THE FRESHEST GUINNESS IN DUBLIN
When St. Patrick's Day rolls around, it always brings back fond memories of a trip
Maureen and I took to Ireland several years ago. Some of my fondest memories of the
old country are of the wonderful pubs we visited and how great Guinness stout tasted
there.
St. James's Gate
Not surprisingly, some of the best pints we had were in the city where Guinness stout
was born, Dublin. Arthur Guinness founded his St. James's Gate brewery on James's Street
in 1759 and over the next hundred years it grew to become the largest brewery in the world.
It is still one of the largest breweries in Europe, situated on 60 acres south of the river
Liffey, just west of the city center.
A must for any beer enthusiast, or for that matter any traveler to Dublin, is a visit
to the Guinness Storehouse, an interactive museum housed in a former
fermentation plant at the St. James's Gate brewery. The seven story building has exhibits on the
history of Guinness in Dublin, how Guinness stout is made and how Guinness expanded around the world.
One of the most interesting exhibits showcases Guinness advertisements and posters, which became famous
for their clever slogans and
drawings of animals and birds, including the colorful toucan. The tour concludes, of
course, with a chance to sample a pint of Guinness in a new rooftop bar called The Gravity Bar,
which enjoys one of the best views of Dublin. For visiting hours and tickets, check out the Guinness
Storehouse website.
Guinness Storehouse
St James's Gate
Dublin 8
Tel: + 353 1 408 4800
With the brewery located in their midst, pubs in Dublin have always claimed to have
the freshest Guinness in Ireland. A more fiercely contested claim, however, is the
one about which pub has the freshest Guinness in Dublin. If the contest were to be
settled by absolute proximity to the brewery, a few pubs on James's Street just steps from the brewery gate would
take the prize. Our vote goes to a pub located just across the River Liffey from the
brewery, Ryan's of Parkgate Street. In addition to the fresh Guinness, Ryan's is well
worth visiting to see one of Dublin's best-preserved Victorian era pubs.
Ryan's opened in the 1890s at a site where there had been a tavern and hotel for at
least fifty years earlier. The interior of the pub is dominated by an oval-shaped
mahogany bar, ornately carved with arches, coves, flutings and crowns, and stained
deep brown and polished so it glistens. The lighting is kept low, in part to
appreciate the magnificent stained glass throughout the pub, including the large
front window of the pub featuring the words "Wines - Ryan's - Spirits." The walls
are decorated with a fine collection of antique gilt mirrors advertising various
products sold at the turn of the century (the 20th century, that is).
To experience some Victorian era privacy, you can head to the back of the pub where
there are four "snugs." These enclosed oak-paneled boxes were originally used by
female clientele, back when proper ladies were not supposed to be seen frequenting
pubs. Access to the snugs is controlled by the barman, who releases a latch on the
bar side of the snug's door. Customers have to ring a bell to get a drink or to
leave the snug.
Ryan's is located just outside the entrance to beautiful Phoenix Park, home to
Dublin's zoo, the American ambassador's residence, and the residence of the Irish
president, who is said to be a regular at Ryan's. The pub was bought in 2005 by FXB Steak and
Seafood Restaurants (the restaurant division of FX Buckley, one of Dublin's oldest and best-known
family butchers), and the well-regarded FXB Restaurant upstairs from Ryan's is a convenient spot for
lunch or dinner after a stroll through the park. But most of all Ryan's is a great place to have
a fresh pint of Guinness just a stone's throw from where it all began.
Ryan's of Parkgate Street
28 Parkgate Street
Dublin
Phone: 01 671 9352
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