Science proves Guinness better in Ireland
15 Mar 2011 by Evoluted New Media
Its official – Guinness tastes better in Ireland say researchers who spent twelve months travelling the globe tasting the dry stout.
Its official – Guinness tastes better in Ireland say researchers who spent twelve months travelling the globe tasting the dry stout.
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It’s a hard life – scientists put Guinness through its paces |
Over the course of a year, four researchers of different nationalities travelled to 14 countries and visited 71 Guinness serving establishments in 33 cities. A total of 103 servings were recorded – 42 in Ireland and 61 elsewhere.
Each Guinness was measured on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from 0 – enjoyed it not at all – to 100, enjoyed it very much. The enjoyment of Guinness consumed in Ireland was rated higher – 74 mm VAS – than in other countries (57 mm P <0.001). This difference remained statistically significant even after adjusting for researcher, pub ambiance, Guinness appearance and sensory measures such as mouthfeel, flavour and aftertaste.
This study is the first to provide scientific evidence that the Irish stout – first brewed by Arthur Guinness in 1759 – does not travel well and tastes better in Ireland.
The results – published in the Journal of Food Science – are subject to further verification because of the limitations of the study design.
Guinness is descended from the porter style – a dark coloured style of beer – that originated in London in the early 18th Century and has a distinctive burnt flavour thanks to the use of roasted unmalted barley. The characteristic head is a result of the beer being mixed with nitrogen when poured.
