Q: Why did God invent Guinness? A: So that the Irish would never rule the world!
Being an Irishman m’self, your Imbiber is surely glad Guinness came to be, though God had no hand in the actual development of the stout — ’twas an enterprising lad named Arthur Guinness who, in 1759, negotiated a 9,000-year lease (at $70 a year) on the St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin. Guess ol’ Arthur had a hunch his brew would be around for a while.
These days, the responsibility for carrying on Arthur’s legacy lies with Fergal Murray, who’s been head brewmaster at Guinness since 1995. Fergal’s plenty popular this time of year, but we managed to get him on the line for a spell to chat about the world’s most famous stout.
IMBIBER: There’s a perception in America that Guinness is fattening, when in fact it has less calories (about 125) than most domestic and imported light beers.
FERGAL MURRAY: We’ve always had the beer this way. Other folks have adapted their beers to appeal to light beer drinkers in the United States, but our beer has always been that way.
IMBIBER: Does the Guinness available in the States have less alcohol than in Ireland?
FERGAL MURRAY: It’s 4.2 percent alcohol in the States. Exactly the same as we drink in Dublin and the rest of Western Europe.
IMBIBER: What type of food goes well with Guinness?
FERGAL MURRAY: My favorite is seafood with pints of stout. Then again, there’s nothing better than a cottage pie or an Irish stew with Guinness. Also, fusion foods – Asian fusion, especially. And it goes great with salads with bacon on top, too.
IMBIBER: So, basically, Guinness pairs well with everything but nachos?
FERGAL MURRAY: It goes great with nachos!
IMBIBER: We’re all obsessed with celebrities. Do famous people drink Guinness?
FERGAL MURRAY: Any of the leading actors of the world, when they come to Dublin, they enjoy a pint. The Rolling Stones are big fans. U2, of course. I’ve seen George Clooney having a pint, and Pierce Brosnan, too. But a lot of the girls drink it — Angelina Jolie is a big fan.
IMBIBER: And I’m a big fan of Angelina … you, too?
FERGAL MURRAY: Oh, yes.
(The Imbiber welcomes your questions, comments and suggestions at dan.dunn@metro.us)
Comments
Comment #1
(Posted by Mac McGee) Rating
"Beer is liquid Bread"
While I can trace my genealogy in Ireland to the 12th century, and my Clan to the 9th century - each individual generation has refered to the Stout as "LIQUID BREAD". Grains like barley, wheat and other cereals did not store well in a forever rainy climate. Many families converted their cereal supplies to "Liquid Bread" as a way to store it's goodness, filling effects and longevity on the shelf. Keeping it in wooden vessels buried in the bog, maintained freshness. Their is more to stout, than the mere production of another beer - it was at one time a way of survival.
