Guinness Original (UK Version - 4.2%)
Guinness Ltd.

It is usually a good experience to drink a rendition of one of the classics of a style. And when the style is a Dry Irish Stout and the brewer is Guinness and it is St. Patrick's Day, the experience is memorable... even for an old man with dodgy memory (like me.)

So it goes. The UK Version Looks like the real (US market) Guinness, but the UK has an even bigger head. Smells and Tastes are very similar, maybe a bit milder bitter for the Brits... and more roasty. Finishes pleasantly dry. In my mouth, better than medium. I'll have another, but probably for St. Paddy's 2027. Slainte' !

 

sick to get to drink a bottle of this version, brought back by a friend from his recent travels, i dont think i knew there was a special lower alcohol edition of this, but here we are, way cool! its matte black, very dark and without reddish edges, approachable still, high headed, tan, frothy, and from a very cool bottle, 568ml, a unique size i think. aroma is roasty and dry, coal-like, ashen, simple and not at all harsh, with their classic fermentation profile, but kind of colder, cooler, tighter, bready and healthful as always from guinness, on the dry side without rich middle malts, and with some dry cocoa character as well, seems ancient and timeless and very well refined as well as unique, cool mineraity, very appealing, seems wintery in an attractive way as well. the flavor is dry, with neat rocky minerality, lots of roasted character but neither heavy nor bitter from it at all really, notes of just lit cigarette, dark chocolate, and old world ale yeast, a defining element for sure. smooth but with less body than expected, this is downright easy drinking, i like the higher carbonation as stout goes, and there is a slightly leathery and sweeter recall after each sip, but just for a second. tobacco, espresso, and bread, but not overly nuanced either. its immediately recognizable as guinness and as unique to this brewery, but without being particularly complex or anything, which i think is a compliment in this instance. lovely drinkability, awesome full spectrum dark grain to this, old worldy and special, a very cool drinking experience i am thankful to have had! id buy this regularly in this format if it were available in the states...

 

Supposedly based on an 1821 recipe, this does seem to have more in common with English porters than Irish stouts.

Pours the classic Guinness ebony, but with a darker buff head that's foamier and less retentive than the one from the widget can. More herbal on the nose, with notes of sage alongside the bitter malts. Fizzier than the regular Guinness, with a more watery, beery flavour - malt and hops, rather than coffee and chocolate. Those do come in on the long finish, ending sweet and thick with a note of plum. Overall an interesting beer, fairly pleasant and drinkable.

My can says "Extra stout" under "Original" and is 4.2% so seems to be this particular version. Six months before sell-by date.

Cool cellar temperature. Pours a huge head in a narrow glass. Needs to settle anyways cause of the fizziness. It settles into a bottle-conditioned style carbonation - creamy almost (not like the draught though) with fine prickly carbonation. (I used call bottled Guinness poor man's champagne.) Head fades but good lacing.

This is how bottled Guinness used be in the eighties - it's been appallingly bad (also the canned draught) in the last couple of decades with really weird background and after-tastes.
This is clean, and burnt and dry. I'm not so good on describing/defining the tastes so suffice to say a lovely drop of the quare stuff.

 

Black color, nice beige head. Strong aroma of roasted malt with notes of coffee and chocolate. Taste is similar, roasted barley dominates. Long roasted and bitter aftertaste.

 

Just as yummy as the other variations. Had a bottle after I finished the behind the scenes 5 hour tour and lunch at Guiness in Dublin (expensive). More beer than I could drink.

Pours a rich frothy thick head with dark ruby to black color.
Head slowly fades to a thin layer with thick lacing.
Aroma is nutty and hints of dark chocolate.
Taste is roasted coffee and chocolate.
Mouthfeel I’m going to agree with everyone else, not as creamy as the draught, but still nice.
Overall, it’s a Guinness, so very nice.

500mL bottle.
Look: Dark brown black - like coffee. Beige head with some lacing.
Smell: Coffee-like notes and acidity.
Taste: Coffee, dark chocolate, burnt toast. Bitterness is mild but slightly unpleasant - more burnt than hoppy.
Feel: Smooth, with pronounced acidity.
Finish: Lingering burnt toast bitterness.
Overall: I am glad to have tried this classic. However, to me this beer is merely OK - not extraordinary, not poor. Perhaps my expectations were too high from the start.

Poured from an 11.2oz bottle. Part of the Brewer's Project multipacks.

L- Dark Cola color with ruby edges. Not much in the way of head or lacing.
S- Roasted malts and espresso.
T- Malty with a decent amount of bitterness. Slightly medicinal.
F- Thin, but coated the mouth surprisingly well. Slight carbonation on the tongue.
Low ABV and super easy to drink. A true classic.

Like many I prefer the draught version, but something nostalgic about the original. Tan head is different, obviously without the nitro not as creamy but very crisp rather than creamy which is a nice change. Taste is sublime as always. I'm biased but I don't care!

 

2004: I too prefer the draught version (nitro can incl.)- but still the original is very, very good! Try it with bacon and eggs - makes you want to eat breakfast all day. Later sampled on numerous occasions, still decent.

 

Look... black full frothy tan head...had hundreds of these but finally a review
Smell...roasty,acid, feint lemon grass nothing spectacular
Taste...much different than the draw(of course) without the nitro injection it s good just different. I guess I expect more now from stouts. I think its hard to be fair when its not your favorite style.
Feel... the best part of this beer for certain. Full for 4.2 abv slick prickly
Overall...truly unique and always solid. Enjoy if you never had

500ml bottle.
L: Near black with ruby edging. No shimmer but has a long-lasting, tan head.
S: Rich, nutty aroma.
T: Sharp, steely, bitter hops. Roasted chocolate/coffee malts.
F: A little thin but not bad and has a dry finish. Carbonation on the tongue.
O: There are better stouts available these days but this is an old-skool classic. Great session beer at only 4.2%.