A Day Trip To Dublin

A March 2008 trip to Dublin by Colette-Marie

Quote: Is a day trip to Dublin worth it? How much can you really see of this fascinating and diverse city? I decided to find out...

Guinness Storehouse

Attraction

Quote:

With only a few hours to spend in Dublin it was important that we spent them visiting worthwhile places of interest. So what is Dublin most famous for? What is Ireland most famous for? Well apart from the humour and the "craic" it has to be the drink! And its most famous export? Well it just has to be Guinness. So it seemed only right that our day trip included a visit to the Guinness Storehouse museum at St. James' Gate as it came highly recommeded from anyone who had ever been there. The trouble is, I don't actually like the black stuff, and although I had been told that it tastes different in Ireland, I didn't really see how it could, still I was prepared to find out...

We booked our tickets online a few days before for 12.60 euros each. For this you get entrance to the museum, a free map, a drink token and a souvenier paperweight/plastic stone which contains a little drop of Guinness (not for human consumption though!).

The tour can be taken at your own pace which I always find to be a plus and takes you up through the seven floors of the museum until you finally reach the Gravity Bar on the 7th floor.

You begin at the beginning, exploring the raw materials that are used to make Guinness itself, water, hops, yeast and barley. You are then taken through the process that is used to turn these raw ingredients into Guinness itself.

There is a section about how the Guinness company began, it's hard to believe that Arthur Guinness started brewing Guinness in 1759 with only £100, and had the confidence in his product to sign a 9000 year lease!

You can also explore the story of the architecture and history of the storehouse itself as well as see where Guinness is produced and available throughout the world.

Another thing that the Guinness brand is famous for it its advertising, in particular the iconic cartoons by John Gilroy. You can explore his artwork and watch old adverts on a large screen, bringing nostalgia to those old enough to remember and a trip back to the days of early televised adverts to younger visitors.

As you go round the museum there is also an opportunity to sample some Guinness in the tasting laboratory as well as learning how to pull the perfect pint - just remember good things come to those who wait!

On the top floor of the museum is certainly the highlight (both literally and metaphorically) of the tour for most visitors, the 360 degree views of Dublin from the bar are second to none. We were fortunate enough to be blessed with a clear day and could see the Wicklow Mountains in the South to Howath in the North. And there is an alternative to the free pint of Guinness given to every visitor if you decide that it really isn't to your liking (I definitely think it's an acquired taste), as the drinks token gievn to you at the beginning of the tour can be exchanged for a soft drink if you prefer. I did attempt the Guinness but I'm sorry to say, after a sip, I just knew it wasn't my cup of tea!

However, a fan of the black stuff or not, it's certainly worth a visit, however I personally wish they'd start a tour of the Butler's Chocolate factory - definitely more to my taste!
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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on March 9, 2008

Guinness Storehouse
St James's Gate
Dublin, Ireland
+353 (1) 408 4800

Cheer!
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