A woman who visited hundreds of pubs across Europe to drink Guinness has revealed where the best and worst pints were.
Sarah Love, 38, claims she isn’t a ‘typical girly girl’ and instead of cocktails and wine, opts for the iconic Irish beer.
Over the past four years, she’s trekked 10,000 miles across 12 countries to find out if Guinness tastes just as good outside of Ireland.
The ongoing quest, which began in Glasgow in 2020, has seen Sarah visit 400 different pubs, and spend £2,000 on the stout, Luxury Travel Daily reports.
From the UK and Ireland to Germany, Slovakia, Denmark and Hungary, the Scot has sipped in a range of locations.
‘I wanted to see if I could find any pints that were as good as an Irish pint, outside of Ireland,’ Sarah told the publication.
However, Sarah discovered that Guinness doesn’t seem to travel very well, and many of her worst pints were overseas.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of the Guinness mega-fan’s best experiences were in Ireland.
Sarah Love, 38, claims she isn’t a ‘typical girly girl’ and instead of cocktails and wine, opts for the iconic Irish beer
Over the past four years, she’s trekked 10,000 miles across 12 countries to find out if Guinness tastes just as good outside of Ireland
The Railway Bar, in Bundoran, Ireland topped Sarah’s list, followed by Bittles Bar in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Another Northern Ireland venue, The Garrick in Belfast, placed third, while a Scottish free house, The Brazen Head in Glasgow, came fourth.
Ranking fifth, Mulligans in Manchester impressed Sarah with their pints.
Meanwhile, Sarah had some disappointing experiences drinking Guinness overseas.
The Goblin Pub in Bratislava, Slovakia, proved to be the worst for Sarah, who wasn’t impressed with the pint she guzzled there.
A glass of Guinness at The Ackhorne in York apparently made her ‘gag’, while the third worst was on the DFDS Princess Seaways Ferry to Amsterdam from Newcastle.
McNeills in Glasgow didn’t leave Sarah wanting another pint and the Black Rose Tavern in Edinburgh didn’t nail the Guinness either.
Along the way, Sarah has built up expertise on what a ‘perfect pint’ consists of.
However, Sarah discovered that Guinness doesn’t seem to travel very well, and many of her worst pints were overseas
Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of the Guinness mega fan’s best experiences were in Ireland
The Railway Bar, in Bundoran, Ireland topped Sarah’s list, followed by Bittles Bar in Belfast, Northern Ireland
She revealed it should ‘have hints of coffee and chocolate and should have a creamy aftertaste’.
‘The temperature, I don’t like it too cold, I prefer my pints warmer as it gives more flavour,’ Sarah added.
While the cleanliness of the glass also impacts the taste, as well as how the pint is poured.
‘Should be approximately two minutes between starting the first pour, leaving it to settle and then finishing the second pour,’ Sarah explained.
When being poured, the glass should be tilted 45 degrees until it reaches around three-quarters full.
A domed head is also essential, as well as being not too big, or too small.
Finally, the pint must be poured in a Guinness branded glass to give the complete experience.
It comes as, after years of eager anticipation, Guinness fans in the UK can finally toast to the opening of a new attraction in London later this year.
Ranking fifth, Mulligans in Manchester impressed Sarah with their pints
Along the way, Sarah has built up expertise on what a ‘perfect pint’ consists of
A new Guinness microbrewery is set to open its doors in Covent Garden before Christmas.
The £73 million venue spans 50,000sq ft across five buildings, and will feature various food and drink outlets, a glass rooftop with panoramic views, events spaces and a merchandise shop.
The brewery will serve up 14 different limited-edition brews, including no and low alcohol options, offering a unique tasting experience for fans of the black stuff.
While actual Guinness won’t be brewed on-site, the iconic Irish stout will be readily available for drinking.
