Dublin's Guinness and Porterhouse Brewing Co.
Stout, Lager, Ale are Beers Brewed in Ireland
Sep 20, 2009
One million pints of Guinness are consumed daily in Ireland. A Dublin visit isn't complete without a tour of the Guinness Storehouse, located at St. James Gate Brewery. It bottles and sells its beer worldwide. The Porterhouse Brewing Co. is a microbrewery that produces fresh, unpasteurized, chemical-free beer that are not bottled and only sold in their three Dublin pubs.
The Guinness Storehouse Experience
Arthur Guinness began his empire in 1759 and at St. James Gate brewery in Dublin. He also fathered 21 children, 11 of whom died. His family became deep-pocketed philanthropists, which helped the downtrodden and shaped the look of Dublin. St. Stephen's Green is one of their gifts. His ingenious stout recipe combined hops, yeast and barley (malted and roasted), all enhanced by a good water supply from the Wicklow Mountains. "Arthur's Yeast" is a national treasure and still passed along in each brew.A sample is kept in a vault and can be replenished in a few hours.
The Guinness Storehouse dates back to 1904 and is built in the Chicago School of Architecture style. The building was once the brewery's fermentation plant and now tells the story of an icon. Its interior resembles a pint glass rising through its seven stories. On display are grains; mini waterfalls; antique photos that depict the labors of many; advertising campaigns are honored; visitors are instructed how to pour the perfect pint and easy-to-follow screens are at each tour stop. The pace through the building is the visitor's choice. The tour can be downloaded onto mp3 devices using free iWalks available in five languages.
The top floor is the Gravity Bar that has floor-to-ceiling 360-degree views of Dublin. A complimentary Guinness pint is served to visitors over 18. For some, the taste is bitter; others adore the brew that's 4.2 percent alcohol and 198 calories. The Store on a lower level is the Guinness shopping adventure. A T-shirt costs 18 euros while a two-glass pint set costs eight euros. Non-EU residents can have the 21.5% VAT tax deducted at the cash register. Return the receipt to the Global Refund counter at the Dublin or Shannon airport.
The Guinness Storehouse is open daily from 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. July and August until 7:00 p.m. Closed some holidays. Adult admission is 15 euros, which includes the complimentary Guinness pint. Book a ticket online to save 10% and waiting in line to enter.
The Porterhouse Brewing Co.
Imagine launching three micro-brewed stouts in Dublin, a city known for its mass-produced Guinness brand? That's what cousins Liam La Hart and Oliver Hughes did when they opened The Porterhouse Brewing Co. in 1996, adding in three lagers and two ales. Their first pub opened in the Temple Bar area, which is near the River Liffey and a booming tourist district along its cobblestone walkways. In time, Porterhouse Central appeared on Nassau Street and Porterhouse North opened on Cross Guns Bridge. Other locations are in Bray and London.
The micro-brewery concept grew, especially when customers watched the brewers behind a glass screen and knew the beer came from the premises. It was fresh, unpasturized and chemical-free. Today, the owners continue to brew for taste, never include additives and purchase supplies from around the world. Fresh hops are air-freighted from the U.S., New Zealand, Germany and the Czech Republic. Raw Irish barley adds that extra dimension to the stouts. There is a brew master, and all beers are brewed in Dublin. Food is served in all Porterhouse pubs. Live music can be heard.
Porterhouse does not sell Guinness. They do offer a Porterhouse sample tray with three stouts, three ales or three lagers. Porterhouse Red is the most popular draught ale. Oyster Stout is derived from fresh oysters shucked into the conditioning tank. Temple Brau is the number one selling lager. Seasonal specials are throughout the year. Porterhouse management guesses it has served 14.5 million pints since its opening and calls the company Ireland's largest and genuine "Irish Brewery."
Finding Pubs Throughout Ireland
Pub life is a mainstay of Irish life. Most serve food but stop around 9:00 p.m. Closing hour is generally 11:30 p.m. weekdays with a half hour "drinking up" time; Friday and Saturday nights closing is 12:30 a.m. with a half hour drinking up time. Legal drinking age is 18. To find a particular pub or for country information, contact the Irish Tourist Board.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
