[Sky King]

Beamish has a slightly sweeter taste and fuller, more complex flavour and I think this makes it nicer. I am by no means 'into' my beers but the two drinks really do taste totally different (I'm addressing that at people who say they don't). Guinness has a much more bitter aftertaste which isn't great.

I think the fact that Beamish is sold cheaper, people consider it to be a 'cheap' imitation of Guinness... which it isn't. The drink should really be marketed properly and sold on its own merits, I think lots of Guinness drinkers would convert if they gave it a chance on this basis.

On a side note, a mate of mine's da was a master brewer at Guinness for years (now retired) and he is a Beamish drinker. Says Guinness is gone to ****e these last few years, apparently.

I am going to the offie to buy 2 cans of beamish now!

[Gator]

guinness all the way

[maxfresh]

After the Obama visit and all the guinness hype/marketing id much rather buy beamish or murphys ,think they are just as nice as guinness aswell

[volvoman480]

Murphy's..... I'd give my left arm for one right now. Never a guinness fan, always found it a bit watery. Not mad about Beamish either, I think it tastes burnt to be honest..

[policarp]

Originally Posted by volvoman480

Murphy's..... I'd give my left arm for one right now...

Are you an ambidextrous Murphys toper?
Nice pint though, only available in Cork.AFAIK. . .

[NoHornJan]

What was the ad for Beamish years ago?

"Sound man Brendan." or something like that.

[AFC_1903]

Originally Posted by xsiborg

honestly i've never tasted anything other than guinness, but i know its not my imagination when i say that it's become next to impossible to find a proper pint of guinness, the kind that there was eating and drinking in years ago, with a full bodied thick creamy head, nowadays thanks to guinness trying to bolster its losses, they've definitely changed the consistency to watered down, bitter, skin off yer teeth, píss!

and dont even get me started on their "ice cold" crap, completely un-necessary, the new owners (diageo) have completely ruined what was once a great drink.

what next, guinness alcopops?

So I have to ask, why not try the other stouts? Or has Guinness driven you away from stout altogether.

Beamish, Murphy's, O'Haras or any of the smaller more locallised stouts (such as Shandon Stout). If you are/were a stout drinker and you stuck only to Guinness but have lost the love of it for the reasons you outlined above surely you have nothing to loose by trying the others?

PS: Completely with you on the 'Ice Cold' idea. The whole idea in serving beer ice cold is that it numbs the tastebuds and you taste the drink less (thus making it easier to sell beers of inferior flavour/quality to people). Any beer which is advertised that it ought to be drank 'Ice Cold' should always be avoided by those who like to taste their drink.

[AFC_1903]

Originally Posted by policarp

Are you an ambidextrous Murphys toper?
Nice pint though, only available in Cork.AFAIK. . .

Far from it, have seen it in Scotland (in non-"Irish-bars") and Poland.

[xsiborg]

honestly its pretty much that im very stuck in my ways, and i dont drink regularly in one particular pub as such, i was given to thinking that perhaps it WAS just my imagination that the taste and consistency had changed, but after reading this thread i think im definitely going to give beamish a try, particularly after Sky Kings post about the consistency and taste of beamish which is the way i remember guinness used to taste years ago-

Beamish has a slightly sweeter taste and fuller, more complex flavour and I think this makes it nicer. I am by no means 'into' my beers but the two drinks really do taste totally different (I'm addressing that at people who say they don't). Guinness has a much more bitter aftertaste which isn't great.

I think the fact that Beamish is sold cheaper, people consider it to be a 'cheap' imitation of Guinness... which it isn't. The drink should really be marketed properly and sold on its own merits, I think lots of Guinness drinkers would convert if they gave it a chance on this basis.

On a side note, a mate of mine's da was a master brewer at Guinness for years (now retired) and he is a Beamish drinker. Says Guinness is gone to ****e these last few years, apparently.

I am going to the offie to buy 2 cans of beamish now!

i underlined the important bits...

[policarp]

Originally Posted by AFC_1903

Far from it, have seen it in Scotland (in non-"Irish-bars") and Poland.

Was it on draught though?

[AFC_1903]

Originally Posted by policarp

Was it on draught though?

Yep, every time. One of the Scottish bars is in a small fishing town in the north. I forget the prices in Scotland, but in the Polish city centre 'Irish Bar' (I never checked many of them as I prefer to avoid them when possible) I know for a fact has it in Warsaw it is 16zl for a pint (just under €4). Expensive by Polish standards, but to be fair it has to be shipped out there so if you want it you have to pay it. Guinness is the same price and as it's a city centre Irish Bar it is expensive. Most regular Polish pints there are about 10zl, compared to a city standard 8zl for a Polish pint.

[policarp]

Originally Posted by AFC_1903

Yep, every time. One of the Scottish bars is in a small fishing town in the north. I forget the prices in Scotland, but in the Polish city centre 'Irish Bar' (I never checked many of them as I prefer to avoid them when possible) I know for a fact has it in Warsaw it is 16zl for a pint (just under €4). Expensive by Polish standards, but to be fair it has to be shipped out there so if you want it you have to pay it. Guinness is the same price and as it's a city centre Irish Bar it is expensive. Most regular Polish pints there are about 10zl, compared to a city standard 8zl for a Polish pint.

You're pretty well travelled I can see from your location bar.
But I would have thought that Guinness would have been
more available wherever you were.

[Sky King]

but after reading this thread i think im definitely going to give beamish a try, particularly after Sky Kings post about the consistency and taste of beamish which is the way i remember guinness used to taste years ago

Yeah, that brewer guy said exactly that, and he is (I am told) something of an expert. The manufacturing (brewing?) process has changed a bit since back in the day he says, with them not roasting the something-or-other, which leaves the finished Guinness product more raw and bitter.

Hopefully you are in an area where you can try it on Draught and it won't be muck. Buy a can or two just to be on the safe side though and let us know how you get on! It's an excuse for some mid-week drinking, if nothing else.

PS: Completely with you on the 'Ice Cold' idea. The whole idea in serving beer ice cold is that it numbs the tastebuds and you taste the drink less (thus making it easier to sell beers of inferior flavour/quality to people). Any beer which is advertised that it ought to be drank 'Ice Cold' should always be avoided by those who like to taste their drink.

Agreed. Though in fairness, if one drinks Bud, i think not being able to taste it is something of an advantage. ice cold stout is and was a silly idea, but it's working well for the lager beers.

[mackg]

Originally Posted by policarp

Why is Guinness dearer than Beamish.?
50 cent at least in most pubs.
If Beamish can sell their drink at that
price, why can't Guinness?

Why under any circumstances would anyone buy Beamish if it was the same price as Guinness?

[Sky King]

Because they think that it tastes better?