Does Guinness Beer Really Taste Better In Ireland?

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, which means it's time to celebrate the gorgeous and proud nation of Ireland by throwing parades and dyeing our favorite potent potables green. And whether you're downing a pint of the stuff or using it to make corned beef and cabbage (the "corned" refers to large salt kernels, not actual corn), you can't go wrong with world record inventor Guinness. Although the Guinness Storehouse, which opened in 2000 and is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, attracts some 20 million annual visitors, Guinness is far from some tosh tourists buy — it is Ireland's most famous drink by a long shot. But the pint you drank on vacation in Dublin and the bottle you buy from your local supermarket probably won't taste the same to you. Does Guinness really taste better in Ireland? According to Guinness Brewery Ambassador Colm O'Connor, yes and no.

O'Connor stresses that there is no difference between Guinness sold in America and Guinness sold in Ireland. "The beer that you enjoy here in North America is all brewed in Dublin, okay? So as we say, 'it was fine when it left.' It's exactly the same. It's gone through nearly 300 checks, same as the Irish beer." But context is everything, and the setting in which you enjoy your Guinness can and will affect how you perceive its taste.

We all like to think we're objective arbiters of reality, but there's a reason why good restaurants place such a premium on ambience: the surrounding environment can have a major impact on what you eat or drink. That's especially true if you're traveling, which usually means you're on vacation and focusing solely on having a good time. O'Connor says it best:

"I've been to Tuscany, been completely over the moon, enjoying the best wine in the world. You bring it back to Dublin, it's great. Is it the exact same as I remembered? It doesn't seem to be. Maybe because I'm not getting the buzzing and the bees in my ears, I don't see the sunflower fields. So maybe the same thing with Ireland. I could explain probably the ideal pub is one where it's cozy. It's even cozier if the wind and the rain is rattling outside on the windows and there's a guy maybe playing a fiddle in the corner and there's no distractions, it's just conversation, music or whatever. And I'd say that can make a pint of Guinness taste just that little bit better."

But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a great pint anywhere, O'Connor stresses: "I've had pints here in New York, every bit as good as in Dublin." So why not find your nearest Guinness brewery and make a day of it?