By John Golden.
A new study conducted by a team that included an Irish GP has shown some evidence to support the theory that Guinness does not travel well.
In 2007, a study was carried out by the University of Wisconsin that examined the medical benefits of drinking Guinness. They said their research proved that having a pint at meal times can reduce the risk of heart failure.
Although the ‘Guinness is Good for You’ slogan has long gone, it may turn out that SH Brenson and his 1920s ad men were right all along.
Getting a head in Guinness research: The team was careful to avoid 'post-ingestion multiple enjoyment bias'
But now Ballyvaughan GP Dr Liam Glynn has sought to provide evidence for another one of those ‘so-called facts’ that has non-Guinness drinkers rolling their eyes with scepticism: that Guinness tastes better in Ireland than anywhere else.
After meeting three fellow academics/Guinness enthusiasts at a medical event, Dr Glynn and his colleagues decided to test the theory using a scientific method. They developed a formula to grade the pint they had drank, from zero to 100, according to how much they enjoyed it.
The team, consisting of three GPs and one physiotherapist, then took the formula across the globe, visiting 33 cities in 14 countries, consuming 103 tipples along the way. The study took place over 12 months.
The test, which accounted for factors such as taste, temperature, pouring time and pub ambience, found that Irish Guinness was the best overall, scoring an impressive 74 average on the scale, compared to the rest, averaging a meagre 53.
Publicans must have eyed the men with an air of suspicion as each researcher, after ordering the pint, took out a stopwatch to time the pour and a digital thermometer to record the temperature. “Some patrons asked why we were using a thermometer and a stopwatch. When they found out they were generally almost rolling on the floor laughing,” explained Dr Glynn, in a report in The Sunday Times.
Despite the results, the Journal of Food Science — where the study was initially published — noted that the research was somewhat flawed and was “subject to further verification”.
Dr Glynn explained that the team also needed to be wary of what he called “post-ingestion multiple enjoyment bias”, which could have skewed the results slightly. “We were aware we would be more inclined to say the Guinness was good if we had a second or third pint, because the alcohol might be affecting our ability to remain objective,” he said.
So despite the imperfect method, we do now have some scientific evidence to support the claim that Guinness suffers from travel sickness.
The marketing team at Guinness can no longer claim that it’s ‘Good for You’ — Diageo has banned alcohol ads claiming health benefits — but perhaps they can take this on board for their next Irish campaign: ‘Guinness — scientifically proven to be better here than anywhere else’.
Has a ring to it, doesn’t it?
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