Faith, Beer, and Other Things That Interest Geoff

Mysteries of Guinness Revealed

I recommend reading the entire article, esp. if you like Guinness. But there were two things that caught my attention.

Guinness Essence:

And then there’s Guinness Essence, a key ingredient in the beer brewed outside of James’s Gate. Basically Guinness without the alcohol, Guinness Essence is shipped from Dublin to Guinness breweries and contractors around the world, where it’s added to a base beer brewed locally. The entire process is conducted according to strict guidelines; according to Murray, it lends a “touch of Dublin” to every batch, regardless of place of origin.

Foreign Extra Stout:

Beer lovers are constantly asking: "Why can't I get Foreign Extra Stout in the US?" FES being the much loved 7.5 percent version of Guinness found in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. Murray noted that it doesn't make any business sense, and that Guinness runs through some big distributors nationwide. Most are old-school and not in the biz of dealing with specialty brands. They'd most likely not put any effort into selling it, not know what to do with it, and not want to focus on anything that might cut into their Guinness Draught cash cow. As much as we'd love to see it in the US, we'd have to agree. It'd be a damn shame to introduce this beer to the US and have it rot on the shelves.