When you think of Dublin one of the top things you have to do is visit the Guinness Storehouse. Guinness and Dublin go together like peanut butter and jelly. Even if you’re not a typical Guinness drinker (like me), visiting the factory is an absolute must.
The last time I was in Ireland, over 10 years ago (that’s crazy to think about) I wasn’t really supposed to be drinking beer and even when I did I hadn’t taken a liking to it yet. This time around I was determined to his every pub we possibly could and especially visit the Guinness Storehouse.
Having been to other beer factories like the Heineken factory and the Carlsberg factory, we thought we knew what to expect. Let me tell you that the Guinness Storehouse is like none other we have visited. I think a lot of it really has to do with the history and how steeped into the Irish culture it is. What other beer factory is the number 1 international visitor attraction?
| Getting there |
Wherever you’re staying in Dublin it’s pretty easy to get to. I typically walk everywhere when I travel because I find it’s the best way to really see a city. If you’re staying central in Dublin then you’ll be able to walk. There are some streets around the factory that look a little rougher than you’d expect but I never felt unsafe.
The 123 bus will also take you to the Guinness Storehouse, which you can get from the Dublin city centre. It also runs every 8-10 minutes so even if you miss one you’ll never have to wait long for the next. If you’re looking for more detailed directions their websites have all of the details you’ll need.
| The Experience |
As you walk up to the giant gates you can’t help but feel insignificant. They are massive and the building around you towers over you. It’s really quite beautiful just walking around the outside grounds.
I would highly recommend you get tickets in advance because it gets super busy and you’ll be stuck waiting in a long line if you don’t. Luckily we did that and shot right in really easily. Once you get through you’re guided up a beautiful red escalator to start your tour. The Instagrammer in me secretly tried getting a shot with no one else on the escalator but that didn’t really work!
As you make your way to the start of the self-guided tour you’ll have a chance to take more photos in front of the Guinness sign before you start learning. The beginning is the only part of the tour that seems standard, teaching you how beer is made. After that, it’s anything but.
Floor 1: the beginnings
The first part of the tour is giving you the background and history of the Guinness Storehouse. You will get an idea of how the beer came about and why it’s so ingrained into the Irish culture. It’s cool learning about the man behind the beer: Arthur Guinness. I won’t give too much away though, it’s important you experience it for yourself!
On this floor, you’ll also learn how the beer gets from the Storehouse to your pint anywhere in the world. In fact, they’ve been shipping the beer worldwide since 1769!
Floor 2: the tasting
As you make your way up on each floor, you’ll find yourself in different rooms. Each room is a different experience, most of which the beer itself goes through before it reaches your glass. Rooms like the ‘roasting room’ is warm and glows red as you walk through it to give you the feeling like you’re also being roasted.
Floor 3: the advertising
As someone who works in marketing, I found this floor particularly fun. Some of the advertising you’ll probably remember, some may be well beyond your years (well, definitely mine). There are lifesize statues of some of the Guinness Storehouse’s old ‘mascots’ and old printed ads as well.
It was really fun just wandering around and taking a look at how the advertising has changed over the years. It also makes you realize how some ads from back in the day would never go in this day in age. It’s quite amusing.
Floor 4: the learning
After experiencing this floor you’ll really realize how so many people worldwide actually don’t know how to pour the right Guinness. That’s actually one of the things I noticed while in Dublin. Every single pub we went to poured Guinness the proper way, which is why it probably tasted so much better in Ireland than it does at home!
There is a room on the fourth floor that is entirely dedicated to teaching you how to pour the perfect Guinness. I would strongly suggest going in and doing this if you want to impress your friends!
Floor 5: the drinking
When you walk into the Guinness Storehouse, you’ll be given a ticket for one pint. There are a few rooms on Floor 5 that you can cash in if you like the vibe of any of them. One we went into there was a live band playing and people were having a great time! I personally would save your pint for the ….
Floor 7: the gravity bar
This is the reason people visit the Guinness Storehouse. Honestly, it’s one of the best experiences you can have in Dublin. The Gravity bar is an all window room where you can get 360 views of Dublin. It can get incredibly busy so if you have the luxury to choose the time you go, head over earlier than later.
We got to the gravity bar around 6 pm on a Saturday which I realize was probably one of the worst times we could have gone. It was so packed you could barely move but eventually, we found a spot by the window, hunkered down and enjoyed the views.
If you’re going to do one thing in Dublin, you need to visit the Guinness Storehouse. Not only will you get epic views of Dublin but you’ll also learn a bit of history as well!
*Thank you to the Guinness Storehouse for welcoming us as guests. We received complimentary passes in exchange for a review but as always, opinions are our own and we would never recommend something we didn’t love to do ourselves!
