Guinness Storehouse

If there were such a thing as a patron drink of Ireland then it would most definitely be Guinness. It’s the best-selling alcoholic drink in the country, has been brewed in Dublin for more than 250 years and is served in every pub in the city as well as the vast majority of the others in the country. It’s hugely popular and it’s widely accepted and almost a legal requirement that you visit the home of the famous black stuff during a trip to Dublin.

It’s also commonly reported that the stout known as Guinness is at it’s absolute best in this fair city. Moreover Guinness tastes best in Dublin at the famous St James’s Gate Brewery, which is now also home to a hugely popular attraction known at the Storehouse.

The company was established in 1759 when Arthur Guinness pulled off the deal of several millennia by agreeing to lease his brewery for a period of 9,000 years at an annual rate of ₤45. Within a decade he’d started exporting to Britain but it was not until 1778 that he made a dark beer called porter, a forerunner of the legendary stout that would follow in the 1840s. Today, the Guinness company makes around €2 billion a year.

The history is now recounted during a trip to the Storehouse, where you can also see the lease Arthur signed when you enter at the bottom of the world’s largest Guinness glass. This vessel would hold 14.3 million pints and rises through the centre of the seven-storey visitor attraction.

As you make your way through the antique building, displays show you different aspects of the brewing process. You’ll learn how it gets its distinct flavour and colour, which is actually a very dark red if you hold a pint up to a bright light.

The tour also shows you the hugely successful advertising campaigns that were run down the years and regales you with a whole host of other Guinness-related information – like how to taste the different ingredients and how to pour a perfect pint.  

Finally, you end up at everyone’s favourite part of the tour -  the Gravity Bar at the very top of the Guinness Storehouse. This glass-fronted cylinder affords one of the finest views of Dublin and there you can sit back and enjoy your complimentary drink.

There’s also a massive souvenir shop here, which is a great place to buy gifts for friends and family back home. You’ll find all sorts of Guinness branded merchandise using old and new imagery and you can even buy a bottle with your, or someone else’s name printed on the label.

The Guinness Storehouse is west of the city centre in St James’s Gate and is about 20 minutes’ walk from Trinity College. Alternatively, you can catch bus number 51 from Aston Quay, which runs every 15 minutes. Admission is €14.40 for adults, €10.60 for students and €10.50 for seniors but you can knock 10% off those prices if you book in advance through the website. It’s open every day from 9.30am till 5pm.