Wine-lovers may flock to the vineyards of France, but for connoisseurs of beer, Europe’s most sacred site is the Guinness Storehouse, a unique museum inside the St James’ Gate Brewery in Dublin.  The hallowed building was derelict when it was leased by Arthur Guinness in 1759 using £100 left by his godfather.  When a craze for a new, heavy style of beer called ‘porter’ began sweeping Dublin about 20 years later, Mr. Guinness decided to beat the English exporters at their own game, and came up with a brew that would ultimately become an Irish staple – the velvety, pitch-black Guinness Stout.

Today, Guinness is an international, US $3 billion-a-year business, but the recipe for “the Black Stuff” is still a closely guarded secret – part chemistry, part mystery.  We do know that Guinness’ unique color and flavor stem from the addition of rolled and roasted barley to beer’s traditional ingredients of malt, hops and yeast.  A substance obtained from fish bladders, known as isinglass finings, are added to help clarify the beer. But is the stout still aged to promote its sharp lactic flavor, as it was in the 18th century?  The current owners of the company, a conglomerate called Diageo, won’t say.  Finally, pouring a Guinness seems to involve as many arcane rules as its manufacture.  Diageo stipulates that the “perfect pint,” with the slow cascade of tiny bubbles and creamy head, can only be achieved in a slightly tipped, tulip shaped glass, with the temperature of the beer exactly 42.8 degrees Fahrenheit.  The famous “double pour,” whereby each glass of Guinness is half filled, allowed to sit before being topped up, should take exactly 119.53 seconds.

At the St. James’s Gate Brewery, a self-guided tour allows you to discover these and other eccentric facts, and revisit some of the company’s historic advertising campaigns.  “Guinness is good for you!” was one famous slogan in the 1920s, when it was discovered that the brew contained antioxidants that ward off heart disease and contains less calories than orange juice or skimmed milk.  The price of admission includes a free Guinness.  You can try pouring your own in the Source Bar, or be served in the top-floor Gravity Bar, which has splendid 360-degree views over Dublin.

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