Guinness turns 250!

RAISE your glasses – Guinness is celebrating its 250th birthday! The legendary Irish dry stout has grown into one of the world’s biggest beer brands –proving its slogan that “good things come to those who wait”.

I am a pretty big fan of the beer but since it is quite filling, I usually drink it in a Black and Tan. For those of you who are not beer drinkers, a Black and Tan is half Guinness and half Bass Ale. Yummy! Anyway, happy birthday my dark friend and here’s to another 250 years!

Here are some interesting facts about the dark brew:

IRISH brewer Arthur Guinness created the drink, aged 27, in 1752.

Guinness exports from the UK were banned in 1944 as Britain fought the Nazi. The ban was not lifted until 1947, two years after the war ended.

The perfect pour should take 119.5 seconds and be done at a 45-degree angle. It should ideally be served at 42.8F.Guinness contains only 198 calories a pint. That is less than most light beer, wine, orange juice, or even light milk.

Almost 2billion pints of Guinness are sold worldwide every year.

Guinness is brewed in more than 150 countries, including Nigeria and Indonesia.

About 40% of all Guinness sales are in Africa.

Guinness does not, as many think, contain oatmeal. It includes malted barley, hops, yeast, and water.

The beer is not black, but a dark red from how the barley is flaked and roasted. Its white head is made up of nitrogen bubbles.

Male Guinness workers over 21 used to be given a two-pint-a-day allowance.

The 1999 TV advert showing a surfer was voted the best commercial of all time.

Nicknames for the drink include Arthur G, a pint of black stuff and Arthur Scargill.

In 2006, more Guinness was sold in Canada than in Ireland.

Guinness was the first beer to offer a “draught” experience in a can, using a device called a “widget”.

Experts recommend drinking half (6 ounces) of Guinness three times a week, to help stimulate breast milk production for new mothers.

Guinness has antioxidants that slow the build-up of cholesterol, proving the legendary ad slogan “Guinness is good for you”.


Cheers!