When Guiness was first making their beer, of course, it was a success. One day, the health inspector came around and asked them to drain their vats to do an inspection. At the bottom of the vats, they found many dead rats. Guiness removed the rats and continued production. All of a sudden, the beer tasted horrible. Guiness came to the conclusion that it was the rats that gave the beer such a desireable taste, but the health inspector wouldn’t allow it, so they bought pieces of meat and threw those into the vats, and that is what makes Guiness what it is today.
Guiness isn’t my favorite beer, but I do have a pint of it once in a while. You can find this story posted in several places on the web, but I’ve been unsuccessful in substantiating it…
They drained the beer vats? I suppose it wasn’t really wasted, the albino alligators in the sewer system drank it.
That is truly alcohol abuse!
To answer your query, this story sounds totally made-up, like the one where Moose-Head beer was made from water so filthy (supposedly from some polluted river in Canada) the workers could not drink from the water fountains at the brewery, it made them sick.
Guinness is a type of beer called ‘porter’. No meat is used in its production, but isinglass is used to ‘fine’ the beer (remove cloudiness) hence it is not acceptible to some vegetarians.
In Ireland, especially Dublin, the drink [porter] was known as “plain porter” or just “plain”. This is the drink referred to in the famous refrain of Flann O’Brien’s poem “The Workman’s Friend”: “A pint of plain is your only man.” By contrast, extra-strong porter was called Stout Porter and eventually became what is today stout.
Stout grew into its own recognized style but there is still much debate today on whether this division is appropriate. Usually the deciding factor in whether a particular ale is a porter or a stout is strength. After the invention of malted barley roasted until black, also known as patent malt, in 1817, to impart dark color, which also gives a distinct burnt taste to the beer, Irish brewers dropped the use of brown malt, using patent malt and pale malt only, while English brewers continued using some brown malt, giving a difference in style between English and irish porters and stouts.. Stouts sometimes also use roast barley, unmalted barley roasted black, that can impart a flavor of coffee.
During the First World War in Britain, shortages of grain led to restrictions on the production of strong beer. This allowed Irish brewers such as Guinness to fill the market need and gain market dominance, a position that they continue to enjoy to this day.
yeah i followed your link and i guess there is still much debate today on whether this [stout] division is appropriate but your link seemed to me to imply guinness is a stout.
Found this in my favorites - I must have been drunk to bookmark it. I think I was just amazed at the obsession of this guy. He (it just must be a he) has made a list of beers suitable for vegans and regularly emails the producers to find out if they use finings (fish). http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geraint.bevan/Vegetarian_beers.html
This thread reminded me of the Nelson in a barrel stuff…
British sailors used makeshift enbalming when Lord Nelson died at Trafalgar. Surviving officers decided to return the body to England rather than bury this famous admiral at sea. Reportedly his body was immersed in the ship’s brandy stores, the only preservative available. The sailors, though, not wanting to go without their alcohol, siphoned out portions for drinking through a piece of macaroni, eventually draining the brandy dry.
This thread reminded me of the Nelson in a barrel stuff…
British sailors used makeshift enbalming when Lord Nelson died at Trafalgar. Surviving officers decided to return the body to England rather than bury this famous admiral at sea. Reportedly his body was immersed in the ship’s brandy stores, the only preservative available. The sailors, though, not wanting to go without their alcohol, siphoned out portions for drinking through a piece of macaroni, eventually draining the brandy dry.
yeah i followed your link and i guess there is still much debate today on whether this [stout] division is appropriate but your link seemed to me to imply guinness is a stout.
Really? I thought it was quite clear. Especially the bit where it said…
[quote author=“Wikipedia”]In Ireland, especially Dublin, the drink was known as “plain porter” or just “plain”. This is the drink referred to in the famous refrain of Flann O’Brien’s poem “The Workman’s Friend”: “A pint of plain is your only man.” By contrast, extra-strong porter was called Stout Porter and eventually became what is today stout.
Stout grew into its own recognized style but there is still much debate today on whether this division is appropriate. Usually the deciding factor in whether a particular ale is a porter or a stout is strength. After the invention of malted barley roasted until black, also known as patent malt, in 1817, to impart dark color, which also gives a distinct burnt taste to the beer, Irish brewers dropped the use of brown malt, using patent malt and pale malt only, while English brewers continued using some brown malt, giving a difference in style between English and irish porters and stouts.. Stouts sometimes also use roast barley, unmalted barley roasted black, that can impart a flavor of coffee.
During the First World War in Britain, shortages of grain led to restrictions on the production of strong beer. This allowed Irish brewers such as Guinness to fill the market need and gain market dominance, a position that they continue to enjoy to this day.
Hmm, perhaps that is confusing! I’d better repost your clarification again, just in case…
[quote author=“buba”]In Ireland, especially Dublin, the drink [porter] was known as
Health Inspectors in 1764 and in Ireland? The downtrodden natives had barely the strength to lift endless pints of Guiness until unconciousness relieved them of the yoke of the British slavery.
