Is It Good for You? Debunking 10 Myths About Guinness Stout

In 1759 Arthur Guinness first began to brew his eponymous Irish stout, and probably sometime in 1760, people started making crap up about it.

Like shamrocks, freckles and bar fights, Guinness has become an icon of the Emerald Isle, known around the world for its impenetrable color, its complex pouring ritual, and its ability to balance well on a toucan's beak. It's also known for the wild rumors associated with it, from the common barfly's claim of better-tasting pints in the old country to conspiracy theories of macabre secret ingredients. Asylum goes MythBusters on your favorite draught. Boston, we're looking at you.

Myth Number 1: Guinness is heavy in calories ... False
Guinness weighs in at 125 calories per 12-oz. serving. But wait, who drinks a 12-oz. Guinness? Nobody, since a pint is 16 oz. (20 for the lucky stiffs in the motherland). Do the math and you get about 170 calories per 16-oz. serving. Guess how many are in a 16-oz. Strawberry Surf Rider smoothie from Jamba Juice? 330. Thank us later, ladies.

Myth Number 2: Guinness is supposed to be warm ... False
Guinness reports its draught is best stored at 42.8 degrees. Your average fridge is between 35 and 38, which is a bit on the chilly side. Unfortunately, most beer coolers in bars are even colder to accommodate our thirst for "ice cold" beer. Regardless, 43 degrees is neither warm nor room temperature. The obvious solution is to order two at a time, so one is always warming up!

Myth Number 3: 'Guinness for strength' ... Undetermined
The famous 'Guinness is good for you' and similar advertisements from the 1930s -- great marketing ploy, but just keep in mind it came about in the 1930s, when you could still claim your product did anything and not get in trouble with the law. We happen to think a pint of Guinness is the most important meal of the day, but we have no scientific evidence to back that up. Your mileage may vary. If Guinness does give you a boost, it's probably more in the "liquid courage" category.

Myth Number 4: The flavor of Guinness stems from nefarious sources ... False
The more outrageous stories about Guinness include the ones about how dead rats were found at the bottom of the vats in the St James's Gate brewery in Ireland, thus explaining the unique taste of stout. Other stories have circulated that Guinness is actually filtered through lamb's blood to get its taste. This one is classic barroom BS at its finest. Guinness has been the victim of more Snopes-worthy urban legends than any other libation, except maybe Corona. The basics of Guinness are barley, hops, yeast and water ... from the Skull and Bones Society. Guinness derives its toasted flavor, which tastes anywhere from coffee to chocolate, and bitter hint from the manner in which its malted barley is roasted and the amount of hops used. The creamy taste of the head is a result of nitrogen bubbles released during the pouring process.

Myth Number 5: The St. James's Gate brewery produces different kinds of Guinness for various markets ... Kinda
Guinness is available in 100 countries and is brewed in nearly 50 of them, using locally sourced ingredients like water. Therefore, one could argue (and we know you will) that any Guinness brewed outside Dublin is materially different. The top five selling markets? (In order) Great Britain, Ireland, Nigeria, the U.S. and Cameroon. We were surprised by those two, too.

Myth Number 6: Water from the River Liffey in Dublin goes into Guinness ... False
While the St. James's Gate brewery sits next to the river, the water used to make Guinness comes from the Wicklow mountains to the south.

Myth Number 7: Guinness in a can is different from draught Guinness ... Confusing
Guinness is available in draught, Extra Stout, and Foreign Extra. Draught comes in cans, bottles and, well, draught. Extra Stout comes only in bottles and Foreign Extra comes in bottles, cans and an Extra Smooth variety. Got all that? Good.

Myth Number 8: Strict vegetarians can't drink Guinness ... True
The production of the stout involves the use of isinglass, a byproduct of the fishing industry derived from dead fish. Isinglass is used as a fining agent for settling out suspended matter in the beer vat, and while it's kept at the bottom of the tank, some isinglass may end up in the final product. So if you're the type who avoids gelatin and whey in your diet, you're out of luck. We can only imagine the histrionics this revelation might spark from PETA.

Myth Number 9: Guinness is black ... False
Look closer and you'll see that Guinness actually has a ruby red color, due to how the malted barley is roasted. Hint: This one is an easy way to win $5 from your friends.

Myth Number 10: The Guinness in Ireland is much better than the Guinness served in the United States ... Up to you
While we would never judge a fellow tippler for his esteemed critique of the palate (especially after 2-for-1 atomic-wing night), this granddaddy of Guinness myths is usually spouted from the condescending lips of a recently returned study-abroad student, suddenly eminently more cultured than we are for spending three months puking outside the American-themed bar in some foreign city. Whether a pint is better in the Old Sod than it is here really has to do with a lot of factors -- mainly, how many you've had.

www.asylum.com . . .

Have a Happy 4th!
...from the FF Pub

It's BEER!

There is no such thing as bad BEER!

And I've drunk some really crappy BEER!

But it was all good.

Some was GREAT!

I've always said Guiness is like mother's milk.

guinnesss is disgusting stuff. It's the only beer that I've thrown out.

Guinness is the nectar of the gods

starspangled wrote:

guinnesss is disgusting stuff. It's the only beer that I've thrown out.

you're nuts

starspangled wrote:

guinnesss is disgusting stuff. It's the only beer that I've thrown out.

I hate to disagree with anyone when it comes to beer but Guinness is quite good. It may be an acquired taste to anyone who has judged "Budweiser" as the king of beers but worth the effort.

you're nuts

Not if this is the liquid shit in a bottle that makes noise.

Gross.

I hate to disagree with anyone when it comes to beer but Guinness is quite good. It may be an acquired taste to anyone who has judged "Budweiser" as the king of beers but worth the effort.

Go fork yourself. lol

I like bass, spaten, brooklyn brewery, lowenbrau, heineken, etc.. I don't hate bud. It's cheap and better than having no beer. But I don't drink it anymore, since euros took it over.

The best Guinness I've had was in Minnie's Bar in Balinasloe, Ireland. I guess the dear lady has passed on by now, but I will not forget the great time we had in her place! The worst Guinness I've had is Nigerian, bottled Devil's piss.

Paulaner Hefeweizen.

Guinness taste like brackish water.

While I am thinking about it, a happy 4th July to all our Yankee members and my daughter-in-law! I doubt she will read this post, thankyou Lord.

monkybot wrote:



Paulaner Hefeweizen.

Guiness taste like brackish water.

Immature taste buds,sunshine.

pippin wrote:

Immature taste buds,sunshine.

Ok, when I get older I will enjoy the finer things in life.

Like beer that was distilled from the water drained from a car battery.

I can't wait

I loooooove Guiness.It is my favorite ale,stella is my favorite lager.
Let me ask Guiness fans something.Does Pete's Wicked Ale come close to the flavor of Guiness.Yes I know it's not a stout but it is damn good also.
Also to Beer aficionados like me,Do you think Molson's Ice comes close to Stella?
Stella incidentally is pilsner urquell(the benchmark) without all the bitterness.

You've just made me go and get one from the kitchen.

I'm back. Howzat for the butterfly effect?

monkybot wrote:

Ok, when I get older I will enjoy the finer things in life.
Like beer that was distilled from the water drained from a car battery.
I can't wait

That's the problem, you don't distill it.

BTW, the water from UBOOT batteries is best.

The taste of it always reminds me of coffee and roasted almonds.

GreyUhu wrote:

That's the problem, you don't distill it.

BTW, the water from UBOOT batteries is best.

Well, may have to pick some up and give it another try.

Guinness, the only tasty thing from Ireland.

Of all the beers in the world I have tasted, this one gives me the liquid shits.

I will never drink this beer again!!!!

My telephone connection to the internet [FranceTelecom] is complete and utter shit. I've had to dialup about 20 times today. I type a post and: I fuckin' loose it before I can tap Post. That's why, to some of you I seem a grumpy old fart. OK?! Now I'm going to try and repeat what I wrote just now. Fuck it! The original Budweiser [Czeck] is so superior to the US gnat's piss. If you happen to land in North YorkshireUK, and have a liking for Guinness, pop into a pub and have a few pints of THEAKSTONS OLD PECULIAR. You may be carried out, but you will have enjoyed youself!

The best.

Fearless_Leader wrote:

The best.

NOW! You may be getting somewhere here. I'm not a fan of gayboy drinkies, chocolate indeed! I have visited YOUNGS BREWERY, is the goat or sheep, whatever it was, still alive? Youngs Special is a good pint. Fuckin' Yanks don't know what they are missing!

Cazeilles wrote:

Guinness, the only tasty thing from Ireland.

Have you not noticed the colleens, old chap?!