Guinness is Good for You

It's a common cliche to say something is "as American as apple pie". In the hills and valleys of Ireland, the metric to which all Irish classics are measured is a tall pint of the dark stuff. If Guinness is really good for you, then there is a whole lot of good going 'round Ireland.

If you're looking for an objective evaluation of Ireland's national drink, go somewhere else. I love the stuff above most every beer on the planet. In fact, when selecting the itinerary for our trip Ireland made the cut because I wanted to experience a stout in the home of my ancestors before I pass from this earth.

At the Guinness Storehouse, I learned that over 10 million pints are brewed and consumed every day. I firmly believe that at least 20% of the world supply is consumed in Dublin. I'm serious! If pints were soldiers, Dublin would be their Gettysburg. While we're on the topic, the Storehouse tour was a bit of a let-down. It's a little hard to follow, and aside from some interesting features about Guinness advertising, it was a bit boring.

The rooftop bar, on the other hand, was fantastic, offering a panoramic view of beautiful Dublin. Jenny hates beer, so she gives me her free samples whenever we go on a brewery tour. This is yet another reason why she's the perfect wife. Actually, Dublin is hideously industrial and drab, but viewed through the fog of two free pints, even the homeliest town looks like Rome.

This is the last of my two pints. Notice the foam shamrock at the top of the head, a signature of the beermeister that poured it for me. Brilliant!

I left Dublin so heady over my stout binge that I decided to get into the import business and bring back my own supply. I lovingly bore 10 pints of canned Guinness Draught over thousands of miles and hundreds of feet of airport, customs and immigration checks.

It was a labor of love, but it was also for a higher purpose. For years I'd been told that the Guinness in Dublin tastes SO MUCH better than the "substandard" stuff they import into the US. I've determined that pineapples do indeed taste better in Hawaii than they do on the mainland, and I was equally determined to prove to myself that Guinness from the homeland is indeed better than our Yankee version.

So I gathered 6 of my bible study partners, all Guinness lovers, and decided to put the question to their seasoned lips by doing a back to back taste test with local Guinness purchased at the supermarket. Unfortunately for my back, the effort was in vain. Both samples were identical, with no difference between the oceanbound imports and my oppressively heavy air shipment.

The Irish believe that Guinness is good for you, and I'm inclined to agree. Even if there is only a weak argument for it's healing and strength-giving powers, I have to believe that Guinness offers an emotional benefit to the consumer. Holding a pint will always remind me of the cramped, dark pubs of Ireland and the rosy souls that shared the experience with me.

In case you're wondering, a pint of Guinness Draught is 4 WW points. Well worth it in my opinion...

Update 11/28 - The photo of my pint was entered in this month's Does My Blog Look Good in This photography contest!