The Guinness Report: Phase 2

The Guinness Storehouse: the mecca of stout aficionados.  Inside, we were treated to a history of the brewery, lessons in the science of beermaking, and most importantly, to the beverage itself - straight out of the vats and into a pint glass.  There can be no argument that this is the freshest and most authentic version of the brew possible.  After all, we're not aging this in oak, or waiting for complex tannins to settle.  It's pretty much ready when it goes into the cask/bottle/can.

Important lessons about those bottles and cans were taught inside: these hi-tech containers are specifically designed to preserve the flavor of Guinness for worldwide transport.  Formerly, they had a separate beverage - the Foreign Extra Stout - that had a higher hops and alcohol content to make up for the loss of character during transport.  Not so anymore!!  All that said, there's really only one test that matters.

What I have learned is this: just as with the finest Reuben sandwich on the Monterey Peninsula, the best Guinness to be had is the pint you pull yourself, which they teach you on the fourth floor:

So, wherever home is, whether Ireland or otherwise, I suppose the lesson is that Guinness is universal.