The Bar Towel

Maybe this has been discussed already as it was announced a few months back, but it's news to me:

http://xo.typepad.com/blog/2006/10/guinness_red.html

I'm guessing it will be similar to Kilkenny and Caffrey's. I've had the Guinness Bitter (in cans and on tap) and it's not far off from John Smith's and Boddingtons.

Yet another stupid marketing gimmick from a company losing sales of their major product hand-over-fist to cider and lagers, especially in Ireland. They've already tried with a cold version of Guinness and then they tried an extra cold version of the black stuff. Why not just give the stout some flavour and then maybe it may start selling again.

And comparing any bitter to Boddies or John Smith's is not a compliment at all

Guinness has gotten progressively paler of the past decade, so maybe the red is just the way Guinness looks now?

Totally agree Perry. I've been saying the same for a while. Guinness is not what it used to be.

Their foreign export stout has plenty of flavour.

Unfortunately, having two stouts on the market "confused consumers".

i enjoy guinness. I'm not such a huge fan of the extra stout. I'd even drink guinness over the other readily available stout around here (st. amrboise)

The Guinness Foreign Export Stout I have had was outstanding. It was usually consummed at night somewhere in the Carribean, as it is commonly found/brewed there.
I spoke to a brewer who once worked in Jamaica and he told me that the FES sold there is produced by mixing a high gravity beer (usually lager) with a "mystery potion" supplied by Guinness called GFE, which turns any pale wort black and slightly acidic.

runes wrote:i enjoy guinness. I'm not such a huge fan of the extra stout.

That's probably because the "Extra Stout" that we get in Canada is contract brewed by Labatt, who use a crappy base beer (rumoured to be 50) and add a concentrated extract provided by Guinness. (OK, that's a simplified description of what is probably a more involved process, but that's the gist of it.)

Believe me, this stuff is nothing at all like the great versions of Guinness Extra Stout and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout I've tried from other countries. The Caribbean version mentioned by Perry above is especially good. It actually has some similarities to the Dragon Stout that I think you mentioned elsewhere in the forum recently.

that is insane. I try so hard not to be a bitch to marketing. It's hard enough buying locally grown and seasonal food, and then guinness (being such a massive company, it's pretty fair to understand) has to be all backhanded with their wool-pulling. It sucks that at the end of the day the product is what suffers from the strains of demand and production.

I'll stick (mostly) to guinness until more stouts are readily available. I've heard all the excellent reviews of St. Ambroise, but it just didn't do as much for me.

GregClow wrote: That's probably because the "Extra Stout" that we get in Canada is contract brewed by Labatt, who use a crappy base beer (rumoured to be 50) and add a concentrated extract provided by Guinness. (OK, that's a simplified description of what is probably a more involved process, but that's the gist of it.)

Wow, I've never heard that before. Didn't think Labatt would stoop so low -- Guinness-flavoured beer! Does that apply to the stuff we get on tap, too? And where can I get my hands on some of that tasty stout-syrup?

I believe the Guinness 'essence' is actually some wort that's been fermented with Brettanomyces and then pasteurized.

When Guinness replaced their wood with stainless steel (before my time, but I think it was in the 60's), they lost that Guinness tange. So they started fermenting a small portion with Brett & blending it back in.

Labatt's would never introduce such a crazy strain into their brewery (although we might think it'd make a Blue more interesting, the general public certainly wouldn't).... so Guinness simply ships them a pasteurized sour portion. It's cheaper than shipping the whole product overseas.

I'll try a Guinness draft about once a year (if there isn't anything else), just to remind myself why I don't like it. That sourness has grown on me... but otherwise, it's not that flavourful.

I like the St. Ambrois Oatmeal on nitro pour (better than the bottle).

greg, i'm pretty sure the draft guiness is imported. i know the cans with the widgets is definitely imported. the only stuff ``brewed'' by labatt's is the bottled variety.
--tuqueboy

tuqueboy wrote:greg, i'm pretty sure the draft guiness is imported. i know the cans with the widgets is definitely imported. the only stuff ``brewed'' by labatt's is the bottled variety.

Yeah, I know - that's why I referred to the Extra Stout, which is the stuff in the regular bottles. The kegs, cans & widget bottles are all brewed in Ireland.

Well, supposedly brewed in Ireland, anyway - there are strong rumours that not all Guinness Draught is brewed at the source. But it's still fairly consistent from country to country from all accounts, unlike the many variations on the Extra Stout and FES.

i'm drinking a regular guinness draught right now, and i must say, i prefer it over pretty much ever other stout available at the lcbo/BS. I wasn't terribly impressed by St.Ambroise's Oatmeal stout, but it could be because I enjoy the widget- and haven't had a chance to have St Ambroise on tap...

Derek wrote:
I'll try a Guinness draft about once a year (if there isn't anything else), just to remind myself why I don't like it. That sourness has grown on me... but otherwise, it's not that flavourful.

I like the St. Ambrois Oatmeal on nitro pour (better than the bottle).

I do the same Derek. Actually, I just had one at Crabby Joe's last week, and boy does it taste like nothing.

As for the oatmeat stout on tap.....you got it man, great out of the bottle, but better on nitro!