It’s arguably our most famous export.
It’s known by many names. A pint of plain, the black stuff, a pint of stout (which almost exclusively only means one thing in Ireland, unless you’re in Cork…), but where is Guinness made?
Guinness is one of the most famous beers in the world and was first brewed in Dublin in 1759. Since then it has become a national symbol, and a modern staple, with only a couple of alterations made to the original recipe.
Let’s look at the nuts and bolts of where and how it’s made…
Where is Guinness Made?
Here on the Emerald Isle, Guinness is brewed at The Guinness Brewery and Storehouse which is located right in the heart of Dublin city centre.
Not only is this the location where the magic happens, the Guinness Brewery and Storehouse is also a world-famous visitor attraction which has welcomed over 20 million visitors since opening in the early 2000s.
The Storehouse itself regularly tops the charts as the most visited tourist attraction in Ireland.
Is Guinness Brewed Anywhere Else in the World?
The short answer is yes!
Guinness is actually brewed in 49 countries across the globe including Africa, Canada, Uganda, South Korea and Indonesia.
Guinness also owns 5 breweries, with the original being located in Dublin, there are three in Africa and one in Malaysia which all help serve the local markets.
They also own and operate a brewery in Baltimore, USA but that brewery focuses more on new beers and innovations within the market, and they state that Guinness will continue to be imported directly from Ireland into the United States.
Which Countries Drink the Most Guinness?
Most people would assume that our very own nation would consume the most Guinness, and while we give it a good shot the reality is that Ireland is a small country with a relatively small population, by global standards.
As a result, most Guinness on St Patrick’s Day is consumed outside of these shores, and beyond that day the chart toppers are:
- United Kingdom: Officially recognised as the biggest drinkers of Guinness, the UK tops the chart when it comes to pints consumed.
- Ireland: You may be surprised to learn that Ireland doesn’t top the list in terms of who drinks the most Guinness, but it was always going to be near the top of the list. Ireland couldn’t feature near the top of the list of its national alcoholic drink.
- Nigeria: Nobody would have thought Nigeria would have placed so high on the list, but as we told you earlier, there are three Guinness breweries in Africa, one of which is in Nigeria, so you can see why it’s near the top of the list.
- USA: Yep, US people do love to indulge in a pint of Guinness. As you may know, there are strong links between Ireland and the USA following mass Irish emigration in the 19th century.
- Cameroon: another place you might be surprised to find on this list, but also a place which is home to a Guinness brewery. Cameroon makes it into 5th place on our list of places where most Guinness is consumed.
Visiting The Guinness Storehouse
Now, back to these shores…
When visiting Dublin, you’re going to want to visit this premier visitor attraction and savour the history of Guinness whilst being able to try a pint of the black stuff for yourself.
But what can you expect from visiting the Guinness Storehouse? Well, the basic tour will take around 90 minutes, and whilst this isn’t that long you will get to enjoy the full breakdown of all things Guinness, including standing at the bottom of the world’s largest pint glass, seeing first-hand the different production stages of Guinness and enjoying a complimentary pint at Dublin’s highest bar, the Gravity Bar.
There are also optional extras you can choose to add to your visit for an additional fee. These include learning how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness and magically printing your selfie on the head of a pint of Guinness.
If you’re really into Guinness you may also want to take part in the connoisseur experience, which will place you in a small group to discuss all things Guinness and you’ll also be joined by a Guinness beer specialist!
Basic tickets for The Guinness Storehouse cost €26 and the optional extras range in price depending on what you want to add.
We hope that you’ve enjoyed finding out more about our iconic export.
As you can see, Guinness has come a long way from its Irish roots and is now one of the most recognisable drinks across the globe.
