This post is part of the A to Z Challenge. Each post this month will be associated with a letter of the alphabet with the theme ‘Food Memories‘.
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Strange fact about Guinness (to me): 40% of the brew is consumed somewhere in Africa.
I remember my first Guinness, I do.
It was my 32nd birthday, I was in Houston, staying with my sister and her family since before Christmas, through the New Year and deep into January.
I was happy to go to Denny’s for my birthday and have their all-day breakfast and unlimited coffee, but my sister insisted we do a proper dinner. (Sadly, the name of the restaurant eludes me and we didn’t have the myriad of social media apps we have today to immortalise the occasion).
We arrived at a gastrobar that night, and my sister ordered a flight of beers, to start the night off. There were five small glasses filled with a variety of beers, and one of them was Guinness. I tried all the others and saved the dark (red, not black apparently) liquid for last. I took my first sip carefully, not sure what I’ll taste.
My first sip became my last sip. It tasted strongly medicinal and errr…filling. One sip felt like I was having half a glass. It truly was an acquired taste that I wasn’t interested in acquiring at the time. I passed the rest of my Guinness to my brother-in-law, who threw it back in one swoop.
Since then, I’ve tried Guinness a few more times and am not so repelled, I can even manage a whole pint, though with difficulty. Sometimes I think I’m drinking liquid Bovril (Marmite, if you’re familiar with that instead). But the experience of having my first Guinness, well, it’s burned in my brain.
Do you like/ detest Guinness?
WORDS from SONOBE 
Elixir of the gods!
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Ooookkkaayyy…
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Not a fan. I haven’t had it for years and certainly never got through a whole glass. I am trying to acquire a taste for beer and have found a good no alcohol one (the drink you have when you’re not having a drink). It is also much cheaper than wine in most Asian countries.
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I’ve not tried a zero alcohol beer, does it still taste like beer? I’m still not a fan of Guinness, but will drink it for St. Patrick’s day 😀
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I had a sip way back & didn’t care for it but Im not a beer drinker. I hear it’s good to have if you are anemic or maybe that was just an excuse to drink more?
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Good for anemia? Sounds like a spin to me LOL
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I agree – medicinal. It also is really filling I could have it as a meal.
And how is it already G? April, slow down!
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Yeah, it could be a meal in itself if you have a pint.
I know! First week of April is gone!
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I had my first Guinness in Ireland. I’m not a beer drinker though, so I didn’t have many previous experiences for comparison. I managed to have a few half-pints while I was there. 🙂
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Perfect place to try your first Guinness!
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My Dad had lots of Guinness when we went to Ireland when I was little. My first pint was when I was 19 and in Bermuda for summer field school. I really liked it and it’s still one of my favorite beers. But it tastes best when poured by a bartender who knows what they’re doing, and it’s sweetest in Ireland, which I’ve returned to as an adult.
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Well, you are one of the few folks I know who likes it! I prefer lighter beers. Yes! I read that there was a right way to pour Guinness – it was news to me!
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It’s okay, but not my favourite by any means.
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My thoughts exactly 😀
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I think all beer tastes like fetid swamp water, so I will definitely avoid Guinness! I so agree with you that it’s an acquired taste I see no point in acquiring. =)
Black and White: G is for Gnome
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I too used to think that all beer tastes like “fetid swamp water” but in recent years, I’ve learnt that some taste less than “fetid swamp water” than others 😀
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