Townsend. Help me out here. I like beer but just cant seem to get the acquired taste for Guinness. Do you drink it ice cold or room temp like the Brits ?
My buddy that worked at my local liquor store had me try their can that had a little activated nitrogen widget that dropped in the beer when opened and was supposed to make it taste like it was from a draft keg. He loves it and thought I would too.
To me it tastes like a$$. Whats wrong with my taste buds that everyone else gets it but I dont. My friends talk like its a passage of manhood to be a Guinness drinker.
It truly is the one beer I just cant seem to get to like. And at that price, I want to enjoy it.
Holy crap, someone asked me a question about which I have some knowledge...
I have a wide range of acceptance when it comes to serving temperature of Guinness. Only time I'm not a fan is ice cold. I let it sit for a while. The can with widget is excellent for a canned beer, the draught bottle is a good way to go too.
Many bars will have a backstock room temp and in that case I like that with a cold glass, it cools it just enough for me.
Fat Guys has it's own Guinness box kept at 40F, delicious.
As far as developing a taste for it, I was a bartender for years and needed to be able to appreciate many types of beverage. I didn't like Guinness at first but I learned to love it. The way I learned to enjoy it was a little unorthodox but a friend of mine who drank it all the time told me to:
1. choke down the first one
2. slowly drink the 2nd one and try to taste everything it offered (coffee, sugars, fruit, etc)
3. third one will taste good to you
4. fourth one, you'll love everybody
It worked like a charm for me. If you can't do a solid guinness at first, split down the middle with Harps, Smithwicks, Bass, a scoop of vanilla (it's good, I promise). There's many ways to do it.
You'll be challenging people to speed contests with Irish Car Bombs in no time.
If you like bloody maries ask for a shot of guinness in your next one (irish mary). It really makes a difference in texture and is a win.
edited to add: I've loved Guinness since that day btw...I don't promise you will but that worked for me. Now if anyone can teach me how to enjoy Campari, I'd appreciate it. This may need to be another thread however.
