Guinness beer: the history of the brand and the most popular Irish stout
If you ask anyone to name the top 5 most popular dark beers, Guinness would definitely be on the list. This Irish stout is known all over the world, and drinking it has become a whole philosophy. Many Guinness fans travel thousands of kilometers to taste the legendary drink in its homeland, and the list of such fans includes real stars, such as director Chris Hayden. Why Guinness beer is known and loved in any part of the world — this article was analyzed in this article.
How it all began
The founder of the brand Arthur Guinness was born in 1725 in Ireland. At the age of 27 he inherited a large sum for those times — 100 pounds sterling — and decided to invest it in business, opening his own brewery in the town of Leixlip. In 1959 he moved to Dublin, and although the brewing industry was going through a bad time, he rented a derelict estate near St. James Gate for 9000 years, where he continued to brew his beer.
Despite the fact that beer production was in decline during those years, Guinness managed to spin out and even began exporting his products to England. After the death of the businessman, the brewery was inherited by his son, and then it was passed on to his children, until in the 1850s the next owner registered the Guinness trademark.
Few people know that the brewery’s creator, Arthur Guinness, did not brew stout at his brewery — only English ale and porter. Guinness Draught, which became famous all over the world, appeared only in 1956, on the 200th anniversary of the lease signed by Arthur Guinness.
The secret of success
Much of the popularity of «Guinness» is due to competent advertising. From the slogan Guinness is Good For You to the widest range of souvenir products. It is in Guinness invented the so-called «beer widget», which allows you to create a delicate creamy cap when filling from the bottle and tin can. The creators received a Royal Award for this development, and the know-how itself was recognized as the greatest invention of the last 40 years.
By the way, the Guinness Book of Records is also directly related to the brand — it was on the company’s initiative that it was first published in 1955. The idea of its creation was simple — to record in one place all the world’s achievements in order to solve the endless disputes of visitors to Irish pubs.
Of course, all these interesting points do not fuel interest in Guinness products. But not advertising alone — Guinness beer really has a rich, smooth, creamy flavor, which is dominated by burnt and smoky tones, as well as notes of black coffee and caramel. By the way, the drink owes much of its popularity to the «beer widget» — a nitrogen capsule that creates a recognizable foam cap when bottled. The flavor of the beer is muted, with notes of roasted malt, coffee and milk chocolate.
Looking for a place to try Guinness and other popular beers? Come to Lambic! Our chain of beer restaurants features hundreds of labels from around the world, as well as delicious food, great service and a cozy atmosphere. Come — we will find something to surprise you!
Coffee and beer - a match or a flop? Exploring the myths about the famous combination
Coffee and beer are drunk at different times and on different occasions, but they have much more in common than meets the eye. Beverages that were considered ordinary 10 years ago have now become gourmet products: craft beer and specialty coffee have won millions of fans. But what if you mix the two? Let’s find out how justified this combination is and what myths are associated with it. How did the combination of coffee and beer appear? Experiments with coffee and beer began in the middle of the XX century, when brewers and bartenders began to look for new flavors. But the real boom happened in the nineties and noughties due to the growing popularity of craft beer. The first successful variants were coffee stouts and porters — dark brews with deep flavors that perfectly complemented the coffee notes. Brewers added coffee at various stages: — during brewing — for a rich flavor;— during fermentation — for softness;— into the finished beer — as a cold coffee infusion. A good example of such a recipe is the Japanese beer Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout, which can be tasted in Lambic beer restaurants. It’s a flavorful, dense ale brewed in the style of American imperial stouts with coffee beans added for espresso. Bartenders, too, have contributed to popularizing this unusual combination, creating original cocktails from coffee and beer. The most popular is the Black & Tan, which includes stout, lager and espresso. Today, such mixes are part of the craft culture. Is it true that coffee helps sober you up? One of the main myths is that coffee supposedly neutralizes alcohol. In fact, caffeine only masks intoxication. It creates the illusion of liveliness, but coffee does not actually lower blood alcohol levels. In addition, a cocktail of coffee and beer can increase the strain on the heart. If you drink coffee before alcohol, it will temporarily increase the activity of liver enzymes that break down ethanol. But this does not mean that it is necessary to increase the dose. Coffee with beer: harm or benefit? In moderate quantities, low-alcohol coffee beers (for example, stouts with 4-6% strength) are relatively safe. If you want to try such a mix, choose drinks from quality ingredients. For example: — Dark beer (porter, stout) and cold espresso.— Lager or ale and light coffee syrup. There are contraindications for such cocktails. Mixing coffee with beer is not recommended for people with hypertension, heart and GI diseases, as well as those who use drugs incompatible with caffeine. The combination of coffee and beer is an interesting gastronomic experience, especially if you respect the measure. Come to Lambic — we will treat you to interesting drinks without harming your health!
20 May 2025
Bitter! Let's understand what IBU is and how bitterness affects the taste of beer
If you’ve scrutinized craft beer labels, you’ve definitely seen the mysterious IBU abbreviation on them. This indicator plays a key role in shaping the flavor of the beverage. Let’s find out what it means and why bitterness is one of the main criteria for evaluating beer. What is IBU? IBU (International Bitterness Unit) is an international indicator of beer bitterness. It indicates the concentration of isohumulone, an alpha acid found in hops, which gives the drink its characteristic bitterness. The higher the IBU, the more bitter the beer will be. However, the perception of bitterness depends not only on this indicator, but also on the balance with malt sweetness, strength and aromatic additives. Why do you need the IBU index? Before the advent of industrial brewing, a beverage could be either too sweet or, conversely, too sour or bitter. To achieve a harmonious flavor, brewers began to adjust bitterness with hops. In the past, herbs (thistle, mint, juniper) were used to soften sweetness, but today the main source of bitterness is hops. It is added at different stages of brewing to: — compensate for the sweetness of the malt;— add complexity and flavor to the beer;— increase shelf life (isohumulone has antibacterial properties). The first to calculate the bitterness of beer were the people of Great Britain, using the formula «pounds of hops per quart of malt». The modern IBU standard was developed to accurately categorize beers. How to calculate IBU? The bitterness index is determined using a mathematical formula: G = D × E D = (A × B) / (C × 0.1) Where: A — mass of hops (in grams); B — alpha acid content of hops (%); C — wort volume (in liters); E — loss factor (production time and beer density are affected); G — final IBU. The longer the hops are brewed, the more alpha acids pass into the wort, increasing bitterness. IBU scale: from lager to IPA Beer bitterness is measured on a scale of 0 to 120+ IBUs, but most beers are in the 5-90 range. Beer Style IBU Level Characteristics Pale Lagers 8–15 Light, smooth, minimal bitterness Wheat Ales 10–20 Fruity notes, low bitterness Porters/Stouts 30–50 Coffee, chocolate tones, moderate bitterness American IPA 50–80 Strong hop bitterness, citrus and pine notes Imperial IPA 80–120+ Extreme bitterness, high alcohol content Why is IBU not the main selection criterion? A high IBU does not always mean that the beer will seem too bitter. For example, sweet stouts (30-50 IBU) seem less bitter than IPAs due to caramel and chocolate notes. And light lagers (8-15 IBU) may be perceived as more bitter due to a lack of malt balance. How do you choose a beer based on bitterness level? If you don’t like bitterness — choose lagers, wheat ales, Belgian trippels (up to 30 IBU). If you like balance, try porters or amber ales (30-50 IBU). If you like a rich hop bitterness, an IPA or Imperial Stout (50+ IBU) is ideal. You can try any of these varieties in Lambic beer restaurants. Come — we will find something to surprise you!
20 May 2025