Established 1759

You know, I am a big fan of Guinness. The beer. Also on the book with all the faces, you know what I mean. And it happens that today, when I signed in to that thing, the Guinness people had put up a note that, basically, said that today’s a good day for a Guinness.

I’m having a large cup of milk tea as I write this, but just because it’s so bloody cold. Otherwise, I’d totally be drinking a Guinness right now.

Anyhoo, that got me thinking, and I can actually remember the first and second pints of Guinness I have ever bought. Bought, not drank, and here’s why:

First was back in 2000, on a school trip to Poland. From Finland. On a bus. Thus far, for the couple of years it had been legal for me to drink, I’d either drunk ciders or hard liquor. No beers. But small bars in that area, they basically served beer. And Guinness was the only one I knew by name. So I bought one. Sipped it once, didn’t like it. Another sip, and decided I really didn’t like it. Gave it to a classmate who probably thought Yay, free beer! \o/ and drank it.

From 2004 onwards, I made it my business to learn to drink beer. Hey, it’s cheap. By the time I moved to Great Britain at the end of 2007, I was well familiar with light beers. In August 2008, after I’d quit my job there, I stayed in London for a few days. And on 22nd August I was wandering around Whitechapel, not entirely by accident, and found myself in Ten Bells, very much not by accident, an old pub where, for example, Jack the Ripper’s victims used to drink back in 1888.


Resting my weary feet there, I thought it was time for me to give Guinness another chance. And I found I quite liked it. Hence the earlier admission of fanhood.

Out of tea now, so maybe it really is time for Guinness!



(This was not a paid advertisement. I just really like Guinness.)