Saint John's Tavern serves 200 pints of Guinness a night.
That's almost $1 million worth of cold ones a year.
“Guinness is the big boss over here but we love it.”
If you’ve left the house over the last few weeks, you’ve probably noticed that more of your friends are ordering pints of Guinness. Even as the global alcohol market shrinks, the brand has grown 15% this year, partly because splitting the G has gone viral and because more women are drinking it (at 210 calories a pint, it’s actually a ‘light’ beer).
The media has become obsessed with a Guinness shortage that has left Diageo, the world’s supplier, limiting orders for some U.K. pubs ahead of the holidays. Since my 100% Irish friends tell me the best pour in the city is at Saint John’s Tavern, I went down there to speak to general manager Alia Monteforte about the surge in demand.
How many pints of Guinness do you serve a night?
Last week we went through just over two kegs a day. We average nearly 200 pints per day, and 70,000 to 80,000 a year.
What about on November 16? It was friend’s going away party, and he invited his whole rugby team. So you can imagine…
412, which is more than four kegs and more than double that of a standard night. We hope we sent him off with a bang!
What goes into the perfect pour?
It starts with storing the kegs at the right temperature and pressure. Guinness requires a blend of nitrogen and CO2 gas as opposed to regular draught beers, which just require the CO2. Then there’s the pour:
Step 1: While holding the glass at a 45 degree angle, pour the Guinness until it reaches the harp logo on the glass.
Step 2: Let the pint settle until the beer turns a dark brown and the foam on top is clear. Rushing a Guinness is the most common way to ruin the pint.
Step 3: Hold the glass straight under the tap and pour until the foam creates a slight dome over the top of the glass. If your pint is settled, it shouldn’t spill.
What food pairs best with a Guinness?
I’d say stews and pies. We actually created the "pie section" on our food menu with this in mind. Though traditionally, many would also say Fish and Chips.
When did “splitting the G” start to pick up?
When we opened in March 2022, one of our regulars told us it was common in Ireland to aim to get the "line" of the "G" in Guinness to fall in the middle of the G — or “split the G.” We put up a chalkboard with flags from around the world and let guests battle it out. Guinness became our top-selling item within a month.
How are you feeling about supply over the holidays?
We’re well stocked, but Guinness is tricky for other reasons. It’s an imported beer, and so the price of kegs have significantly increased. We recently started offering 16oz pints as a smaller and more affordable option.
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