The saying is that the Guinness is better here at the source, and if the Willy Wonka-like factory is any indication, I am certainly as close to the source as I can get. They will tell you the stout tastes better here, smoother, that it's better balanced, even sweeter. And, you know, they are certainly right. To an extant.
The bottom line is that I have grown up on stouts that are two and three times stronger (ABV%) than Guinness and its measly %4 (listed as %4.2 here). Imperial Stouts, Russian Imperial Stouts, even Baltic Porters. Stouts that taste of coffee, that taste of chocolate, that pour like motor oil, that pour with a brown head, that leave brown residue all over the glass. And because I grew up on these bigger, more powerful, and massively flavorful stouts, I still have little good to say about Guinness. I suppose here it is drinkable. I've had more than one. I've probably had a half dozen to, you know, really put it to the test, to see whether or not it's just a question of an acquired taste. But, no, it's not. I'd rather have a lager like Carlsberg, even Heineken, before Guinness. Right now I'm even sipping a Beamish, which is an Irish stout, too, but is a little thicker and more flavorful (and only two Euro fifty at this hostel).
So I really do hate to break it to you, Ireland--you've been a wonderful host to me--you have a beautiful country here and friendly, helpful citizens, but your national beer/icon, one of your most well known exports, still isn't good.
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