posted by admin on Oct 25

Lager Library: Guinness

Beer has been flowing from St. James’s Gate in Dublin since 1759. Guinness: The 250-Year Quest for the Perfect Pint by Bill Yenne traces the amazing history of this brewing giant and how its iconic stout became a national symbol of Ireland.

Yenne, the author of more than 40 books, is a fan of what he calls the “World’s Greatest Beer.” In the book (Wiley, 250 pgs., $24.95) he showcases how Arthur Guinness parlayed a small inheritance and a marriage into an established Dublin family to build the roots of a brewing powerhouse. Guinness became hugely popular domestically and abroad, now being sold in more than 150 countries.

The book gives an in-depth history of Guinness along with facts on the personal and political lives of the main corporate characters. For instance, in 1761, Sir Arthur Guinness, 36, married Olivia Whitmore, 19. The couple would have 10 children and Oliva would suffer 11 miscarriages.

Yenne also details the marketing story behind Guinness. In one chapter he discusses the 1994 “Win Your Own Pub” promotion that ran in the U.S. I was lucky enough to be a guest journalist on a Guinness-sponsored trip to Cobh in County Cork to see Jay Mulligan of Boston win the first pub in what was an annual contest for most of the rest of the 1990s. PROMO magazine named the contest as one of the most significant promotions ever held.

If you enjoy Guinness, this book should certainly be on your reading list.

Source: lyke2drink.blogspot.com

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