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A Guide For The Un-Initated To Buying Guinness In An Irish Pub.

Choose your pub carefully. A pint of Guinness does not appreciate loud music, loud people or bright flashing lights.
Ask politely for a pint of Guinness. Depending on the pub, it is possible to catch the barman's eye and mouth the word "pint", he will translate this accurately.
The barman will fill the glass between 70% and 80% capacity. It will then be put to the side for a few moments to allow it to "settle". Once the brownish liquid has almost turned to a solid black the barman will then fill the rest of the glass. NB: do not under any circumstances take the glass before it is filled. Some virgins seem to think that the settling stage is the final stage and walk away with an unfinished pint. At this point we Irish DO understand the predicament, but I assure you it causes endless mirth as well.
Once you have received your pint, find a comfortable stool or seat, gaze with awe into the deep blackness, raise the pint to your mouth and take a large mouthful. Be firm.
A good pint can distinguished by a number of methods. A smooth, slightly off- white head is one, another is the residue left on the inside of the glass. These, surpise surprise, are known as rings. As long as they are there you know your're okay. A science of rings is developing - the instance that comes to mind is determining a persons nationality by the number of rings (a ring is dependent on a swig of Guinness each swig leaving it's own ring). An Irishman will have in the region of 5-6 rings (we pace ourselves), an Englishman will have 8-10 rings, an American will have 17-20 (they sip) and an Australian won't have any at all as they tend to knock it back in one go!
As you near the end of your pint, it is the custom to order another one. It is a well known fact that a bird does not fly on one wing.

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Guinness Facts or a close second to the facts: toucan1.jpg (86237 bytes)

Q: But isn't Guinness high in calories?

A: Not especially. "Guinness is not notably high in calories..." This refers to the draught, bottle-conditioned and draught flow (tm) product, which are fairly low in alcohol. Calories in beers come from the alcohol and the residual sugars. The higher the alcohol, the higher the caloric content.

Q: Guinness is high in vitamin G, isn't it?

A: There is no vitamin G! However, the folklore surrounding Guinness has often lead to it being called vitamin G. Recommended Daily Allowance: 3 pints a day.

Q: What about the old wives tale about nursing mothers drinking Guinness?

A: Current medical research suggests that pregnant women and nursing mothers should totally abstain from any form of alcoholic beverage. In pregnancy, it can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, characterized by slow development. Alcohol does pass in the mother's milk, so nursing mother's should avoid Guinness and any other form of alcohol. I have received numerous comments from readers that I am being overly cautious and that Guinness is still given to nursing mothers in Ireland and brown ale to mothers in Belgium.

Q: Guinness has been dispensed in hospitals, correct?

A: Yes. In England, post-operative patients used to be given Guinness, as were blood donors. Sadly, this is no longer the case in England. In Ireland, Guinness is still made available to blood donors and stomach and intestinal post-operative patients. Guinness is known to be high in iron content.

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