The Science of Guinness: Your Guide to the Guinness Storehouse

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While in Dublin, one thing everyone has to do is tour the Guinness Storehouse. Also known as “the black stuff,” Guinness is arguably Ireland’s most famous and classic beer that you’ll find in every pub in Ireland. The Guinness Storehouse is designed to take you through the brewing process via science (huzzah)!

I’m not a fan of beer in general so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I came to the Guinness Storehouse. I was pleasantly surprised to find a walk-through of the science of Guinness with interactive exhibits and showcases. In this guide, I’ll be sharing the fun science facts about Guinness and information on visiting the Guinness Storehouse.

Ingredients

The first floor is dedicated to the four main ingredients involved in the brewing process:

1. Water
2. Barley
3. Hops
4. Yeast

Water used in the Guinness Storehouse comes from the Wicklow Mountains nearby. It is “soft” water, meaning there is much less calcium and magnesium. These minerals are adsorbed (picked up) by the mountains as the water flows down so by the time it reaches Guinness, the water is pure.

Barley was first used to make beer over a millennium ago by the Mesopotamians. The starches (sugars) need to be broken down first and are done so by the malting process. The roasted barley provides the ingredients that facilitate fermentation and give Guinness its signature deep red color.

Hops can grow up to 15 feet and at the Factory you can see a wall of these huge plants!

Yeast used in Guinness is special. Some yeast from each brew is transferred to the next and is said to have originated from Arthur Guinness himself! Yeast turns the natural sugars in grain to alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Roasting and Fermentation Processes

The next floor of the Storehouse gives you an inside look into the roasting and fermentation processes. Barley grain is roasted at exactly 232 degrees Celsius.

First, Guinness yeast is added to begin the fermentation process where it breaks down the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The yeast multiplies, which is how it is used in further brews. Oxygen is required for this all to happen so the oxygen levels are closely monitored. The carbon dioxide is collected, processed, and purified for reuse. The Guinness yeast is responsible for the aroma and color.

Nitrogen and the Falling Effect

Guinness was the first to introduce nitrogen into their beer in 1959. Nitrogen gas bubbles give Guinness its smooth creamy feel. It also creates a falling effect or “surge and settle.” A pint of Guinness looks like the liquid and bubbles are falling in the glass. The nitrogen bubbles at the center of the glass rise quickly and drag the liquid with them. As the liquid reaches the top, it flows outward and down the inside of the glass. It creates an effect that looks like falling!

World of Advertising

The next floor is dedicated to the incredible world of Guinness advertising. We didn’t stay here too long because we were focused on making it to the Guinness Academy. My favorite advertisement was the one using the quote, “A woman needs a man, like a fish needs a bicycle.”

The Guinness Academy

With your ticket, you get one tasting experience. There are two to choose from. The first is a general tasting experience. The second is the Guinness Academy, which is the one we chose. Here you get your free pint of Guinness, but unlike the other, you can learn how to pour your own pint.

Turns out, it is a very regulated process. The tilt of the glass and timing are perfected so you get the perfect pint. After your learn how to pour your own, you get to drink it! I highly recommend this experience. It was unique and so fun!

Gravity Bar on the Top Floor

We took our freshly poured pints up to the seventh floor to the Gravity Bar. The deck is circular and surrounded by windows so you can see all of the city, pint in hand, and relax…in theory.

This part of the Storehouse was by far the most crowded so it was a little difficult to get comfortable. We were there in peak season though, so it could be better during other times of the year.

Lastly we stopped on the 6th floor to grab some Guinness stew that was delicious!

Notes on Visiting

Tickets can be purchased ahead of time online here. It costs 19.50 Euro per adult and comes with a complementary pint of Guinness (18+ years old only). I recommend buying tickets online because you can skip the ticket queue, which was very long when we were there in August.

To get there by public transportation you can take the tram to the St. James Hospital stop then walk. It was a very easy walk, so I recommend this option. Plus it helps you drink responsibly and avoid driving.

A final note is that if you’re visiting Dublin during Christmastime, be sure to check out their Winter Village with local food, crafts, and other vendors.

I hope you enjoy!

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