A Very Stout New Year's Eve

In the interests of new year festivities and mindful that our tale yesterday was one of the darkest we have heard, today we turn out attentions to more pleasant themes. It's no secret that grandma Gilflurt likes a glass of gin now and again but grandpa is a man for his porter or, on occasion, a little Guinness. In honour of his tipple of choice, today's tale is a no more than a short one, to give you time to pop off and get your best togs on ready for the festivities this evening!

Arthur Guinness was a gentleman with a talent for brewing ale and had been happily doing so since 1755, enjoying no small success in his homeland of Ireland. With his breweries doing well, on 31st December 1759,  Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease on the St. James's Gate Brewery, Dublin. 

The 9000 year lease

For an annual payment of £45, Guinness had full use of the brewery and began brewing his now iconic ale there. A decade later he exported his first barrels of stout to Great Britain and Guinness has been a firm favourite ever since, not least with my old grandpa!

I shall be toasting the new year in with a little fine claret and a delightfully decadent masque but whatever you do, have a fine evening and a wonderful 2014!