The best pint of Guinness in Dublin/Ireland

thebullkf · 03-03-2011 10:38pm

BeerNut wrote: »

Macardles?

Apologies,i always get them mixed up.

you are of course, correct;)

SBWife · 04-03-2011 2:56pm

Guerin's in Castleconnell, Co. Limerick has a perfect pint.

04-03-2011 4:30pm

Best pint of Guinness i've had in Dublin without a shadow of a doubt is Mulligans in Poolbeg street. It was always my favourite Guinness spot quality wise, and after a long time off the black stuff i recently went back on and it was just as good as it had ever been. Toners in Baggot street or Ben Brogans next door to the Olympia theatre in Dame street are also top quality pints of stout. All are small traditional establishments, and all pride themselves on their pint.

In my experience, generally the smaller the bar the better the pint. Ideally you want to be drinking from a keg that's as close to the actual tap as possible. Under the bar itself is best, or as close as possible to it in a cellar below if not. The longer the hose is, the longer your pint will be sitting in it waiting to be pulled. That's why the Guinness in super pubs always tastes like muck. Because of the sheer size of the places, the kegs are often miles away from the taps.

mikep · 05-03-2011 1:42pm

Best pints I've had:
Monks Thurles
Skehans Thurles
Mulligans Dublin
JJ Bowles Limerick
The place beside the beach in Derrynane, kerry (name escpaes me)

Of those the last one stands out....perhaps it was the sail from west cork that had enhanced the enjoyment of the pints...

Oh yeah one more the pub in Rerrin on Bere Island!

obried26 · 06-03-2011 12:40pm

Mc Gruders bar, right next door to St.James' Gate. The kegs literally roll out the gate and into the bar! The kegs are kept right below the taps as well, so the line from keg to tap is only about 1m long.

I used to work in the brewery and all the workers would go there for a pint after work. Great place.

Technocentral · 06-03-2011 8:41pm

I think its a myth this "best draft pint" malarky with Guinness, I had it in James Gate, Doyles on D'olier Street and The Mercantile, Dame St. in the space of a week once and it tasted the same in all three to me, people try and attach a mythical quality to what is after all only a mass produced, fairly decent beer with a hugely expensive ad campaign behind it encouraging the belief that it is somehow special, a beer is either good or not the rest is clap trap imo. Personally I like Galway Hooker, I've had it in Against The Grain, Whelans and a pizza place in Rathmines and it had the same great taste in all three, I think people are factoring company and pub atmosphere into the mix if anything.

pappyodaniel · 06-03-2011 8:48pm

Shoot the Crows in Sligo.

g5fd6ow0hseima · 06-03-2011 9:04pm

Technocentral wrote: »

people try and attach a mythical quality to what is after all only a mass produced, fairly decent beer with a hugely expensive ad campaign behind it encouraging the belief that it is somehow special, a beer is either good or not the rest is clap trap imo.

So true! Most people who go on about guinness wouldnt touch any other type of stout or ale etc.. The nicest stout ive ever had was a pint of Beamish - yet the Guinness crew readily dismiss it as cheap ****.

+1 on the Galway hooker. It's brewed in Roscommon Town and not one pub has it on tap, nor does anyone in the town even know it exists. Sad!

mayto · 06-03-2011 9:48pm

Misael Unimportant Raider wrote: »

+1 on the Galway hooker. It's brewed in Roscommon Town and not one pub has it on tap, nor does anyone in the town even know it exists. Sad!

You can get Galway Hooker in JJ Harlows pub in Roscommon, can also get it in Gleeson's Townhouse and Jackson's restaurant in the town.

Bigcheeze · 06-03-2011 9:49pm

obried26 wrote: »

Mc Gruders bar, right next door to St.James' Gate. The kegs literally roll out the gate and into the bar! The kegs are kept right below the taps as well, so the line from keg to tap is only about 1m long.

I used to work in the brewery and all the workers would go there for a pint after work. Great place.

It closed two years ago.

Pretty sure the kegs didn't literally roll out the gate either

yabadabado · 06-03-2011 10:02pm

Misael Unimportant Raider wrote: »

+1 on the Galway hooker. It's brewed in Roscommon Town and not one pub has it on tap, nor does anyone in the town even know it exists. Sad!

lol.well researched.

Technocentral · 06-03-2011 11:45pm

See below

Technocentral · 06-03-2011 11:49pm

Misael Unimportant Raider wrote: »

So true! Most people who go on about guinness wouldnt touch any other type of stout or ale etc.. The nicest stout ive ever had was a pint of Beamish - yet the Guinness crew readily dismiss it as cheap ****.

+1 on the Galway hooker. It's brewed in Roscommon Town and not one pub has it on tap, nor does anyone in the town even know it exists. Sad!

You should try O' Haras Leann Follain too, its the nicest Irish stout I ever tasted, have only tried it in bottles so far as I haven't come across it on draft, its also Irish owned unlike Beamish (Heineken owned)

g5fd6ow0hseima · 07-03-2011 1:54am

mayto wrote: »

You can get Galway Hooker in JJ Harlows pub in Roscommon, can also get it in Gleeson's Townhouse and Jackson's restaurant in the town.

I forgot about Harlows. But you cant really count Gleesons or Jacksons they're not pubs.

the beer revolu · 07-03-2011 9:35am

Misael Unimportant Raider wrote: »

I forgot about Harlows. But you cant really count Gleesons or Jacksons they're not pubs.

Well, one of them is a hotel bar.

EASYNEWS · 07-03-2011 11:11pm

Played golf in Wexford Golf Club recently & found the nicest pint of Guinness I ever had.

Bigcheeze · 07-03-2011 11:39pm

EASYNEWS wrote: »

Played golf in Wexford Golf Club recently & found the nicest pint of Guinness I ever had.

Probably more to do with the fact you'd just carried a bag of sticks for 5 miles than the the quality of the product.

frankiemccann · 09-03-2011 6:09pm

Best Guinness I've ever tasted has been O'Connell's in Galway.

Could anyone give me their TOP 5???

Could be a good one coming up to Patrick's day!

frankiemccann · 09-03-2011 6:21pm

Matt Molloys - Westport
Johnny McHales - Castlebar
O'Connells - Galway
Kehoe's - Grafton Street, Dublin
Tigh Ui Saorsaigh - Ballyferriter, Kerry
Taffes - Galway
Mulligans - Poolbeg Street
Fisherman's Inn - Ballybrittas, Laois
Mullaney's - Robertstown, Kildare
Brady's - Dunboyne, Meath
Connolly's - Sligo Town
O'Connors - Salthill, Galway
Mick Byrne's - Castlebar

the beer revolu · 09-03-2011 10:23pm

I can't help feeling that this thread is a bit like asking 'where in Ireland is the best Big Mac?' !

Both Guinness and Big Macs are mass produced and mass marketed.
Both are carefully engineered to be consistent in ever outlet.
Both cater for a wide demographic.
And both probably vary slightly from outlet to outlet depending on factors such as freshness, storage and serving.
And possibly the ambience is far better in some Mc D's than others!;)

One difference, though.....anyone can find out the ingredients in a Big Mac pretty easily.

So, where is the best Big Mac in Ireland??

Fuzzy Clam · 12-03-2011 2:22am

I've been in many of the pubs mentioned here as having great Guinness and the storage is different in many of them.
Some have simple cellars. Some, not many, are under counter, and most these days have proper cold rooms. So the belief that under counter is best is simply not true. Guinness have strict Q control to ensure the pint is the same.

I think theres a mindset that a "sawdust on the floor" type of pub serves a better pint. Many of these older pubs have exactly the same setup as the bigger pubs. New cold rooms with snakes going 40 or 50 feet to the taps.

A pint "always" tastes better in front of a roaring fire in a small pub than in a "superpub":)

dublincelt · 12-03-2011 11:20pm

Havent read any post above, mainly because there is no need. The BEST Pint of Guinness to be had anywhere is from here; (close thread!)

BaZmO* · 13-03-2011 9:56pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

I can't help feeling that this thread is a bit like asking 'where in Ireland is the best Big Mac?' !

Amen!

I'd love to know how many of the people that believe in the Guinness marketing department's myth of the the best pint actually drink anything other than Guinness or the other big 4 or 5 that are found in every pub in Ireland.

When Guinness used to be my sole tipple of choice I always found that the perceived quality/enjoyment of the pint was always directly proportional to my fondess for the pub I was in.

BeerNut · 13-03-2011 11:10pm

BaZmO* wrote: »

the Guinness marketing department's myth of the the best pint

It's not their myth. Diageo really don't like the idea of customers thinking that Guinness might be better some places than others, hence the very visible quality control vans.

BaZmO* · 13-03-2011 11:11pm

Yeah good point. (pun intended!)

the beer revolu · 14-03-2011 12:44pm

dublincelt wrote: »

Havent read any post above, mainly because there is no need. The BEST Pint of Guinness to be had anywhere is from here; (close thread!)

Wow, I am impressed!
Over 9000 pubs in Ireland and you've sampled Guinness in all of them!

For some reason the mod's haven't closed the thread, though.

BenShermin · 14-03-2011 6:32pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

So, where is the best Big Mac in Ireland??

Hmm a few factors in play when deciding this, and you've touched on them yourself;). It's all down to freshness and serving

The best Big Mac in Ireland would be found in the busiest McDonald's in the country, this is becuase your BigMac will spend less time getting from the grill to your tray. At quieter times the BigMac will more than likely be left sitting in the warmer after it is cooked waiting for somebody to buy it. Thus it gets colder and more soggy.

It also comes down to the freshness of the bread and lettuce. On delivery days this will be at it's freshest and this makes for a crispier burger.

Finnally it depends on whether or not a spotty teenager has spat in it or not:D. Only messing, but I did get a matchstick in a pint of Guinness before, that was definitely my worst pint!!

Having worked in McDonald's a few years ago, the conditions dictate that the best BigMac is to be found in Kylemore Road on a Saturday afternoon, since it's delivery day and the busiest afternoon of the week for that store. But don't take my word for it....:p

Sure McDonald's have quality standards, but no matter how good they are the quality of each meal can differ. Same goes for the fries, a freshly cooked roasting hot bag is much better than a soggy one that has been left sitting for even just two minutes. I can only assume it's simular for Guinness Draught.

The Guinness drinkers on here may be surprised at me, but I think the best pint is to be found in Blooms Pub on Irish Ferries Ulysses ferry. The barmen on board seem to know how to pour a pint properly with a proper head on it even in the roughest of seas when no other ferry dare make the voyage from Dublin to Holyhead.

On land I don't drink Guinness draught any more since I've gotten into craft beers over the past few years. In my dying days as a Guinness draught drinker though I noticed that barmen even in noble Guinness establishments mentioned in this thread just poured sloppy pints with head over the side for ever inflating prices.

For me presentation is part of the drinking experience and it has gone to ****e in Dublin imo. Compare it with most barman in Belgium who would not dream of serving a sloppy glass of beer, even if the beer is only a bog standard Stella or Jupiler. It says a lot when more often then not that Belgian barman will be having a few beers him or herself over most of the night.

Simon Adebisi · 18-03-2011 2:27pm

Best pint of Guinness in Limerick is in Fennessy's near punches cross. Mouthwatering and on a par with Mulligans in Dublin.

-Corkie- · 20-03-2011 7:14pm

If you travel from Mallow to Killarney you will come to a sharp left hand bend about half ways on the journey. Its called Clonbannin cross, their is a car sales there also but the small pub beside the garage has savage Guinness..

Big Nasty · 22-03-2011 9:21pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

I can't help feeling that this thread is a bit like asking 'where in Ireland is the best Big Mac?' !

Both Guinness and Big Macs are mass produced and mass marketed.
Both are carefully engineered to be consistent in ever outlet.
Both cater for a wide demographic.
And both probably vary slightly from outlet to outlet depending on factors such as freshness, storage and serving.
And possibly the ambience is far better in some Mc D's than others!;)

One difference, though.....anyone can find out the ingredients in a Big Mac pretty easily.

So, where is the best Big Mac in Ireland??

Sorry,

But you're completely wrong here. There are many different factors involved.

Up until about 25 years ago GUINNESS used to maintain there own beer lines, then they stopped and made it the responsibility of each outlet. Like any large brand they need consistency so re-introduced the policy of maintaining their own beer lines about 10 years back.

Around this time they also brought in some other rebate incentives to try and ensure consistency in every outlet and this also contributed to a better pint in general to include stock rotation, storage temps, etc.

These days the product reaches the tap in pretty much identical condition nationwide however you left one thing out - the vessel that it is served in. You take a fresh pint glass out of a box and pull a pint in any pub and it should be almost identical. However glassware deteriorates after a while due to harsh detergent products and this effects pint quality.

Next, and this is the biggie, is food. The vast majority of pubs these days have to serve food to survive and there are many pubs with food / drink turnover ratio in the region of 70:30. Food = Grease. You go into a pub, order a big greasy burger and chips, steak and mash, fish and chips, bangers and mash, whatever - you're hands are going to get greasy. Even if you're only drinking water or a soft drink, not a pint - you're still gonna leave grease on the glass. Then you have (kills me to see it) pubs serving milk in a pint glass! Dairy products or grease of any discription should never, ever see the inside or outside of a pint glass, or in fact any glass! Grease is the enemy of beer, especially GUINNESS!

So take a busy lunch or dinner time, all those greasy glasses hit the glasswasher together and the hot water removes some, not all, of the grease. The washer continues spitting the now greasy water on the non infected glasses leaving the whole lot of them with greasy residue. Ever get a pint with residue all over the glass (i.e. bubles sticking to side of glass)? You know it's gonna be muck before you even taste it!

And that, my friend, is why a 'spit and sawdust' pub that doesn't serve food tends to have a better pint then most other pubs!

BeerNut · 22-03-2011 10:17pm

MCMLXXV wrote: »

And that, my friend, is why a 'spit and sawdust' pub that doesn't serve food tends to have a better pint then most other pubs!

And how come you're only applying this to Guinness? Surely these factors are equally relevant to all beers. Which pub does the best pint of Carlsberg?

Big Nasty · 22-03-2011 10:27pm

BeerNut wrote: »

And how come you're only applying this to Guinness?

This thread is about the best pint of GUINNESS!:p

BeerNut wrote: »

Surely these factors are equally relevant to all beers.

Yes, yes it does - however GUINNESS would be affected more severly than lager by poor glass hygiene.:cool:

BeerNut wrote: »

Which pub does the best pint of Carlsberg?

Couldn't tell ya - don't drink the muck!

BeerNut · 22-03-2011 10:37pm

MCMLXXV wrote: »

GUINNESS would be affected more severly than lager by poor glass hygiene.

How so?

Big Nasty · 22-03-2011 10:52pm

BeerNut wrote: »

How so?

Have you ever heard anyone saying 'there's a great pint of <insert bland lager> in <that pub>? Yet you will regularly hear people say 'The Pint' (GUINNESS) is magic / muck in a particular pub.

Actually, maybe ALL beer is equally affected by poor glass hygiene, I don't know for sure as for the last 5/6 years the only draught I will drink is GUINNESS. Outside that I tend to drink Belgian / German / Czech bottled beer (in a hand washed glass), but I do know this for sure - the biggest variant in a particular beers quality these days is glass hygiene.

BeerNut · 22-03-2011 11:02pm

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Have you ever heard anyone saying 'there's a great pint of <insert bland lager> in <that pub>? Yet you will regularly hear people say 'The Pint' (GUINNESS) is magic / muck in a particular pub.

I haven't. But I've spent enough time in pubs and on this board to know people think some funny things about beer.

I also brew, and I know it's a lot easier to hide flaws and off-flavours in a dark beer than a pale one. I know that pale lager is exceedingly difficult to make well (or indeed bland) because the slightest defect (or flavour) stands out a mile. Any fool can make stout however. Add an 80-20 gas mix to a stout and you can mask mistakes like bad glass hygiene even more.

I think the idea that Guinness is especially variable in quality is a leftover from the time when it had near-total market domination and wasn't subject to the rigorous quality controls that it gets these days.

And I think it's a myth. It's a romantic notion that has nothing to do with the beer or how it, in particular, tastes from pub to pub as against other beers. If there's anything other than hearsay to suggest that Guinness is somehow special in its variability, I'm all ears.

Big Nasty · 22-03-2011 11:18pm

BeerNut wrote: »

I haven't. But I've spent enough time in pubs and on this board to know people think some funny things about beer.

I also brew, and I know it's a lot easier to hide flaws and off-flavours in a dark beer than a pale one. I know that pale lager is exceedingly difficult to make well (or indeed bland) because the slightest defect (or flavour) stands out a mile. Any fool can make stout however. Add an 80-20 gas mix to a stout and you can mask mistakes like bad glass hygiene even more.

I think the idea that Guinness is especially variable in quality is a leftover from the time when it had near-total market domination and wasn't subject to the rigorous quality controls that it gets these days.

And I think it's a myth. It's a romantic notion that has nothing to do with the beer or how it, in particular, tastes from pub to pub as against other beers. If there's anything other than hearsay to suggest that Guinness is somehow special in its variability, I'm all ears.

Cool, you know stuff about beer and even brew it yourself - respect!

However that says absolutely zero about the consistency of product from one pub to another. Very simply put: 'dirty' glasses = bad beer. Do you put your own beer glasses through your diswasher at home by the way?

BeerNut · 22-03-2011 11:27pm

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Very simply put: 'dirty' glasses = bad beer.

No argument there. I'm just saying I don't see any reason for Guinness being a special case.

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Do you put your own beer glasses through your diswasher at home by the way?

Nope. Though that's more about preserving the glass than the effect on the beer.

Have you ever done a blind test to see if you can tell the difference between beer in a machine-washed glass and the same beer in a hand-washed one?

Big Nasty · 22-03-2011 11:43pm

BeerNut wrote: »

No argument there. I'm just saying I don't see any reason for Guinness being a special case.

Fair enough, as I said the only draught I drink these days is GUINNESS so it's the only drink I can comment on for sure. Poor glass hygiene may affect all beers equally - but without a shadow of a doubt, it does affect beer quality.

BeerNut wrote: »

Have you ever done a blind test to see if you can tell the difference between beer in a machine-washed glass and the same beer in a hand-washed one?

Not quite - I remember years back complaining to a rep about the quality of my beer, he produced a case of fresh pint glasses and asked me to pull a pint - it was perfect (much to my chagrin)!

In relation to my comment about pubs who serve a lot of food - you will find many busy food pubs who regularly hand wash glasses and avoid serving milk in pint glasses and therefore have a 'good pint', be it GUINNESS or any other beer.

Anyhow, my point is that despite GUINNESS' / Diageo's or any other company's best efforts the biggest factor in beer quality these days is glass hygiene. Therefore it is more than possible, but definitive, that beer quality will vary from one pub to the next.

BeerNut · 22-03-2011 11:49pm

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Fair enough, as I said the only draught I drink these days is GUINNESS so it's the only drink I can comment on for sure.

So, would you agree then that the beer revolu's Big Mac analogy is sound? Or at least not "completely wrong"?

Big Nasty · 22-03-2011 11:55pm

BeerNut wrote: »

So, would you agree then that the beer revolu's Big Mac analogy is sound? Or at least not "completely wrong"?

No - I would say that it's completely wrong as he never factored in the vessel that the pint is served in. As per our conversation the glass is probably the biggest factor in affecting beer quality these days.

When eating a Big Mac do you eat the wrapper or take it out of the wrapper? If the wrapper was already 'tarnished' and had affected the sandwich quality do you think transferring it into another, cleaner wrapper would improve the taste?

No - because the damage is already done.

BeerNut · 23-03-2011 12:08am

MCMLXXV wrote: »

If the wrapper was already 'tarnished' and had affected the sandwich quality do you think transferring it into another, cleaner wrapper would improve the taste?

No - because the damage is already done.

Are you saying that, unlike a Big Mac, pouring a pint of beer from a dirty glass to a clean one will improve it?

Big Nasty · 23-03-2011 12:19am

MCMLXXV wrote: »

No - because the damage is already done!

BeerNut wrote: »

Are you saying that, unlike a Big Mac, pouring a pint of beer from a dirty glass to a clean one will improve it?

No - because the damage is already done!

Is there an echo in here?

Look BeerNut, I enjoy my beer as much, if not more than most. I would be what most people would call both you and me a 'beer snob'. I don't consider any of the traditional lagers / beers worth drinking in any shape or form. As I said, I'm very partial to quality strong tasting beers, e.g. Westmalle Triple, Rochefort 8, Chimay Blue, etc.

However when in a pub, a pub that serves a good pint of GUINNESS, that is my drink of choice. It is a native beer, but more importantly a 'good pint', IMO beats all other beers hands down. A 'poor pint', on the other hand makes me sick. I worked in the trade for 15+ years so have a slight inkling towards what affects the quality of draught beer, be it GUINNESS or anything else.

So back to your buddys point, that you can continue to discuss all night if you wish, the quality of a pint varies greatly from one establishment to the next.

Big Mac me whole!

;):D

BeerNut · 23-03-2011 12:24am

MCMLXXV wrote: »

No - because the damage is already done!

So you're saying that a Big Mac is like a pint of Guinness in that the receptacle in which it is served is an important factor in the quality of the finished product. Which means the analogy is apt.

MCMLXXV wrote: »

more importantly a 'good pint', IMO beats all other beers hands down

If you never drink any of the others your opinion isn't based on a whole lot, is it?

MCMLXXV wrote: »

It is a native beer

It's made by the same English company that brews Carlsberg and Bud here. Are they "native" too?

MCMLXXV wrote: »

the quality of a pint varies greatly from one establishment to the next.

Perhaps Big Macs do too. Seems likely, does it not, given that there's more handling done at the point of sale?

Big Nasty · 23-03-2011 12:41am

BeerNut wrote: »

So you're saying that a Big Mac is like a pint of Guinness in that the receptacle in which it is served is an important factor in the quality of the finished product. Which means the analogy is apt.

Your mate never mentioned the packaging, just the product. I agree that the product is consistent, however the packaging (glass) that it is served in affects quality very, very much.

BeerNut wrote: »

It's made by the same English company that brews Carlsberg and Bud here. Are they "native" too?

That may be true today, although AFAIK Diageo are an Italian company. GUINNESS may be owened by them but the drink was originally discovered and brewed here, still is brewed here in fact. Straw. Clutching.

BeerNut wrote: »

Perhaps Big Macs do too. Seems likely, does it not, given that there's more handling done at the point of sale?

Like bland beer, I don't do bland burgers either so I can't comment.

BeerNut, we're obviously both into our beers, maybe in different ways, however I don't see the necessity to continue picking this point. I understand and find it commendable that you are sticking up for your fellow posters 'Big Mac' analogy, however at this stage I think you're taking it a bit to far and your own 'point', whatever that is, has run as watery as a pint of Budweiser.

So, Big Mac, Burger King & Abrakebabra aside - due to glass hygiene draught beer quality can and does vary greatly from one establishment to the next.

I'm off to bed now for a good nights sleep so have a good one dude!

;):D

BeerNut · 23-03-2011 12:48am

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Your mate never mentioned the packaging, just the product. I agree that the product is consistent, however the packaging (glass) that it is served in affects quality very, very much.

He said "storage and serving", which is what a glass is for a pint.

MCMLXXV wrote: »

AFAIK Diageo are an Italian company.

Nope. English. Headquartered at Lakeside Drive, London.

MCMLXXV wrote: »

as watery as a pint of Budweiser.

Or as watery as a 5 or 6 year-old memory of a pint of Budweiser, perhaps?

Big Nasty · 23-03-2011 10:14am

Great - fair play, kudos and well done!;)

The fact remains that draught beer quality can vary greatly from one establishment to the next. I think I've explained why very well at this stage.

Your point is moot.

BaZmO* · 23-03-2011 10:33am

MCMLXXV, the fact that you keep typing Guinness in capitals says an awful lot about their marketing campaign.

I’ve had a few bad pints down through the years, and no doubt, many other people have too, but I see that as a law of averages more than anything else. For a long long time, Guinness was my draught beer of choice so of course I’m going to get the odd stinker.

And the dirty glass argument imo is a weak argument. That’d mean that it would affect the bottled beer just as much, and I have never once heard someone say about a bar, “Jaysis, they serve a terrible bottle of beer there”

In my experience, a dirty glass, and by that I mean a glass from the dishwasher, just affects head retention. Now obviously, a filthy dirty glass would have an affect but I don’t think we’re talking about that level of dirtiness?

Big Nasty · 23-03-2011 11:12am

BaZmO* wrote: »

MCMLXXV, the fact that you keep typing Guinness in capitals says an awful lot about their marketing campaign.

I’ve had a few bad pints down through the years, and no doubt, many other people have too, but I see that as a law of averages more than anything else. For a long long time, Guinness was my draught beer of choice so of course I’m going to get the odd stinker.

And the dirty glass argument imo is a weak argument. That’d mean that it would affect the bottled beer just as much, and I have never once heard someone say about a bar, “Jaysis, they serve a terrible bottle of beer there”

In my experience, a dirty glass, and by that I mean a glass from the dishwasher, just affects head retention. Now obviously, a filthy dirty glass would have an affect but I don’t think we’re talking about that level of dirtiness?

Bazmo,

Have you or BeerNut ever worked in a pub? I have done, in many - from 1990 until 2007, i.e. I have 17 years experience pulling pints. I have managed pubs, clubs and hotels in Ireland, Germany & Belgium. I've also been a GUINNESS (has always been spelled with caps) drinker since I am 15. I am 35 today - do the maths yourself.

Therefore I am very well qualified in relation to what practices affect draught beer quality. As you are aware breweries make every effort to ensure consitency and tend to do so very well but once the beer hits the tap this is where their control ends. Poor practices in relation to glass hygiene is one of the major factors affecting beer quality today - ask any technician and they will tell you the same.

When I say poor hygiene practices, I am not necessarily saying that the glass in question is feckin manky. I am saying that a glass that affects beer quality is not, what is known in the trade as, 'beer clean'. A beer clean glass is a glass devoid of residues like grease or detergent. Grease and detergent residues greatly affect beer quality.

Take your dishwasher at home. It has plates with caked on food yet can remove same in one cycle and give you gleaming crockery. Therefore the detergent is very strong. Try putting one of your beer glasses at home through this machine - it will come out all sparkly but is most definitely not beer clean. (Note: most pubs wouldn't use detergent this strong)

Take another glass very carefully hand wash to ensure there is no residue left on the glass. The best test to ensure your glass is residue free is to use the water break test. If the water does not 'sheet' your glass is not clean. Now pour a beer into both glasses, the 'beer clean' glass and the one from your dishwasher. You will notice that with the beer clean glass the head is retained, no bubbles stick to the side of the glass and the beer tastes good. With the dishwasher glass the head will deteriorate very quickly, bubbles will stick to the residue on the sides of the glass and beer quality is affected.

So if there is residue from strong detergent or grease from food service clinging to your glassware this will most definitely affect beer quality. Be it draught, bottled or canned beer, once it is poured into a contaminated glass the product will deteriorate.

Q.E.D.

BaZmO* · 23-03-2011 11:49am

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Bazmo,

Have you or BeerNut ever worked in a pub?

Yep. My first job was working in a pub, and I’ve worked part time as a bar man down through the years, not much but I’ve enough experience to know what I’m talking about. And just like Beernut, I brew my own beer. So I’d say I have a fair idea about what it takes to make a nice pint.

MCMLXXV wrote: »

I've also been a GUINNESS (has always been spelled with caps) drinker since I am 15. I am 35 today - do the maths yourself.

But why not use the correct font when saying Carlsberg then? It’s the affects of marketing.

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Therefore I am very well qualified in relation to what practices affect draught beer quality. As you are aware breweries make every effort to ensure consitency and tend to do so very well but once the beer hits the tap this is where their control ends. Poor practices in relation to glass hygiene is one of the major factors affecting beer quality today - ask any technician and they will tell you the same.

Can you define exactly what you mean by “beer quality” please. Are you talking taste or appearance?

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Take your dishwasher at home. It has plates with caked on food yet can remove same in one cycle and give you gleaming crockery. Therefore the detergent is very strong. Try putting one of your beer glasses at home through this machine - it will come out all sparkly but is most definitely not beer clean. (Note: most pubs wouldn't use detergent this strong)

Take another glass very carefully hand wash to ensure there is no residue left on the glass. The best test to ensure your glass is residue free is to use the water break test. If the water does not 'sheet' your glass is not clean. Now pour a beer into both glasses, the 'beer clean' glass and the one from your dishwasher. You will notice that with the beer clean glass the head is retained, no bubbles stick to the side of the glass and the beer tastes good. With the dishwasher glass the head will deteriorate very quickly, bubbles will stick to the residue on the sides of the glass and beer quality is affected.

I know, that’s why I said I don’t use a dishwasher for glasses at home.

MCMLXXV wrote: »

So if there is residue from strong detergent or grease from food service clinging to your glassware this will most definitely affect beer quality. Be it draught, bottled or canned beer, once it is poured into a contaminated glass the product will deteriorate.

We all agree on that, but the point still stands, why does the good pint myth only surround Guinness?

Big Nasty · 23-03-2011 12:00pm

BaZmO* wrote: »

Yep. My first job was working in a pub, and I’ve worked part time as a bar man down through the years, not much but I’ve enough experience to know what I’m talking about. And just like Beernut, I brew my own beer. So I’d say I have a fair idea about what it takes to make a nice pint.

Fair play, would love to have the time and patience to do it myself. How much do you know about glass hygiene and how it effects beer quality? If you are a brewer you should know that hygiene is the height of importance and poor practice will affect your beer quality.

BaZmO* wrote: »

But why not use the correct font when saying Carlsberg then? It’s the affects of marketing.

Because I'm pedantic. G u i n n e s s. Happy?:p

BaZmO* wrote: »

Can you define exactly what you mean by “beer quality” please. Are you talking taste or appearance?

Both

BaZmO* wrote: »

I know, that’s why I said I don’t use a dishwasher for glasses at home.

Well done!;)

BaZmO* wrote: »

We all agree on that, but the point still stands, why does the good pint myth only surround Guinness?

I don't know for sure. Maybe it's becuase a lot of pubs sell nearly as much Guinness;) as other lagers combined. A lot of drinkers drink Guinness;) Not as many drink Carlsberg for example.

The best pint of Guinness in Dublin/Ireland

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