guinness Draught (4.1 - 4.3%), which includes bottled draught, canned draught and Guinness Extra Cold, which is served on tap at a colder temperature than traditional Guinness from a tap.
- Guinness Original or Extra Stout (4.1 - 4.3%), which is bitterer in taste than Guinness Draught.
- Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (7.5%) is sold across the world in various strengths and has a warming flavour with a noticeable yet subtle taste of alcohol.
- Guinness Extra Smooth (5.5%) is a creamer blend sold in East Africa.
The Art of Pouring Guinness
How to serve Guinness using the traditional two-part pour:- Use a clean normal size pint glass and tilt it to a 45 angle and fill to three quarters full.
- Allow the 'surge' to settle until there is a clear delineation between the head (which should be about 1.5cm and a light cream colour) at the top. This usually takes about 90 seconds.
- Now fill the glass to the top with a final quarter pint of Guinness.
- When pouring from a pump you can draw a lucky 'shamrock' shape in the top, although this takes practice!
- Use the same procedure when pouring from a bottle or can!