Where to stick a topic with such potential for wildly varying opinions.. Announcements will have to do for now.
While in Dublin last weekend I chanced upon sampling a variation on the well worn Guinness theme. In a Santry pub I first managed to drink the entire contents of a pint of regular Guinness, much to the protesting of my taste buds, before I pondered on which direction I should take my evening of mild alcohol abuse. To the safe option and with the likes of Smithwicks or Carlsberg? Perhaps something a little more risque; like drinking Beamish outside the Cork border? No, instead to more Guinness!
The Brewhouse Series; something I’d heard in passing on national radio in the few days before visiting Dublin but now stuck out in my mind. If the reverse of the beermat is to be believed:
The Guinness Brewhouse Series is a range of new and different stouts from the Master Brewers at St. James’s Gate, each available for six months only in selected bars. Inspired by other stout recipes of Arthur’s time, and brewed to an exceptionally high standard, each stout in the series looks just like Guinness – but tastes just a little different.
First in the series is Guinness Brew 39 – a naturally smooth stout with a distinctive finish from the later addition of hops. We trust you’ll agree it’s a taste worth acquiring.
I, for one, agree! The stout as smooth Dean Martin wrapped in velvet has arrived. I could almost defect away from Murphys and consume Brew 39 for the rest of my days. It’s that nice. Surprised? I almost thought I was drinking God’s own private stash. I equally cursed and blessed those wonderful fools at St. James’s Gate for creating this liquid, if only to taunt us by destroying it in a few short months time.
What will replace it however? Brew 40? I’m intrigued. I may even drive to Dublin to taste the next one. It’ll be the ribwich to my Homer Simpson. But with the Guinness Jazz Festival coming up this weekend, how far will I have to travel for my next 39? The suspense will, in all likelyhood, drive me to drink.
Came across your site while searching for info on Brew 39, can it be had in Munster / Cork at all? The Guinness website doesn’t even mention it let along tell you where it can be found. Interesting site, must come back for a browse later..
Anyone that knows if there is a pub then let us know. Otherwise we may come across one eventually.
only available in 300pubs in Dublin Area (poor cork people still disadvantaged by location)
next two in the series expected to exceed brew 39. expect there will be many an expensive train journey to the capital from the rebel county besides the yearly migration to croker
My brother in law cam back from Dublin earlier in the year, raving about Brew 39. Knowing that I would be visiting in May I was very keen to sample. I arrived in Dublin with my family, only to find, what? No 39. Most disappointed I settled for the normal Guinness Brew.
Later that day and whilst talking to a bar manager, he told me about the series and about the fact that the ’39′ had been replaced by the ‘Toucan’, being the next in the series. Well, I can’t tell you how good the Brew 39 was, but the Toucan was smashing. I’m not even a Guinness drinker but if this drop was anything to go by, the series is oging to be a big hit. If this was regularly available, I would happily cross over to it.
Since arriving back in England, I have drunk Guinness and to be honest I will again but the taste of the Toucan Brew will remain with me far some time to come. I was told that Guinness are looking to export one of the Brews from the Series. Let’s hope so – Great stuff!!!
Upon goin to Dublin last weekend we found that alot of the pubs are now full of advertisements for the latest in the series, ‘North Star Brew’, and that Toucan Brew is no longer anywhere to be found, let alone any trace of Brew 39! This 3rd in the series was nice but more like any other ale you could try, I could not say it lives up to the origional wonderful black stuff! I am dissapointed to not be able to try the first two in the series, but am hoping that from comments of them the fourth may give us something wonderful to look forward to!
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I also am hoping that one or more of these brews will be exported at least to England, I heard while I was over there that there are to be 4, and someone else told me 7, in the series and that the most successful one will be launched internationally, which has so far been the Toucan Brew apparently. Watch this space!