About
The Irishman who
invented Guinness
This is a fictional, creative, historical story, set in Ireland in the 1730s -1800s, about a young boy’s determination to solve the mystery of why his parents’ homebrews tasted different, despite using the same four basic ingredients? Arthur Guinness, was looking for a secret or an unusual technique, which would solve the homebrew taste mystery.
Early Curiosity and Observation
In the 1700s, Irish children were expected to be quiet and were not encouraged to ask questions of their elders, young Arthur kept his curiosities to himself. He observed his mother preparing the homebrew recipes, she did not weigh the portions required, but cooked by sight, by taste, and smell. His mother’s homebrews were always perfect, and the mystery taste was in his mother’s ‘experience.’
Experimentation and Measurement
Arthur decided to gain brewing experience by making notes of all his brewing tests, until he acquired a thermometer, weighing scales and an accurate timing clock. He constantly practiced counting sixty-second slots, for one, two, and three-minute boiling times, and he tested the boiling times using fresh farm eggs. Yes, Arthur ate many boiled eggs, while he perfected his boiling times experiments.
Yeast, Bacteria, and Hygiene
As Arthur tested the homebrew ingredients, he continued experimenting with different brew times, using various temperatures, different volumes and varieties of yeast and hops. He also began to keep jars of homebrew samples, and he was amazed by the discovery of various bacteria in his homebrew samples. Arthur did speak to the friendly doctors in the hospitals, where he was a volunteer helper, he enquired about gems and bacteria, and there, he became aware of the immense world of hygiene problems, infections and cleaning problems.
Training, Discipline, and Purpose
Lacking an education, Arthur realised he must concentrate on the basics of hygiene control and slowly learn how to reduce bacteria in his brewing procedures. When his father began to train Arthur in homebrewing, Arthur’s attitude and life seriously changed for the better, and he knew then, what he wanted to achieve in his life. He would learn to manage and control the contents of every barrel of ale, stout and Guinness porter he brewed.
Quality Control and Global Consistency
Arthur Guinness created and developed Guinness quality control methods, by sending his Guinness brewers around the world to wherever he sold Guinness beverages, to monitor the Guinness local storage environments, and hygiene standards. He noted the local seasonal climates, which could affect his Guinness products.
Arthur created a unique production technique overlooked by his competitors, he had barrels of Guinness beverages, shipped back to Dublin from overseas merchants, and analysed, tested, smelt, and tasted. A practice that helped produce and maintain the consistent quality of Guinness stout, the frothy white head, the Guinness surge, and the prolonged Guinness taste, available with every pint of Guinness.
Brewing Ambitions and Legacy
From an early age, young Arthur Guinness set himself two major brewing challenges: One was to increase the lifespan of his homebrews, from days to weeks: The second challenge was to increase the amount of alcohol by volume, from 1% to 6% ABV. Arthur Guinness had experimented for almost twenty years to achieve both his ambitions, and he was confident that with continued experimentation and efficient records, he would achieve it.
Arthur Guinness changed the brewing industries and drinks businesses in Ireland, and around the world, when he invented the first universal brand. – Guinness Stout (6.0 ABV percent alcohol) with a lifespan of 6-months guaranteed.