It was the fall of 1817. James Monroe had been serving as America’s president for just over 6 months. Construction of the Erie Canal had just begun. Mississippi was admitted as the 20th state in the union. And a dark, European- brewed beer was making its way to the United States for the first time.
Thus begins the story of Guinness, a beer first imported into the United States on October 16, 1817. In just a few short days, Guinness will celebrate 200 years of beer and to mark this momentous occasion, Guinness introduces a limited- edition 200th Anniversary Export Stout. In addition, Guinness is releasing a special variety pack containing bottles of the Anniversary stout, Guinness Original, Antwerpen Stout, and Foreign Extra Stout and has parties planned on both coasts to celebrate 200 years of beer.
Guinness Brand Director Emma Giles says the new and familiar Guinness products are reminders that Guinness is about more than just beer- it’s also about the personal aspects of beer drinking and how it enhances interactions over time.
“Two things have always been at the heart of the Guinness brand since our founding in 1759: brewing great beer and sharing our story,” said Giles. “When we started brewing beer for America 200 years ago, that story became a shared one. Now, every time you share a pint with someone else, another chapter begins.”
Guinness 200th Anniversary Export Stout is a product of Open Gate Brewery. If you haven’t heard about this, it happens to be a pilot brewery in Dublin, Ireland where Guinness brewers are free to experiment with new beer while also re- creating historic beer. The new 200th Anniversary Export Stout was, in fact, inspired by a recipe originally developed by Benjamin Guinness, who was a member of his famous brewing family’s second generation. Peter Simpson, Head Brewer at Open Gate Brewery, says this anniversary brew is a reflection of what Guinness was in the past, and will be in the future.
“We took a look at that export stout’s recipe from 1817 in our brewing records and used that as our inspiration here, but it’s not just an homage to who we were as brewers then or who America was as a country,” said Simpson. “We’re also using this beer as a way to show how much we’re looking forward to the next 200 years. We knew it had to be special, and we really think this throwback recipe captures exactly what we wanted from 1817 all the way through 2017.”
Guinness plans to release 200th Anniversary Export Stout and the special 12 pack samplers this month. Fans of Guinness should also look for Guinness limited edition Mount Rushmore cans, depicting scenes from a Guinness advertisement from the 1950’s. Guinness also has anniversary parties planned in New York and Los Angeles this month. Anyone of legal drinking age wishing to attend the event in New York can sign up by going to Guinness Open Gate Public House.
Guinness has been tantalizing America’s taste buds for two centuries and in spite of stiff competition from American craft breweries, it still remains and iconic and well- respected import brand. Look for 200th Anniversary Export Stout, special 12 pack sampler, and commemorative Mount Rushmore cans in stores near you, and celebrate 200 years of Guinness on American soil.
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