A Slightly Different History of Dublin - Beer and Whiskey

 Today was a repeat of yesterday...not even close!

Now for the rant!

Last evening we attempted to book a Guinness tour online.  Twice the website allowed us to go through the whole booking procedure (including the credit card info) only to send us back to the beginning.  Two different credit cards, the same result.  By this time we were getting a little concerned.  Were our cards okay?  As it turns out they were not the problem.  The website was letting us try to book a 9:30 start time.  The first tour actually begins at 9:45 as we found out when we arrived at Guinness this morning.  Unbelievable!  To make matters worse, they were unwilling to let us buy tickets on site. They no longer do that, or so they said.  With a little bit of discussion and pointing out that their website booking system was in need of updating, they let us do what they said they could not do, buy tickets on site!  Enough for the rant.

The tour was actually quite fascinating.  It is in a round building with 5 floors.  It is quite the visual display of Guinness history.  (Piece of advice, if you have mobility issues avoid Guinness).  Our tour ended at the roof in the Gravity Bar where we enjoyed a pint of Guinness.  The bar has a panoramic view of all of Dublin.  It is ironic (probably not to the Irish) that Guinness is now owned by a British conglomerate.  Funny how that was never mentioned!

We decided to keep the history lesson going with a visit to Jameson's Distillery (Irish Whiskey).  The guide was a little too animated for our liking but lots was learned about how Irish Whiskey is made.  I might also note that he kept taking 'potshots' at Americans and their love of bourbon.  To the Irish it is a poor version of whiskey.  I was expecting the tasting to not be to my liking but was pleasantly surprised.  I could actually probably grow to enjoy the stuff.  Another irony though, Jameson's whiskey is no longer made in Dublin.  It is now part of a far larger conglomerate and made in Midleton, down in County Cork. 

Guinness

Guinness Gravity Bar

The bar at Jameson Distillery

Seeing any trend today?



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