dublin – The Adventuring Emily

I imagine if you’ve ever been out drinking on St. Patrick’s Day in the US and tried to order a green beer you’ve heard at least one person quip that ‘real Irishmen drink black beer.’ In Dublin, Ireland this stands true at the Guinness Storehouse located in the heart of St. Jame’s Gate. No visit to Dublin feels complete with a good pour of Guinness so during my October 2017 visit to the city I took the bus out to the Storehouse to see it (and taste it) for myself.

Tickets to Guinness will run you about $28 (USD) though discounts are available if you pre-purchase online.

The seven floor Storehouse experience starts by showing you the growing, fermenting and brewing process.

Barrels showing how Guinness was originally distributed

As we continued winding through the Guinness pint shaped building we came across a tasting room where you can learn the proper technique to drink a Guinness.

As we learned in tasting class, you must wait to drink a Guinness after pouring until there is a clear separation between the black beer and the white, foam head. Additionally, you should take large gulps to get the full flavor.

Following our lesson we walked through a large exhibit on the history of Guinness advertising and were treated to some of their most famous slogans and campaigns.

I can’t imagine a beer making ‘health claims’ like this today!

Finally after all the stair climbing and escalator climbing we reached the pinnacle of the experience- Guinness’ Gravity Bar which sits at the very stop of the Storehouse and offers 360 degree views of Dublin. As luck would have it, we visited on a mostly cloudy day but the clouds parted just as we enjoyed our beers and the beautiful views.

Views of the rest of the Guinness Brewery

Dublin has so many great attractions to enjoy but the Guinness Storehouse definitely tops my list! This is worth at least one visit and I’d even wager to say that I’d go for a second visit when I find myself in Dublin again.