GUINNESS DRAUGHT / EXTRA COLD
Diageo
Ireland, 4.1% ABV
Ah, the black stuff; full of goodness and health, though not wealth, the stuff of life, each pint a meal in itself, each glass (half pint) the rumoured ‘fix’ for every malady known to man. Made with water cascading from Wicklow mountain springs, not the slow waters of the River Liffey, Guinness pervades every corner of the globe. From the old colonial pubs of the Sydney Rocks, to Manhattan’s ubiquitous ‘Irish’ bars, from the swish hotels of Hong Kong, to the package tourist traps of the Med, this Irish staple will likely be the first beer tap you see. My first real Guinness session occurred during a ‘business trip’ to Dublin that took three days to recover from, and I’ve since become very partial to Guinness Draught, especially when accompanied in the Irish style with a Jameson chaser. But Extra Cold – served 3 degrees cooler than the more traditional version – is now my preferred Guinness. It takes 119.5 seconds to pour the perfect pint of Guinness Draught, apparently. Served in a two part pour, a mix of nitrogen and carbon dioxide creates the alluring Guinness swirl. Watch it tumble – a broth of muddy brown slop, gradually clearing from the bottom, forming a gloriously jet-black pint with a wonderfully creamy white head, then savour the fresh coldness and the full stout flavour with its traces of caramel and roasted hops. Most definitely worth waiting for, so don’t rush the barman. WDL
