Why is Guinness so inconsistent?

[rje66]

Don't enjoy a pint that's too cold. I find the slightly warm thick creamy ones the best.

[cruiscinlan]

Talking to my local friendly barman here in Dublin, and he says it's all down to how long the kegs are left to settle in the cold store before being hooked up. He reckons you need at least a couple of weeks settling before you get good Guinness out of the tap.

That'd make some sense if it was a live beer, but for a pasteurised beer? There should be no change in the product when kegged or bottled.

Heineken or AB Inbev products taste pretty much the same everywhere and their processes wouldn't be any different.

My take on it is that what people talk about re Diageo products is a mix of the remnants of people's memories of real ale techniques ie short lines, kegs coming into condition, the two part pour from when old and new beer was mixed, this is then mixed in with marketing guff.

Eoin that info about IPA isn't true afaik, the Ron Pattison blog shutupaboutbarclayperkins is a great source for accurate information on historic brewing. Some ales were sent overseas, of varying strengths where everyone drank it.

[delzep]

Well the best Beamish I've had by far was in Callanans bar in Cork City which have the keg directly under the bar. Was so good

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

That used be true, sure wasn't IPA made extra strong for transport and then served undiluted in the officers mess and diluted for foot soldiers?

No.