A trip to Dublin would not be complete without a visit to the Guinness Storehouse. This brewery tour showcases the story of how Guinness became Ireland’s beloved drink of choice. It has seven levels spiraling its way through the world’s largest pint glass. Once you make it to the top, you are rewarded at the Gravity Bar, which displays a 360-degree view of the city below.
You can visit the storehouse 7 days a week from 9:30 am to 7 pm. Tickets cost 20 euros, but if you show your student I.D. then you only have to pay 16 euros.
Each level highlights a different sector from advertising, to tasting, to transportation, and more. There is even a room where professionals will teach you how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness, which is actually considered an art form, believe it or not.
You might be able to go through the entire brewery in a couple of hours, but in my opinion, this place needs at least half a day. My friends and I ended up spending half our time at one of the bars singing and dancing to live Irish music. The museum part of the brewery is really interesting because you get to see the evolution Guinness has made from its beginning. Make sure to allocate some time to enjoy the festive dancing, singing, and drinking at the different bars throughout the Storehouse.
Included in the price of your ticket, you will get a complimentary Guinness that you can redeem at any of the bars, which most people save for the sky bar at the top. If you want to have more than one (which you definitely will), choose wisely where you use your free Guinness. I suggest that you save that free Guinness for the top and buy your other Guinness’s at the bars that are along the way. There is no way to purchase a drink at the very top, unlike the other bars, so if you’ve already used your free drink at a lower level then you are basically screwed. Just plan your drinking accordingly!
The Guinness Storehouse is Dublin’s top tourist attraction in the whole city. There are so many interactive rooms, demonstrations, and performers to keep you entertained for hours. To me, a Guinness symbolizes much more than a beer. It’s a sense of Irish patriotism and a part of their heritage and that is reflected in the production that the Storehouse showcases.
I highly recommend doing one thing in preparation before trying a Guinness in Ireland. Get one in the states before you go. You will have such a greater appreciation for the real deal when you get to Ireland. My dad made me do this even though I couldn’t stand any kind of beer, let alone a hefty Guinness. But once I had the real stuff, I could not believe the difference. You can actually taste the chocolate and barley undertones and is so much thicker than what you will find in America.
If you are ever in Ireland, whether you’re in Dublin or not, make your way to a pub, make friends with a few locals, and enjoy a pint of Guinness. This is exactly how Ireland should be enjoyed.
As the locals would say it, Sláinte!
Here are some pictures from my day at the Guinness Storehouse!
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