Pouring the perfect Guinness

Pouring the perfect Guinness.

This requires a modicum of patience. The wait is worth it...

The process should take 119 official seconds to do, or just one second shy of two minutes.

It's commonly referred to as the 2-step "pour" method, but some pourers feel it's more appropriate to address it as a 6-part "serving" method. Without getting into the debate, I'll just give it to you straight up, the important steps only.

Start with a clean, dry, 20-ounce glass stored at room temperature.

Pouring is performed in two parts. Start with the glass tilted at a 45 degree angle to the tap- don't allow the faucet or tap to touch the glass. Allow the beer to flow in nice and smooth. Fill the glass 3/4 full. If you have official Guinness glassware- here's a cheat- fill to the words "DRAUGHT" printed on an official Guinness glass.

Let your pour settle. This is the most important point -- allowing the settle to occur. Color begins as a light creamy tan and deepens to a rich dark brown as the stout settles. Settling is complete when a distinct line has formed between the stout and the head, also known as "The Bishop's Collar."

Fill to top, you ae aiming for a fsmall-finger width height of a foamy dome, called the "Bishop's Collar". Allowing for a sideways finger height of The Bishop's Collar to sit on top, and a slight "prodding of the rim" (this is where the head stands a tad above the rim of the glass) takes some practice. If you try to pour it in one shot, you won't get a nice dome- It won't look either firm/strong or healthy. Let it settle until the white becomes black, then you top it off and you'll get that desired dome effect.

For you talented fellas, you may opt to complete the pour with a decorative shamrock by manipulating the glass artfully. Longstanding an Irish symbol of good luck, it adds a bit of a fancy touch to impress the ladies and fellas, if you can pull it off.

If they keep practicing, someday they'll be able to make a beer that you can just drink!












Just kiding. But then again, I drink wine that comes in a gallon jug with a screw on top.

Nothing wrong with that! Wine in a box (bag) has been a joke for ages- tghe fare for Long Island housewives and white trash trailer queens.

Now, it's caught on, and gaining respect and popularity.

I enjoy a beer called Mississippi Mud that comes in a wide mouth and jug handle.

And I love the Guinness company's "just open and pour" beer, Smithwick's (pronounced "Smiddicks").

As for the guinness, it's just a bit of excersize added to offset all that beer drinking.

Briilliiaaant!

Same here. Know of any other black & tans that are worth checking out?

- JP

JP,

That's the only pre-mixed B&T I've enjoyed. How about you?

One of the reasons that wine in a bag has caught on is, because not air can get in to taint the wine. not sure it taint is the right word or not. but I do know that air is bad for wine.

when I was stationed in england, two old ladies in their late 70's used to have me over for a guiness. I could only drink it with about 1/4 7 up and the rest guiness and it was pretty good. those old birds had a glass everyday.

elroy

forgot to mention, the most important pour is the one down your throat...!!!