"Local" guinness clone?

[drummerguysteve]

So... the complete joy of homebrewing mentions that the Guinness served locally in Irish pubs is a completely different brew from the stuff that we can get here in the states. Apparently, alcohol tax is a main reason behind this, and the stuff over there has about 3% ABV.

Does anyone have a clone recipe of the "Local" Guinness? I'd love to brew some of this up to give it a try. I'm sure I don't have any trips to Europe planned anytime soon.

 

[Priemus]

I think there are two main reasons why it tastes better in Ireland.

1) The water quality.
2) Guinness doesn't trust pub owners to wash through the pipes every 3 weeks so they send out people to clean all the bar lines locally, not much they can do about it when you live on the otherside of the planet

I know the guinness tastes different every country i've bought it. I assume the main reason is the water supply.

 

[JBmadtown]

I believe if you search guiness draught clone that is more like the "local" version versus the extra stout. From what I read you will want a recipe that includes souring the beer as guiness does have this.

 

[drummerguysteve]

Will-do, thanks!

 

[JadeMonkeyStang]

Just a heads up, but according to the folks at Guinness, all of their beer that goes to the USA is brewed right here in Dublin using their in-house water supply.

Whether or not it's the same recipe is something I was not able to get a definite answer on.

 

[ceannt]

hmmmmm..... last time I picked up a 6-pack (much prefer it on tap...) it was brewed in Toronto.... and they have the un-mitigated gall to have "St. James Gate" on the label.... I didn't look close enough at the very small print on the label (yes, I needed to put on my glasses...) untill after I noticed that it didn't taste right... not even close. I had a pint at a local bar a few weeks ago (on tap), and it didn't taste right either, I don't know where it came from, but it wasn't good... very upsetting.

 

[Priemus]

Just a heads up, but according to the folks at Guinness, all of their beer that goes to the USA is brewed right here in Dublin using their in-house water supply.

Whether or not it's the same recipe is something I was not able to get a definite answer on.

MMMMM interesting.

I know for a fact that the Guinness that was sold at the bar I worked in Denmark for a while was brewed in France under license to avoid whatever extra costs were incurred etc with the one made in Ireland, I'm surprised to find out that the stuff sold in the states is actually brewed in Ireland and not somewhere locally, same receipe or not..

Shocked and perhaps its a little dubious...

Edit:

Guinness Extra Stout is brewed in Canada by Labatt under license from Arthur Guinness Son & Company. Moosehead is also brewing Guinness in bottles for the US Market.

Who did you speak to exactly? I'd be shocked if they flew the kegs over when your neighbour to the north makes it under license.

 

[mloster]

Old thread here, but I can attest to the difference in taste. The Guinness in Ireland tastes much richer than the ones I've had here. I'm not sure if I believe that it's 3% over there. A couple pints of the brew in Ireland got me pretty tipsy. Maybe the 3% ABV was in reference to some past time when it was more heavily taxed.

 

[patto1ro]

Old thread here, but I can attest to the difference in taste. The Guinness in Ireland tastes much richer than the ones I've had here. I'm not sure if I believe that it's 3% over there. A couple pints of the brew in Ireland got me pretty tipsy. Maybe the 3% ABV was in reference to some past time when it was more heavily taxed.

Guinness Extra Stout has never been 3% ABV. And beer has never been taxed more heavily in Ireland than it currently is.

 

[beergolf]

I was in Ireland last summer and they were promoting a new version of Guinness. It was Guinness 2.8. That might be what you are refering to.

I think they have introduced a lower alcohol brew because Ireland has passed some of the toughest dinking and driving laws anywhere.

Just a guess though.

Yes it does taste richer over ther compared to what I have here.

 

[drummerguysteve]

Interesting... I'd love to get some 2.8% here. I brewed a mild at 2.5 that was pretty fun to drink all night. I was still able to get a decent buzz, but was able to drink A LOT MORE than I usually do.

 

[BrewMU]

The Guiness recipe in 200 Clone Brews (2nd ed., Tess and Mark Szamatulski) is based on the lighter version sold in Ireland.