Tasting

How do you pour a proper Guinness? In Dublin, it's a little ritual. According to Guinness, the glass is held at a 45-degree angle under the tap until it's three-quarters full. Then it rests, and only afterward is it topped off. The whole process is meant to take 119.5 seconds.

During this pause, the nitrogen bubbles rise and form the dense head, which at first looks like a sea of clouds within the black beer. You can watch the color settle: dark as ink below, white as fresh cream above. It's a captivating sight, but it has nothing to do with showmanship and everything to do with gas physics.

The serving temperature is higher than that of a pils, which is drunk ice-cold, and the same goes for Foreign Extra Stout. When a stout is too cold, its roasted and coffee notes disappear; with a bit more warmth, they open up. It's worth letting the glass sit for a moment.

A good example of the flavor is Guinness Draught, as served at the Storehouse or in any pub around town: it smells of toasted bread and cocoa, feels soft and creamy in the mouth, and finishes dry. Foreign Extra Stout follows the same principle but with more weight, more bitterness, and a longer finish.

It's served in the pint, a tulip-shaped glass holding 568 milliliters, the imperial pint. The tulip shape helps hold the head together. If you only want half a measure, order a "glass" in Ireland — the rest is simply habit and practice.