Guinness Storehouse

I think, out of all the attractions that exist in Dublin, going to Guinness Storehouse, or St. James Gate Brewery (although it's more commonly known by the former name), is one of the experiences that all tourists enjoy the most. Despite not being so close to the city centre or the medieval area of the city (Dublinia), it is located just a 15 minute walking distance away; it's impossible to get lost, as the Gravity Bar can be seen from almost any point in the city. As you will know, the Irish are extremely friendly people and will happily help you if you get lost: if they see with a map in hand and a confused look on your face, they will ask you if you know where you are or where you want to go; some of them will even take you to your destination if you are nowhere near it. So, now you know, if you get lost, you can easily ask one of them and they will tell you the easiest way to get there.

Fortunately, we were staying just five minutes away from Guinness Storehouse, so getting there meant only having to walk along a couple of streets. We went in January, with winter tending to be the off-peak season, so the atmosphere in the factory was incredible with there not being a lot of people there, and we really enjoyed the museum. If you go to Ireland, I recommend going around this time, between January and March (so that you can enjoy St. Patrick's Day).

What makes going to Guinness Storehouse so special?

No story starts with just a sip of milk! If you are visiting Dublin, it's compulsory to visit Guinness Storehouse! You are going to leave happy, delighted and inspired in knowing how Mr. Arthur Guinness (who is really loved by his family and the whole of Dublin) started his business with a 9000 year contract... can you imagine? The museum has seven floors, no more, no less. (If you are lazy, don't worry, there are lifts and escalators). Although there are a fair few, you will always want to go up one more to see how it could surprise you even more. In the end, you will be relaxed and will enjoy the view from the Gravity Bar, which I consider to be the best thing about this museum in terms of bringing this excellent experience to a close.

(Here you can see the famous certificate for the 9000 year rent, covered by a glass pane on the floor)

The magic starts on the first floor

You are going to feel at home from the first floor, where you will find the embedded and glass-protected, famous 9000 year contract , which is one of the factory's greatest prides. The staff are incredibly friendly, and they will welcome you to the tour from the first floor, where you can buy your tickets. There, you will also find one of the souvenir shops, which is, in fact, the largest, and you can also ask for an electronic device that will allow you to enjoy the tour in your preferred language; this is especially useful if you don't speak English very well. The staff will welcome you and give you a brief introduction to the factory (for around 5 minutes) in English, but once the tour starts, you can go at your own pace listening to the guide in the language that you understand the best.

At the beginning of the tour, you are going to get to know the ingredients that make up a pint of Guinness. The best thing about the tour is that the audio guide activates itself automatically on the first two floors, so it will detect where you are and will start to give you the relevant explanation. Forget about the tours where you walk around in groups and have to follow a guide, here you will be able to visit the Storehouse at your own pace, repeating explanations if you are really interested in what's being said or you just don't want to move from there! What better way to visit a museum like this, don't you think?

The museum invested a lot of money into technology, especially into 'Smart glass technology', which consists of animations that detect when you walk in front of them, causing them to be activated and played automatically, making the museum very dynamic and captivating. I remember that, at one of these, before going into the next room, there was a man through a glass screen. Just as I was about to go up to it, he kindly welcomed me to the next room... I could swear that he was watching me!

It's well known by everyone that when you drink on an empty stomach, the effects of the alcohol hit you much faster, and we hadn't eaten anything. If you also find yourself in this situation, you will be able to find restaurants and food courts on every floor, so you'll be able to eat anything from a sandwich to a slice of cake, and even a full meal consisting of a meat-based dish with Guinness jus. There is something for all budgets, stomachs, and cravings!

The Fountain of Truth and the velvet camera

Now that you know the ingredients that make a true pint of Guinness, you are going to be able to make use of your five senses in the "Fountain of Truth". Come in and get to know the four different malt vapours, roasted barley and beer. This room was carefully designed, taking into account the specific conditions for both humidity and air pressure. In this way, they couldn't have created a more perfect atmosphere for being able to try the perfect pint. But, of course, do you know how to drink a pint correctly? If you don't know, you don't have to worry because they are going to teach you how to! You will be able to do it in the "Velvet Camera", where the staff will teach you how to.....

(Smelling the barley vapour - there's no better way to identify the smells than this. )

Exuding the incredible world of Guinness' marketing

This floor is, without a doubt, one of the favourites (if not, the favourite) of all the tourists. Here, you will be able to understand how John Gilroy made his famous advertising campaign with zoo animals.

(Take a photo of this lovely seal balancing a pint of Guinness on its nose. )

(Or, maybe you'll take an even better one with this original ostrich designed by John Gilroy? )

Here, you will be able to see them in 3D and take thousands of photos with them. You are going to fall in love with the advertising campaigns that have been brought to life for your entertainment, like the fish pedalling on the bike because "a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle" (very true, right? ). You will also be able to take a photo with the oyster that moves to the rhythm of the music. Everything on this floor is so well-made that they seem very, very real!

Finally, you can have even more fun with the three photo booths! You can get in them either alone or with family and friends, and put your head in many of the backgrounds available, before finally finding the photos on one of the 10 iPads found outside. Don't hesitate in sharing the photos with your friends on social media, so that they die of jealousy, or send them to your email address to ensure that you'll never forget this fun experience.

(It's Guinness Time! The three photo booths that I have spoken so much about! )

The best part about this floor is the cinema area, where you will see the company's latest advances in marketing. Your jaw will drop when you see this enormous 360° LED wall that incorporates Kanye West's song, "Black", for an advertising campaign that you will quickly learn more about. Let yourself get wrapped up in the incredible sound and amazing quality of the advertising!

Hungry? Get ready to enjoy a really original menu

This whole experience may end up making you feel a bit hungry, so it's always good to be prepared for that, as it's on the floors that follow where you will be having your pint of Guinness. As I mentioned earlier, there are lots of cafés and restaurants at your disposition in Guinness Storehouse. How would you feel seeing chefs create some magic before your very eyes? If you like this idea, I recommend that you visit Brewers Dining Hall, a restaurant inspired by the old dining halls that the workers at St. James' Gate used, which has tasty and varied dishes that cost approximately 10 euros ($12 o $Mex 229).

(Here you can see the Brewers Dining Hall! It's very clean. You can see the chef preparing all the meals right from your table, very original, right? )

Don't know what to order? I have some recommendations for you... what are your thoughts on an Irish-style menu? If it tickles your fancy, you should visit another the factory's restaurants: Gilroy's. This restaurants focuses solely on Irish food, and one of the great things about this particular restaurant is that you'll be able to enjoy your meal whilst having a magnificent view of the city. I recommend ordering the basil soup with Guinness-smoked ham salad, its seasoning is one of the tastiest things I've ever tried.

Get your certificate in the Connoisseur Bar and enjoy 360° views in the Gravity Bar!

Your tour entry is going to include a ticket that you can exchange for a pint of Guinness (or another drink) in one of the three different bars located within the factory.

Did you know that it takes exactly 119. 5 seconds (wow, how precise! ) and an angle of 45° to pull the perfect pint of Guinness? I am sure that you didn't know that! But, you can now learn for yourself in the Connoisseur Bar, where, if you are able to pull a perfect pint, you will receive a certificate of recognition signed by the company attesting your newfound ability! You will also able to send it to your email address!

Although this experience is enjoyable in any bar or restaurant in the factory, I wholeheartedly recommend that you save your ticket and exchange it in Gravity Bar! They will serve you your pint and you'll enjoy it on the highest floor of the factory (seventh floor) whilst having a beautiful view of the city through glass walls. It's called 'Gravity' because it gives you the sensation of being suspended from the highest point of the factory. If you haven't had the chance to get to know Dublin well yet or you cannot work out where you are, don't worry. The staff are going to show you where and what each thing or monument that you can see is through the explanations on the glass wall. You cannot miss out on taking a photo on this floor, as the view will take your breath away. You will love it so much that you will have another pint just to avoid having to leave.

(Very happy family and friends with our pint of Guinness in the Gravity Bar. You can see the factory much better in the background on the side we are sat on. )

(The pints are prepared in stages: this is one of the first where you must wait for the bottom of the beer to settle, the colour to turn black, and the foam to sit on the top. )

(Smiling in the "unmissable photo" in Gravity Bar. In the background, you can see the factory better, and on the glass, there are explanations of what you can see. I couldn't look any happier than I did there, honestly! At that point, it was 4pm and it looks much more like it's the evening with it being winter, however, Dublin is a really safe and friendly city, so don't be scared about walking around at night. )

Lots of famous people have visited Guinness Storehouse, like Barack Obama, Bono, Tom Cruise, and several Presidents.

How much does it cost?

Entry costs between 17. 50€ and 22. 50€, which is the normal price for adults (which converts to approximately $214. 35-27. 46 or $Mex 403. 44-518. 91) and includes a pint of Guinness and a sample of Guinness in the tasting rooms. I recommend that you buy your tickets online so that you can choose your visit time, as the factory is extremely busy during the summer. If you don't just want to visit Guinness Storehouse, but also other attractions in the city, I recommend that you buy a Dublin Pass (you will be able to find more information about it in my blog), as you will save a lot of money and your entry to the Storehouse will be included.

If you are an Erasmus student, entry will cost between 17. 50€ and 20€, but don't forget to bring your student ID card to be able to benefit from this discount!

Don't leave without getting yourself a nice souvenir

This is a unique experience, so it's best to leave with a souvenir that won't let you forget it. You'll be able to buy anything from underwear, teddy bears, kitchenware, keyrings, hats, to things that you could never even imagine! Admittedly, they are not very cheap, but the prdocuts are of incredible quality that you make you feel like every euro spent was worth it.

(A really well-stocked gift shop! Don't leave without your souvenir! )

What should you bear in mind when visiting Guinness Storehouse?

• The taking of photos is permitted on all floors, so don't hesitate in taking as many as you want, you can even record videos if you like.
• The staff are very friendly, so don't hesitate to chat with them
• You have to leave some identification as a deposit, so to speak, in order to use the electronic translator guides, so don't forget to give them back to get your ID back.
• Guinness Storehouse is open every day of the year, except for Christmas, New Year, etc. The factory is open from 9:30am and closes at 7pm, but be aware that final admission is at 5pm to ensure that you have adequate time to enjoy the museum.
• I also recommend that you buy your tickets online, as there are times where they are cheaper than buying them in person on the day. For example, right now, I can see that there is a discount for adult tickets and are being sold for 16€ instead of 20€.
• Check the website before you arrive so you can ensure that the Guinness world is open for you to enjoy - I put the dates above.