Guinness Dublin Porter & West Indies Porter - anyone tried them?

donaghs

I had a bottle of the West Indies one, it was supposed to be a stronger flavour, and was 6% versus 3.8% for the Dublin one.

I was pleasantly surprised. Quite tasty. Poured strangely with a very frothy head on it. Wouldn't take it over other 6% stouts like Midnight Sun or Leann Follain, but a decent enough beer.

BeerNut

I wrote some stuff on them and The Brewers Project here.

schemingbohemia

Yeah I got a couple of bottles of the West Indies one in Tesco in Enniskillen at the weekend, raging I didn't get more. They're part of the 4 for £6 deal at the moment, very tasty but as you say not up to Leann Folláin or Wrasslers for me but still well worth drinking.

slayerking

I've been on the look out for these as I'm curious to try them but haven't seen them anywhere.

Anybody seen them in the major supermarkets, if so, where?

LeinsterDub

it was just glass after glass of watery fizz.

The Dublin described in a line

Son0vagun

I've only heard bad things about them, I won't be trying them.

dregin

For no obvious reason, I really, really wanted these to be good, but I've rarely tasted anything so boring.

If you're looking for something new along the Stout/Porter line, I randomly had March of The Penquins from Williams Brothers in the liquor rooms at the weekend and enjoyed it a lot.

BeerNut

slayerking wrote: »

Anybody seen them in the major supermarkets, if so, where?

SuperValu in Kimmage had them on Sunday. The Dublin Porter was on the shelves but the West Indies was still wrapped so I'd say they only just arrived. I bought my bottles in Martin's of Fairview. O'Brien's have them listed on their website. I'm guessing they'll be everywhere by the end of next week.

drumswan

Tried the Dublin Porter on draught in Belfast last night, it was OK. Served too cold, very light in body with a reasonable, though light flavour profile and a fair dose of carbonation.

Slattsy

The WI Porter is lovely, very tasty.

The Dublin Porter is grand, a bit weak though.

sarkozy

Really didn't think much of the West Indies. I don't even think that was because it was book-ended by Dungarvan's Minehead on one end and coffee and oatmeal stout on the other. It's just not good/different enough to justify the extra cash. I'd sooner buy a regular can or bottle of export.

I wouldn't turn my nose at it if I was drinking it for free, but I won't pay for it. Plus: the label looks nice, but it's printed on rubbish paper. If Guinness want to really sell this, they should have used a rougher, more tactile stock. Just goes to show how little it's been thought through.

drumswan

BeerNut wrote: »

I wrote some stuff on them and The Brewers Project here.

Thats a really super read, fair play

Ravelleman

O'Neill's have the Dublin Porter on draught now. I hadn't seen it anywhere else before this but it might well be old news.

slayerking

I still haven't seen these anywhere and I've been keeping an eye out in my local supermarket(s). Have they been released nationally or what's the craic with them.

L1011

I've seen bottles somewhere - either tesco or obriens

adocholiday

Mulligans on Poolbeg Street have the Dublin porter on draft and West Indies porter bottled. O'Brien's off Licences have them both in stock too. I really like the West Indies porter. I'm not a fan of some of the intense stouts and porters available (leann follain for example). So I can see why some stout/porter drinkers would find the Guinness Porters a bit boring. If you're like me though and you like something mid range then give the West Indies a shot. I found the Dublin Porter quite bland though.

loyatemu

had a pint of Dublin Porter in the Palace, it's blander than regular Guinness, so not sure what the point of it is.

Effects

I started off with a bottle of the West Indies which I liked and then tried a bottle of the Dublin Porter which tasted a bit weak in comparison. I got a few small cases of the West Indies from Guinness so I'll enjoy getting through it over Christmas.

squonk

Had Dublin Porter on draught in Dolans in Limerick recently. Such a disappointment. Very bland and not one bit of an aftertaste. That being said I'm a Leann Folláin/Old Engine Oil man so I was never expecting to be blown away but was surprised to be so completely underwhelmed. I'll try the West Indies Porter if I see it. The one thing I do like about the range though is the pint glasses. Very nice things actually.

n97 mini

adocholiday wrote: »

Mulligans on Poolbeg Street have the Dublin porter on draft

€5.20 a pint. Seems steep for a weak macro-brewed beer, with not a lot of flavour.

suicide_circus

n97 mini wrote: »

€5.20 a pint. Seems steep for a weak macro-brewed beer, with not a lot of flavour.

Steep? Yeah sure is and is the kind ifvbusiness practice that only serves to hurt the pub trade in the long run.

The west indies one I found to be most satisfactory.

Iranoutofideas

Tried a bottle of the West Indies one and ended up chucking it down the sink. Rank

drumswan

Iranoutofideas wrote: »

Tried a bottle of the West Indies one and ended up chucking it down the sink. Rank

I take it you aren't a fan of stouts or porters then, these are about as inoffensive as you can get as an example of the style, verging on the bland.

Had the West Indies myself tonight, lacks body IMO. Too much going on to appeal to the macro drinker, not enough to interest the beer nerd.

Effects

I tried a bottle of Foreign Export next to the West Indies the other night. Have to say I preferred the Foreign Export.

n97 mini

drumswan wrote: »

Had the West Indies myself tonight, lacks body IMO.

It is a porter so it's supposed to be medium bodied.

irish_goat

n97 mini wrote: »

It is a porter so it's supposed to be medium bodied.

Stout is supposed to be full bodied too but I think Guinness must have missed that memo.

drumswan

n97 mini wrote: »

It is a porter so it's supposed to be medium bodied.

It's not medium bodied.

Ravelleman

n97 mini wrote: »

It is a porter so it's supposed to be medium bodied.

If you can pinpoint the exact meaning of 'porter' then you deserve a bottle of both.

n97 mini

No-one is responsible for a definition, so there isn't one, but most would consider it a lighter bodied porter than stout porter. The latter most would agree, would be a heavier bodied beer like many draught (nitro) stouts we have available to us.

irish_goat

n97 mini wrote: »

The latter most would agree, would be a heavier bodied beer like many draught (nitro) stouts we have available to us.

Nitro stout in Ireland tends to be very thin once you get past the nitro head. If you want a full bodied stout you'd be better looking at the likes of Leann Follain.

n97 mini

I would definitely disagree with that. Shandon Stout is very heavy, almost too heavy. O'Hara's Stout gives a similar perception if not quite as much.

donaghs

loyatemu wrote: »

had a pint of Dublin Porter in the Palace, it's blander than regular Guinness, so not sure what the point of it is.

Finally decided to try a pint of the Dublin Porter last night. My thoughts exactly, pointless. Almost a "watery" taste to it - won't be going near it again. I still think the West Indies one is pleasant enough though.

irish_goat

Had the Dublin Porter in Glasgow last night. Anyone else get a marshmallow taste off it?

anncoates

Had a bottle of the Dublin Porter last weekend and I didn't like it at all.

The excellent review inked above has it spot on: thin and watery tasting.

hfallada

All Guinness is trying to do is protect their market share from craft beers. Budweiser has admitted that they have had their weakest sales since the 1980s and have put it down to craft beers. The amount of young Americans never tried Busweiser was shocking to the company, as young Americans prefer spirits or craft beers.

I imagine Guinness is afraid that trend will spread to here

adocholiday

hfallada wrote: »

All Guinness is trying to do is protect their market share from craft beers. Budweiser has admitted that they have had their weakest sales since the 1980s and have put it down to craft beers. The amount of young Americans never tried Busweiser was shocking to the company, as young Americans prefer spirits or craft beers.

I imagine Guinness is afraid that trend will spread to here

I see that they've also forayed into the lager market again. I was in a pub on Parkgate Street for lunch on Friday and they had a new lager on draft called Hop House 13. I didn't have a pint so can't comment on it but I'd say you've hit the nail on the head with these 'limited edition' drinks. Also worth mentioning that I've typed this while drinking a West Indies Porter

airuser

Must try them.

AnonoBoy

Was it my imagination or did I see Tesco selling these for something like 3.50 a bottle the other day?

Anyone bought them there? It seems crazily pricey.

White Horse

The West Indies one is not too bad. If I had to drink Diageo, that would be the one.

dregin

White Horse wrote: »

The West Indies one is not too bad. If I had to drink Diageo, that would be the one.

Ah now, Guinness Foreign Extract is pretty great. Far better than The West Indies porter, in my opinion.

oblivious

dregin wrote: »

Ah now, Guinness Foreign Extract is pretty great. Far better than The West Indies porter, in my opinion.

Yep its much better

donaghs

I saw a Smithwick's Blonde Ale for the first time in Tesco at the weekend. Seems like Diageo are trying to swamp the "craft" market with these products.

I didn't bother trying it, as was wasn't going shell out €3 on what's probably another disappointingly bland addition to their range. When you can get a Hobgoblin or O'Hara's Red for €2.

oblivious

donaghs wrote: »

I saw a Smithwick's Blonde Ale for the first time in Tesco at the weekend. Seems like Diageo are trying to swamp the "craft" market with these products.

Moslon and Hino are trying the same thing too

I tried the blonds a few weeks back, one pint was enough, The beer nut has a bit more on it http://thebeernut.blogspot.ie/2015/03/cherishing-children-equally.html

hfallada

donaghs wrote: »

I saw a Smithwick's Blonde Ale for the first time in Tesco at the weekend. Seems like Diageo are trying to swamp the "craft" market with these products.

I didn't bother trying it, as was wasn't going shell out €3 on what's probably another disappointingly bland addition to their range. When you can get a Hobgoblin or O'Hara's Red for €2.

I have a feeling the marketing department is probably full of middle aged men, who may have been great at all beer 10 years ago. They have now noticed a dropped in sales and see sales will continue to decline due to craft beers.

Market research shows people will pay a premium for craft beers, due to higher quality. So Diageo is charging a premium for their 'premium beers'. But the beers are bland and are too mass produced to appeal to craft beer drinkers.

I studied marketing and one thing was that most effective ways of selling products is favourable reviews from your peers. It worth far more than an advertising campaign. Craft beers are a sign of this. People are buying craft beers, that are not advertised because they have heard that they are good. Diageo is spending millions on ads to keep their market share and are failing at it. Instead of telling people what they want or mildly altering their product offer with limit edition bottles. Diageo either needs to buy out a craft beer company or develop a craft beer from scratch. I doubt they will do either for now

BeerNut

hfallada wrote: »

Diageo either needs to buy out a craft beer company or develop a craft beer from scratch.

There's a half-way option that C&C have been pursuing in Scotland with the Drygate project: a quasi-independent joint operation with a genuine craft brewery, in that case, Williams Brothers. I've not tried any of the beers yet but I've heard good things. I think the model has potential here too: the small brewery gets the resources without its main operation being tainted; the big brewery gets authentic craft cred on a minimal outlay.

dregin

BeerNut wrote: »

There's a half-way option that C&C have been pursuing in Scotland with the Drygate project: a quasi-independent joint operation with a genuine craft brewery, in that case, Williams Brothers. I've not tried any of the beers yet but I've heard good things. I think the model has potential here too: the small brewery gets the resources without its main operation being tainted; the big brewery gets authentic craft cred on a minimal outlay.

Franciscan Well!

oblivious

dregin wrote: »

Franciscan Well!

They are quite embedded with in the molson family

BeerNut

dregin wrote: »

Franciscan Well!

I'm sure Franciscan Well would like to think that's the arrangement they have, but no.

quadrifoglio verde

BeerNut wrote: »

I'm sure Franciscan Well would like to think that's the arrangement they have, but no.

Care to elaborate?

Surely C&C are doing something similar with five lamps are they not?

BeerNut

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

Surely C&C are doing something similar with five lamps are they not?

Sort of, except there's no other half of the equation with Five Lamps, there's just C&C and the guys who own the Five Lamps brand.

Mesrine65

BeerNut wrote: »

I'm sure Franciscan Well would like to think that's the arrangement they have, but no.