Guinness Draught
The History: Founded by Sir Arthur Guinness in 1759, the St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin originally focused on creating traditional ales. Thankfully for Ireland-and the rest of the world-Guinness' porters gained popularity and he focused on creating the perfect stout from roasted barley.
The Tidbit: The Guinness crew invented the widget, a ping-pong ball-sized device that makes Guinness from a can have the same smooth, creamy taste as from a tap.
The Taste: Smooth and subtly sweet, with a hint of chocolate and a slightly dry finish.
Harp Lager
The History: Slow to gain popularity in Ireland, lagers were brewed minimally in the country until 1959, when the Guinness Group took over the Great Northern Brewery in Dundalk, Ireland. After hiring German \Braumeister"" Dr. Herman Muendar to supervise the new venture, the first bottle of Harp was sold in Ireland in 1960.
The Tidbit: The harp on a bottle of this lager is identical to the Irish government's national harp symbol, but the Harp Lager and Guinness harps face left, while the official image faces right.
The Taste: Multilayered: Sweet beginning, almost like ginger ale, with a bland finish, then a bitter aftertaste.
Beamish Genuine Irish Stout
The History: William Beamish and William Crawford bought The Cork Porter Brewery in Cork City in 1792; porter had been brewed at this site since the early 1600s. Beamish recommends serving the beer at a temperature between 41 and 44 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Tidbit: Beamish & Crawford became a Miller Genuine Draft franchisee in 1996 and first brought the beloved Wisconsin beer to Ireland.
The Taste: Both sweet and sour upon first taste, intensifying the dry, bitter aftertaste.
Murphy's Irish Stout
The History: Since 1856 the brewery in Cork, founded by James Murphy, has turned out this stout, little-known in America. Made of malted and roasted barley, hops, yeast and water, Murphy's may be the young beer of the bunch, but holds its own in an Irish pub.
The Tidbit: Murphy's won the gold medal at the International Beer Olympics in Brighton, England in 2002.
The Taste: Very smooth beginning with a surprisingly bitter, coffee-flavored finish.
Strongbow Cider
The History: Founded in 1887 by brothers Percy and Fred Bulmer, Strongbow cider may be brewed in Hereford, England, but maintains its greatest popularity in Northern Ireland.
Apples are pressed and fermented with yeast and sugar to create this tasty treat, which is naturally rich in antioxidants.
The Tidbit: Fred Bulmer turned down an offer to tutor the children of the King of Siam. The job, later given to a woman named Anna, was immortalized through the musical ""The King and I.""
The Taste: Like unsweetened apple juice-with a kick.
The Verdict
Guinness is not only ""good for you,"" but worth the official 119-second wait for the perfect pint.
Despite having the leg up on the competition with clever marketing, Guinness proved its superiority in taste and texture to other Irish drinks, including Beamish and Murphy's.
