one of the enormous vats in the storehouse -- 90,000 gallons worth

This has to be one of the most popular visitor attractions in Dublin (second, perhaps, to actually visiting a pub in Temple Bar and downing a few pints of the black stuff). We didn't realize that you could buy tickets in advance (from the Storehouse Website) and so waiting in a very long line for forty minutes or so to get inside to even buy tickets.

The tour is self-guided, and the Guinness Storehouse is a purpose-built tourist attraction (the real brewing goes on down the road a pace) -- but it's fascinating nonetheless. Enormous exhibitions of each part of the process let you walk through the history of Guiness step-by-step and by the time you reach the top floor and the multitude of restaurants for your well-earned pint, it's been an interesting journey.

standing in front of the storehouse

statue of Arthur Guinnes, near St. Patricks

The brewery was founded by Arthur Guinness in 1759, when he signed a 9000 year lease (yes, nine thousant years) for the property at the St.James Gate -- the originally brewery. He brewed beer at first, then picked up the popular 'black beer', or porter, from Engliand and decided to brew it himself.

Guinness is actually produced at a very modern brewrery just down the road, but the St. James Gate brewery has been rebuilt as an exhibit.

It's well worth a stop on the top floor to redeem your 'free pint' -- the food in the many restaurants is quite good, and the view over Duiblin, with hundreds of constructions cranes, is fabulous.

Heading out through the Guinness store was one of the few places we bought tons of stuff. GUinness is so iconic for Ireland that we had to get a few t-shirts and stuff.

Mark swears that it really does taste different in Ireland.