A #StayHome story from the home of Guinness

As someone who is passionate about beer, being Manager of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery taproom is my dream job. Not only do I get to help create exciting new brews but I also have the opportunity to take people on a flavour journey to discover new beers.

In normal times the Guinness Open Gate Brewery taproom would be welcoming people every day to try out some of the experimental beers that we’re working on as we play around with flavours. We’ll ask them what beers they’ve tried and what else they like to drink and advise them on which of our beers hit the flavour profile that suits them. Our beers are created to perfectly pair with the food on our menu too.

So a big part of my job is talking to people across a bar counter. I’m a very social person so I’m definitely missing the buzz of the brewery!  

At the moment we’re having weekly virtual tasting sessions with staff, which is a fun way to end the week. We pick one beer from the Guinness portfolio and do a live tasting with a couple of hundred people. One of our archivists will talk about the history of the beer, a beer specialist will guide staff through a tutored tasting and we’ll chat with the brewer as well. 

I’m also using my stay home time to become familiar with new beer styles coming out of Germany, Czech Republic and the US. We like to keep a wide variety of beers in the taproom so I’m having regular conversations with the brewers to figure out our brewing plan for the weeks ahead to make sure that when we reopen we’ve a really nice selection of beers for people to try.

Although people can’t taste new beers in the taproom at the minute, I’d encourage them to do their own tastings at home. But don’t just pick beers at random, start by thinking about what you like already. Red wine drinkers might like a stout, which has a big bold flavour, while a white wine drinker might appreciate a lighter lager. If you like a hoppier kind of beer, pick up an IPA, if you prefer a maltier beer pick up a pilsner.

Always pour your beer into a glass to taste it properly and then you’ll also appreciate its colour. And remember that smell is a really important part of the tasting process. For example, hops can give beer lovely pine, citrus flavours, so when you smell the beer it’s incredible. That warms up your palate for what’s coming next. 

Keep your head up and take a good gulp so that the beer coats your tongue, because different areas of your tongue pick up different flavours. Barley provides sweeter, biscuity flavours, hops a little bit more fruity with a bitterness at the back of your throat, while stouts have a more coffee-like flavour.

Our biggest selling beer worldwide is actually Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. It has a lovely butterscotch, caramel, espresso flavour, but many people haven’t tried it. The best known one is Guinness draft in a can. To pour a perfect pint, open it up, wait for the widget to create the nitrogen surge and pour slowly off the side of a tilted glass. Then let it settle. 

Try pairing your beer with food. At the minute I’m doing a lot more cooking and it’s given me a chance to discover great pairings like Guinness with raspberries or strawberries – the tartness complements the earthy flavours of the beer. A Guinness Citra or Blond IPA with pizza is the perfect combination.

While missing the brewery, I’m enjoying spending more time with my wife and toddler and we’ve settled into a routine that involves daily 5k walks with the buggy! Luckily, where I live in Dublin, we are near parks and it’s just a five-minute walk to open countryside.

But I definitely miss socialising. There’s a brilliant beer community on social media, including our Twitter channel @opengatebrewery, but nothing beats physically getting together with people. As soon as things get back to normal I’m looking forward to a pint with my mates in the local bar, and the rugby season restarting. Simple pleasures.

Padraig Fox  is General Manager at Guinness Open Gate Brewery – the experimental brewery beside the Guinness Storehouse, Ireland’s number one visitor attraction. Guinness Storehouse launched its newly extended Gravity Bar in 2020 which now has expansive new vistas across Dublin.  


Three steps to pour the perfect can of Guinness at home
1.    Guinness is very simple to serve at home. To begin, place the can in the fridge for about two to three hours before you plan to drink it; this will bring it down to the correct temperature.
2.    When you open the can, you’ll hear a fizzing sound – this is the widget releasing the nitrogen into the beer. Wait a few seconds before pouring, let the widget do its work and you’ll get a smooth pour. The widget is a little ball that sits in the can, full of nitrogen that releases once the can is opened to give you the same wonderful settle and surge on Guinness that you get in a pub. 
3.    Finally – hold your favourite glass at a 45-degree angle, and slowly pour the beer in off the side of the glass. As the glass starts filling up, slowly tilt it upright and once it’s full, let the Guinness settle until you get a clear line formed between the white head and dark liquid below. Then it’s ready to enjoy!


Padraig helps to develop experimental brews with his team, curating new beers that sit within the Guinness portfolio. Below are five beers Padraig suggested for those hoping to try something new.
-    Guinness Foreign Extra Stout - This is a big bold beer, 7.5% ABV with espresso, butterscotch and caramel notes.  If you tend to gravitate towards red wine, this is the beer for you!  Full bodied with lots of rich flavour, I highly recommend pairing with blue cheese for the ultimate taste sensation!
-    West Coast IPA – The beer style that kickstarted the renaissance in beer. Citrus and pine dominate the aroma, with a lingering hop bitterness on the taste. Personally, I find it pairs perfectly with pizza, and with so many people getting creative in the kitchen right now, no better time to try this combo!
-    Pilsner Lager – Crisp and refreshing lagers are the most popular style of beer in the world, but are one of the hardest styles to brew, showing real care and quality from the brewers. Pilsners have a little extra bite to them – think of a dry white wine – and are perfect for pairing with your summer salads and chicken dishes. 
-    Sour beers – If you still really REALLY don’t like beer, then try a sour beer! Belgium has led the way on this style for centuries, but we now have a lot of great Irish sours available across the country. Sour beers often have a fruit base – we’ve brewed some using plums, peaches and kiwi fruit – each one different but all delicious! They are a magical pairing with desserts such as cheesecakes and my mam’s rhubarb crumble!
-    Non alcohol beers – Often a forgotten style, there’s never been a better time to revisit. Enhancements in yeast science means we can now enjoy fully flavoured beers with low to no alcohol – such as our own Guinness Open Gate Pure Brew Lager.  So next time you fancy drinking mindfully, reach for a low to no ABV beer instead!


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