What’s are Guinness' ingredients and how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness. Everything you need to know about the iconic Irish stout for St. Patrick's Day.

Guinness is one of the most famous drinks in the world, from Nigeria to Tokyo and everywhere in between a pint of the black stuff is known to be the only man but how much do you really know about Guinness beer. What are the facts and what are Guinness’ beer tasting notes, straight from the experts at St. James's Gate Brewery in the heart of Dublin?

The basics of Guinness facts

The beauty of a pint of Guinness is its simplicity! Guinness’ ingredients are water, barley, roast malt extracts, hops and brewer’s yeast.

A portion of the barley is roasted, at a very specific temperature, to give Guinness its dark color and characteristic taste. It is then pasteurized and filtered.

Read more: How many calories in Guinness?

How to pour the perfect pint of Guinness

Choose a clean, dry, 20-ounce tulip shaped pint glass, of course, a proper Guinness glass is best.

Tilt the glass to a 45-degree angle and pour until the Guinness fills the glass up to the edge of the tulip’s bump or half way up the Guinness iconic harp on the glass.

Once the Guinness looks settled (a clear distinctions between the ruby below and cream on top) tilt the glass only slightly and push the Guinness tap away from you. Aim directly into the middle of the foam head until it settles half a millimeter above the lip of your pint glass.

Then wait again and don’t take a sip until the pint is completely settled.

Here’s an explainer from the experts!

What's the most memorable pint of Guinness you've ever had? And more importantly where did you have the tastiest Guinness you've ever had? Let us know below.

Read more: Cheers to 200 years - the fascinating story of Guinness in America