By Niamh Byrne
Every year starting around November, Christmas traditions begin. People rushing to do their shopping, meeting with friends and family members and lights going up in our famous streets, the hustle and bustle never ends. The most magical time of year is always very enjoyable, but when you add Christmas markets, nights out and visits to different attractions, it makes it that more special.
Traditions differ from family to family, however one of my favourite traditions is to visit the Guinness Storehouse. The Guinness Storehouse located at James’s Gate, covers seven floors, and is fun for the whole family. Since its establishment in 2000, it’s had more than 20 million visitors.
The building in which the Storehouse is now located was built in 1902 as a fermentation plant for the St James’s Gate Brewery. It was Ireland’s first multi-storey steel framed building to be constructed. The building was continuously used as the fermentation plant until it closed down in 1988, when a new fermentation plant was completed near the River Liffey. In 1997, it was then decided to convert the building into the current Guinness storehouse. It replaced the Guinness hop store as the Brewery’s visitor centre.
On the ground floor you are introduced to the famous beer’s four ingredients (barley, hops, yeast and water). One piece of history I thought was quite funny and interesting is that the Guinness storehouse has specific members of staff to taste every barrel of Guinness to ensure its perfection. These staff members go through exams every year to ensure their taste buds are adequate in order to keep their job. If their taste buds are not up to scratch they are enrolled to a different job in the warehouse. There are many more funny, interesting facts like this around the Storehouse to keep you entertained.
There are many things to see and learn in the Storehouse, which includes a cafe and restaurant, so it is a great idea for a Christmas gathering. Ticket prices for the experience start at €26 which includes a pint of Guinness at the Gravity bar on the top deck while enjoying a panoramic view of the city.
And last but not least, NewsFour wishes everyone a very Happy Christmas and as the Guinness saying goes “even at the home of the black stuff, they dream of a white one.”
