If ever you find yourself in Dublin, I highly recommend checking out the Guinness Storehouse Brewery Tour. Drinking a Guinness here just has a kind of magical feel to it. I have to admit, Guinness is quite far from my list of “go to” beers (unless of course you count Irish Car Bombs on St. Patricks Day) but I do appreciate a fresh beer right from it’s source.
Located near the city’s epicenter, this tour is easily accessible by Taxi, Uber, or the Hop-on, Hop-off bus tours. The tickets are relatively inexpensive at 14-22 Euro a piece depending on the time and day. If you book on their website you can save on ticket fares and ensure you have a time specific slot in case the tour sells out. If you are running late don’t panic, they will just bump you to the next available tour.
With a ticket purchase, you also receive one of two extra options at the conclusion of the tour. The first is a small lesson on how to pour the perfect Guinness where you can consume the Guinness you pour on the house. The second option (which we opted for) is a free Guinness in the Gravity Bar on the top floor of the storehouse. The building is 6 stories high with the top floor boasting a 360-degree wrap around of floor to ceiling glass panels allowing you to look out over all of Dublin and the surrounding mountain areas.
Interested in experiencing both? Forgo the free beer at the top for the Guinness pouring lesson and visit the Gravity Bar for the views after. You can buy as many beers as you want up there, but from my understanding you need to purchase a tour ticket to visit the area. The Brewers’ Dining Hall, 1837 Bar & Brasserie, and Arthur’s Bar are all welcome to visitors who do not wish to pay for the tour.
The tours are plentiful as they are self guided, running groups through in 15 minute increments between 8 am and 5 pm. If English is not your primary language, they offer audio headsets for a self guided audio tour. Since the tour is self-guided, you can make it as short or long as you would like, though they recommend giving yourself at least an hour or so to really enjoy everything. The storehouse is set up in museum format with five levels of exhibits that run you through the brewing process with specific details pertaining to Guinness.
There is also a tasting room you can visit free of charge during the tour where you are provided a small sample. During the tasting they walk you through two different rooms designed to educate and enhance the flavor profiles during the tasting. The legal drinking age in Ireland is 18 years of age so if you are traveling with college age adults they will also be able to partake in the tastings (with parental consent of course)! The only downside to this tour is that you are not able to see any real-time brewing processes occur. The factory style brewing portion is not available to the public in order to prevent any health, safety, or security related concerns.
The tour in total took us around an hour and a half after we took time through the exhibits, visited the upstairs bar, and purchased a few souvenirs from the gift shop. This is a perfect stop if you are riding the Hop-on, Hop-off bus as it allows you plenty of time to continue on to other locations throughout the day. From the stock house, the famous Temple Bar area is a short 15 minute walk away, and is the perfect place to grab lunch or dinner and drinks. The cobblestone streets, plethora of pubs, and live street music performers appeal to both locals and tourists alike. The river walk two blocks away is also a beautiful place to take a stroll and see the sights of Dublin.
If this is your first time visiting Ireland, be mindful that the weather is usually an average of 16°C (60°F). Similar to the Pacific Northwest in the U.S., most days are overcast with chances of light, misty rain. Always pack some warm clothes, extra layers, and an umbrella when heading to the country. Most hotels have umbrellas you can borrow but I always recommend bringing a small one with you in case. Though the tour is indoors, I recommend trying to visit on a clear day so you can experience unobstructed views from the Gravity Bar. This is one of the rare spots in the city with a higher up view as most of the buildings in Ireland are shorter. Rain or shine though, this tour is one you don’t want to miss because, “It’s always a lovely day for a Guinness!”.
Sláinte!
(The Irish word for cheers – direct translation: in good health and fortune)
