As your domestic American beers are
constantly introducing fancy new bottles and cans brewed and marketed
with such taglines as “lime” and “low carbohydrate,” Guinness has
stayed the course and has never needed to alter or fix their unbroken
elixir. As a matter of fact, America was introduced to Guinness when it
was first imported in 1966, and this new 250th edition is the first new
stout the company has offered since that time.
“Guinness has never had any variations
here in the states,” says Eileen Venn, distribution manager of T.J.
Sheehan Distributing, the company that spreads Guinness far and wide
throughout Onondaga County. “So we figured why not do it this year to
bring some attention to the 250th.”
The 250th Stout has a lighter texture
than the creamier and heavier original Guinness, and also differs in
that it is carbonated and does not need the widget that you hear
clanging around at the bottom of traditional bottle that nitrogenizes
it and manages the characteristics of the beer’s head. The actual
potency of original Guinness is something of myth due largely in part
to its relatively thick imbibing qualities, but for those looking to
take it higher, the new 250th Stout has a higher alcohol content at 5
percent opposed to the 4.2 percent of the archetype.
“{Original} Guinness really is a light
beer,” continues Venn. “There’s only 10 calories per ounce which is not
much more than a Coors Light. One Guinness Draft in a bottle has only
120 calories and it really isn’t this strong beer that people think it
is.”
Crafted in Dublin, the anniversary
edition utilizes a brewhouse process that blends two malt types in a
“double brew” stream along with water from the Wicklow Hills, and as
with all products Guinness, roasted barley, which creates the
near-black hue of the drink. The fermentation is also extended for the
anniversary edition, as to allow more time for the conversion of
natural sugars. This gives it a more malty flavor profile and when
poured, it has a near-white frothy stout head with more bubble size
than original Guinness.
David Hoyne: The owner of Kitty Hoynes will be serving up the 250th Anniversary
Guinness Stout through September. MICHAEL DAVIS PHOTO
Because of the contrasting liquid
piquancy, the McDrinkers that have become accustomed to the original
Guinness flavor might not find this new lighter brand as savory, as
some people that have served it have witnessed. “The real Guinness
drinkers don’t really care for it,” says David Hoyne, owner of Armory
Square’s Irish haven, Kitty Hoynes (301 W. Fayette St.). “They’re
expecting something more creamy, but the anniversary stout tastes more
like a porter or a ‘black and tan,’ and it has actually been more
appealing to non-Guinness drinkers.”
Hoyne believes Guinness brewed it with
the lighter characteristics intentionally, as to maybe ease people into
the brand normally turned off by the “real” stout’s heavy charm.
“First-time Guinness drinkers used to lighter beers usually say it’s
terrible until they sweeten it with something,” continues Hoyne. “With
this one they don’t get that turnoff right away.”
Out of the 19 beers Kitty Hoynes has on
tap, Hoyne says that Guinness has always been their No. 1 seller, and
he says the 250th anniversary stout has been somewhere in the middle
since they’ve been setting them up for the stool pigeons to knock ’em
down. He also says that he looks forward to serving it for the six
months of its availability, which he says will be capped off with an
actual 250th celebration of the beer this coming Sept. 24 as part of
global celebration dubbed “Arthur’s Day,” plans of which are still in
the works.
As for his take on the limited-edition
stout, Hoyne claims he likes the idea of the celebratory libation, but
he doesn’t expect it to replace the old warhorse: “It’s hard to improve
perfection,” he says.
Aside from Kitty Hoynes, the 250th Stout
is also served at Blue Tusk, 165 Walton St.; Megan MacMurphy’s, 7990
Oswego Road, Liverpool; Faegan’s Café and Pub, 734 S. Crouse Ave.;
Coleman’s Authentic Irish Pub, 100 S. Lowell Ave.; J.P. Mulligan’s
Restaurant, 202 W. Genesee St., Fayetteville; Wayside Inn, Scenic
Highway, Sandy Creek; Rosie’s, 1443 W. Genesee St.; Village Tavern, 6
E. Main St., Marcellus. It also sold in six-packs in several area
grocery stores for a suggested retail price of $7.99 to $8.49.
