When in Ireland, do as the Irish do… drink Guinness! No visit to Dublin is complete without a stop at this famous landmark. Arthur Guinness I, founder of the brewery, leased the St. James Gate premises on 31 December 1759 – for 9,000 years at an annual rent of £45. The original paperwork is still displayed at the Storehouse today. In the 1770s Guinness decided to try emulating a new beer formula called porter, a popular London export. The strong, black beer caught on and quickly became a favorite of the Irish, and eventually the world.
The storehouse itself was built near the original brewery in 1904, housing the fermentation process up until 1988 when it underwent a remodel and reopened in late 2000 as the tourist attraction it is today. The building, shaped like a glass of Guinness, is sectioned in several floors, each telling a piece of the Guinness story, including the brewing process, advertising & memorabilia, the building’s history and the Source Bar where you can learn the proper way to pour a pint. On the very top of the building sits the swanky Gravity® Bar which showcases a 360° view of Dublin. It is here that you are rewarded for your 7-story climb with a complimentary pint of the famous black beer.
Need to know:
- Open daily 9:30am – 5:00pm (last admission) and after hours for private group events
- Relative Location: 15 minutes from city centre by foot; a popular stop for all hop-on/hop-off city bus tours
- Allow 2 hours minimum
- Elevators available for guests who need assistance; fully wheelchair accessible
- Admission: €14 adult; €5 children; € 30 family with 2 adults, up to 4 children; Discounts available for students and seniors; Admission discount if tickets are purchased on their website.
- www.guinness-storehouse.com
Filed under: Bites & Booze, Dublin, Ireland
