More than 7 million half-pint glasses of stout are downed each day around the globe. There are breweries in London, Nigeria, Malaysia, Australia and many other countries. When Guinness became known around the world, international quality controllers were appointed. This team travelled from country to country to check the quality of Guinness. However, Irish people say it’s difficult to get a proper pint of Guinness abroad. Today such a taste controlling team exists in Ireland only. Every month its members go to every pub making sure that glasses are sparkling, the pressure is just right, the liquid is cool and the Guinness tastes great. As it’s produced in Dublin people says you can feel it while drinking because its flavour seems to have added dimension in that cosmopolitan city reminding  them of a city of  great talkers and writers.
 Niall, aged 50 couldn’t stop praising Guinness and its characteristic tangy flavour. Moreover, Niall is a member of some kind of Guinness club.
He has filled in an application form in a pub and since then the Guinness company sends him a promotion articles and he has advantages concerning drinking Guinness, he gets for example some pints for free. Asking young  Irish men why they drink German beer instead of Irish and they replied: “we don’t have beer we have just stouts.” No matter what the young population says, Guinness  is still the most drinkable beer by the Irish.
 But Guinness isn’t the only famous Irish drink. There are two more beers which are getting more and more supporters, Beamish and Murphy’s – both brewed in Cork. Guinness has a kind of bitter taste and this is very specific. But another dark beer, Murphy’s tastes like a liquid porridge. It’s a subsidiary of Heineken International. It’s said, that this is a companionable sort of drink, epitomising the spirit of Cork – it’s the same like people in the city who have a natural taste for the good things of life.
 However, this beer is considered to be good for your stomach, it slips down the throat so easy. Another one Beamish is actually part of an Australian brewing giant. Typical for this beer is  its smoky taste and again slightly bitter flavour. The reason for this is malted wheat – the unusual item used in production.

Drinking culture
in Ireland

 If you ask Irish people why they drink, the answer is simple – to relax. When you drink beer it’s not like when you drink vodka. “We only drink for conversation, maybe to sing, not to get drunk,” Niall, explains. “Before TV came into the pubs, people used to go there to sing. Now people don’t talk any longer, but most pubs are trying to get the conversation back. Actually, the adult population drink to socialize. Only teenagers drink to get drunk.” Niall admitted there’s so much violence in Ireland, just because of abusing alcohol and drugs by young people. The government tries to control this. It is forbidden to drink in public places for instance; you have to have a paper bag. You can buy alcohol only if you are 21, but this rule isn’t followed by many people, it’s easy to get beer anywhere, even if you are younger. Another interesting thing about Ireland is that smoking is forbidden in pubs. Moreover, I went to a pub on Friday night and there were many people in lots of them standing. I found it strange. In Slovakia, for example, you sit down and smoke while drinking beer. “Yes, a lot of men prefer standing while drinking beer. Do you know why? It gets more easily to your stomach and what is even more important, you are close to the counter and get your drink faster,”
Niall replies.

 Do foreigners
like it?

 Every Irish brewery is proud of its product. And every tourist comes to Ireland have one more reason to came because they want to taste Guinness. But most of those tourists are disappointed. “Yes, I’ve tasted it, but I have to say it somehow isn’t suitable for my stomach, maybe it’s prepared in a different way than German beers. You can drink it, let’s say for 5 times but then you have enough,” Nancy, a girl from Germany supposes. Her friend from Poland, Kris, agrees: “I don't like Irish beers, I guess the best beers are produced in eastern Europe, in Czech, Slovakia and Poland, of course.” On the other hand, Wayne from china says: “For me, there is no difference. Beers from all the countries are almost the same.” I dare to claim that Irish people would be somehow angry with those opinions. However as many people as many different opinions and tastes there are. And me, myself, I’ve drunk better beers, but I have to admit Guinness is a special one.

“Water of life”

 There is one more drink produced in Ireland being known worldwide. Irish Whiskey paradoxly mostly bought in Scotland, it’s said. In Irish language, Whiskey is called “Uisce Beatha” this mean the water of life. Why? The explanation is simple. The Whiskey has a positive effect on the heart as it thins your blood. It’s said only one glass a day helps.
  Especially older people drink whiskey. Nowadays enjoying whiskey in Irish pubs is less and less preferred. As it takes 3 or 4 minutes to prepare a proper pint of Guinness, the whiskey is now drunk mostly when you are waiting for your beer to settle.

Public house - Pub