Guinness is one of the most internationally recognised symbols of Ireland. It is also the most popular alcoholic drink for people in Ireland and in many other countries besides. Here are some facts about the ‘black stuff’ you might find interesting.

1. Pouring a glass or pint of Guinness is a skill. A “perfect pour” should take 119.5 seconds. This is the result of pour at an angle of 45 degrees followed by a rest. This is crucial. Most Irish people would cringe if they saw anyone pour it any other way. After a pause, long enough so what’s in the glass is a perfect black, the rest of the glass is filled, again at a 45 degree angle. What is handed across the bar should always have a creamy head.
2. It is a well known fact that the Irish love to travel around the world but did you know that Guinness is brewed in more than 150 countries? These include Nigeria and Indonesia.
3. Though the Irish obviously love a pint of plain 40% of all Guinness is sold in Africa. Who would have thought that in such a hot climate it would go down so well! Lets see if here in Greece we can try to catch up with that!
4. Over 10 million glasses are sold every day. Are you doing your part? That’s quite a high quota to fill. Come down to The Dubliner and try to help the cause b drinking a Pint!
5. Guinness is the perfect diet drink. A pint of the good stuff contains only 198 calories. That’s less than most light beers, wine, orange juice or even low fat milk. Now ladies and gents you have no excuse after the gym…..
6. Guinness does not contain oatmeal, contrary to a popular myth. This wonderful stuff is made of roasted malted barley, hops, yeast, and water. Also it’s not black. It actually a very nice dark ruby red.
7. The famous advertisement slogan “Guinness is Good For You” is still used around the world. Though Guinness is now officially on the record as denying this claim some research does support that Guinness is good for your heart.  It was not so long ago in Ireland that pregnant women were told to drink a glass of Guinness every day to fortify themselves and their baby.
8. St. James’ Gate Brewery, in Dublin City, was leased for 9,000 years at an annual fee of about €58 or less than €5 per month!  In 1759 when Arthur Guinness was just starting out in the brewing business he had such confidence in his product that he knew his brewery would still be running in 9000 years time. Well that’s 256 years over with. I’m pretty sure Guinness will make it the next 8,744.
9. When the Guinness breweries in Counties Louth and Kilkenny shutdown in 2013, there was also talk of closing down the Dublin brewery and moving back it to Leixlip, in Kildare, where Arthur’s career in stout making began. A national outcry ensued. Guinness will be staying put on the banks of the River Liffey and multi-billion renovations will begin soon.
10. On September 24, 2009 at 5.50 (or 17.59 in the 24 hour clock) Ireland and the world celebrated 250 years of Guinness with “Arthur’s Day”. The time 17.59 was cleverly chosen as 1759 was the year that Arthur signed his lease on St. James’ Gate. It also gave most people enough time to finish up work and meet their friends at their favorite pub.

Haven’t tried Guinness before? The just come down to The Dubliner in Ladadika and check out for yourself how great it is!