Tour with a brewmaster
Head brewmaster travels around the world and teaches the art of pouring the perfect pint. -The Star
Thu, Nov 20, 2008
The Star
His job leaves most beer lovers green with envy.
As the head brewmaster, Fergal Murray (top picture) oversees the quality of each and every drop of Guinness that leaves St James' Gate.
By the way, Guinness Draught is only brewed in Dublin and the kegs are shipped to all corners of the world. Aside from keeping true to Arthur Guinness' tradition, Murray travels around the world to talk about his "nectar of the Gods" and teaches the art of pouring the perfect pint.
"Today, I want you to walk away knowing what makes Guinness so special and the fundamental points that make us stand out from our competition," says the amicable Murray with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Murray took us through the brewing steps as we toured the brewery which churns out three million pints of Guinness a day.
The four main ingredients to a great stout are malted roasted barley, hops, yeast and pure spring water from the Wicklow Mountains.
"We put in double the amount of hops for more flavour and aroma, while the roasted barley gives it the flavour and ruby red colour," explains Murray.
Arthur's yeast is special because it operates at about 24°C-25°C while most yeasts operate between 14°C-15°C, Murray adds.
"At a higher temperature, it converts the sugar into alcohol very fast. We want to capture the freshness as fast as possible," says Murray.
"It takes a total of eight days and the beer is in a keg, ready to be shipped off, compared to lager that takes up to 21 days to mature."
 Guinness Foreign Extra Stout |
For the Foreign Extra Stout (FES) and the Extra Stout (sold in the US), the Guinness Essence, a key ingredient in the beer (basically Guinness without the alcohol) is shipped to breweries around the world where it is added to a base beer brewed locally. The process is done according to strict guidelines, hence it lends a "touch of Dublin" to every batch, Murray says.
And thanks to Guinness' innovation, draught enthusiasts love the tight neat head on a pint, a result of nitrogenation. Less soluble in water than carbon dioxide, nitrogen forms a smaller, tighter bubble, creating the distinctive cream-white head.
"It gives you a smooth taste, and it's easier to drink unlike the carbonated beers that make you feel bloated," says Murray.
Guinness' biggest markets are the UK, Ireland, Nigeria, Ghana and US. Surprisingly, 40% of Guinness' worldwide sales comes from its FES. The extra hops and higher alcohol content ensure the beer can survive the long journey to the tropics.
"The brand breaks down the multi-cultural barrier in that some countries like Nigeria believe Guinness is homegrown," grins Murray.
And great news: a pint of the delicious "black stuff" only gives you 198 calories, that's less than a pint of orange juice or premium light beer. No more guilt trips there.
A perfect ending to our day was a meal at Gravity Bar, the highest bar in Dublin that sits on the top floor of the Storehouse. From this floor-to-ceiling, glass-enclosed bar, we chugged more of the chilled, delicious black stuff as we savoured the 360° scenic view of Dublin city.
Ah, what a life!
| A stout link Our Guinness experience included a tour of Dublin city which gave us an insight into how the Guinness family had shaped the city over the last three centuries. We piled into the bus - a sleek, black vehicle complete with table seating and cupholders to hold your Guinness pints (seriously!) while cruising around the bustling city. Setting out from St James Gate Brewery, we took a one-hour drive to the countryside to visit the grounds of Ardscull Church where Arthur Guinness was buried. Set in a bucolic pasture with grazing cows, the area is a National Monument which includes the remains of a castle dating from 1636 and a church built in 1189, overlooking the Wicklow Mountains. After paying homage to Arthur's tombstone, we headed back to the city for lunch at The Church Cafe Restaurant and Bar. Formerly known as St Mary's Church, the 381-year-old church closed in 1964 and was converted into a restaurant and bar in the 90s. Arthur was married here and author Jonathan Swift used to attend service at the church. Since 1998, the church has been conserved and restored. The restaurant retains most of the church's distinct features like the gigantic church organ built by organ builder Renatus Harris and the pretty stained glass windows.
Lunch was a simple affair: light mustard and lemon-battered cod served with chips and peas, and washed down with a pint of Guinness. Our next stop was the St Patrick's Cathedral, the largest church in the country, erected between 1200 and 1270. Saint Patrick on his journey through Ireland is said to have passed through Dublin and baptised converts at a well in the cathedral grounds. The church survived natural disasters and religious turmoil. It nearly collapsed if not for the Guinness family who came to its rescue by donating funds to restore it in 1864. At nearby Patrick Street is the Iveagh Trust Buildings. The great grandson of Arthur, Sir Edward Cecil Guinness, set up a trust to provide housing for working-class people in Dublin in 1890. He replaced old tenement buildings in Dublin City Centre, established Iveagh Market - the first indoor market in Dublin - the Iveagh Play Centre for local kids's recreation and education, and St Patrick's Park. The Iveagh Trust is now one of the larger housing associations providing rental lodgings for low-income people, the elderly and families and a homeless shelter. In the heart of Dublin sits Trinity College, the oldest university in Ireland, founded in 1592. Lore has it that Trinity allowed Guinness to use the harp which appears in the Trinity coat of arms as part of their logo. In return, Guinness agreed to provide free beers indefinitely to the scholars of the College for their traditional evening meals. The eldest son of Arthur I received a doctorate from the college while two family members were appointed Chancellor of Trinity at different times. In the 1990s, Guinness started sponsoring a series of sports scholarships to students. A great way to end our day tour? Pub crawling around Dublin, a favourite pastime of Dubliners, and savouring refreshing pints of Guinness made just a stone's throw away, of course. For more on Guinness, visit http://www.guinness-storehouse.com/ or www.guinness.com.my |
