Pulling Pints and Taking Names

Pouring (or "pulling") a pint of Guinness is an art, a skill and a science. It is one that is highly revered here in the land of rainbows, leprechauns and those who live for this creamy, delicious treat. (And by the way, I've only seen one tiny rainbow and those leprechauns are only to be found in the movies).

The locals are very particular about who pours their pints. So for me to be pulling their pints after just two days behind the bar, I feel like I have passed the initiation here at the Valley House Pub. I know the "regulars" now and Phillip, Patrick, John, Derrick, and Tony have all been great at welcoming me to their public house (aka "pub" for short).  The Dublin boys who come down for the weekend (Paul, Tom, James, Dave, Roddy and Mic) have also been skilled at cracking jokes and having a blast watching me learn the art of pulling pints. As you can see there are no regulars that are female. It's the good ole boys out here on this island folks!

To pour a perfect pint of Guinness follow these steps...

1. Starting with a cool pint glass, tilt the glass so the beer is flowing down the inside of the glass, the spout of the tap can touch the glass. Pulling the tap quickly will allow a "quicker" settling process.

2. Once the beer level is just below the "Guinness" label on the pint, lift the glass to an upright position and finish filling to just above the label.

3. Place the pint on the table and wait until it has settled before beginning the second pour. The photo below shows two glasses with the first and second pours done properly.

4. Bring the glass upright and place the spout of the tap just above the head, pull and pour directly down into the glass, lowering the glass slightly as it fills, always maintaining a few centimeters distance between the beer flowing out and the top of the head.

5. Let it settle. This is when most pints would be served.

6. Once settled, bring the glass up to the tap, pull quickly for about a second just to top it off and finish the "look". It's all about the presentation!

7. Serve to a very patient customer who will now enjoy a little slice of beer heaven!

A few fun facts about Guinness...

• There are a few things in life that should never be rushed, a properly poured pint of Guinness is one of them. It should take between 5-7 minutes to pour a pint. 

• A good Guinness pint will be poured in two pours. Only the best will be poured in three. At the Valley House Pub Guinness is always poured in three pours. 

• The reason for the multiple pours is to allow time for the beer to settle and the creamy head to form. If you rush the settling process the head will not be as creamy or thick and will be too bubbly. 

• A Guinness should always be served black and clear, never brown and cloudy.

• The temperature of the glass, the beer, the line and the outside ambient (air) temperature all will effect the  clarity of the Guinness and the time it takes for it to settle. The warmer the glass the longer it will take to settle and the bigger the head. Always pour into a cool glass.

• Guinness beer lines should be cleaned at a minimum of once per month (by the Guinness dealer). Rinsing the lines with water once per week is good for maintenance.

• 95% of all liquor sales at the Valley House Pub is from Guinness pints.  The cost is 3.65 euro  (approximately $5.10) for a pint here. In Dublin it can range from 4-6 euro ($5.60-$8.20).

• A half-pint size is also available. It is called a "glass".

• It's all about the presentation! Locals will scoff at a pint that looks less than perfect. If the creamy head has a "cardboard" look, they will not be happy. The head should be slightly lifted above the rim of the glass by about 2cm and not be leaning into itself at all.

• You can tell a well poured Guinness also by the way the creamy head coats the inside of the glass as it is consumed. The photos below show how a glass should look after the beer is enjoyed. Note the consistent coating. A poorly poured Guinness will leave a clear glass as the bartender did not leave enough time for the head to form or the beer to settle. 

• It is said that the reason why there is "settling time" for Guinness pours is because Arthur Guinness (founder) was pouring a beer at 5:59pm. He stopped to say the Irish Catholic Angelis prayer at 6:00pm (this prayer is said twice a day... at noon and at 6pm). After the prayer was over, he began pouring again. There was a commercial made about this story a few years back. So when you see the "1759" on the Guinness label, it not only refers to the year the beer was established but also to the time 17:59 (5:59pm), when the beer pouring paused for this prayer and thus the settling of Guinness began.