Guinness bottles and stout hearts

Sir, – Further to Frank McNally’s Irishman’s Diary (April 10th) and recent correspondence (Letters, April 11th and 12th), I enjoyed reading people’s reminiscences of the various forms of bottles of Guinness. Alongside these memories, there were two important factors which added to the goodness in the Guinness. First, up to some decades ago, Guinness in bottles contained live yeast. This could be seen as a cream-coloured layer at the bottom of the bottle.

This was why the beer was so nutritious, as yeast contained a concentration of various vitamins, mainly vitamin B, so important for a healthy blood supply. Second, after bottling, the Guinness needed to stand for about 10 days for the yeast to activate a secondary fermentation within the bottle, thus forming the nose-tingling effect of the CO2 gas.

Indeed, one of the attractions of bottles of Guinness is that it was to be consumed at room temperature, and no self-respecting kitchen cupboard would be without a few bottle of the good stuff, which could be served instantly to a thirsty visitor.

Sadly, in recent decades, Guinness no longer contains live yeast and is carbonated at the bottling stage, rendering it more attractive to newer or younger consumers and can be served straight from the fridge at home or from the cooler cabinet in the pub. – Yours, etc,

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TONY CORCORAN,

Rathfarnham,

Dublin 14.

Sir, – Reading your various letters on Guinness reminded me of the time as a small child when my job was to place the hot water-soaked corks in a machine while my father then pressed them into his own bottled Guinness.

We had great chats in that bottling shed and my pay was a bottle of raspberry juice. Happy days! – Yours, etc,

GERDA MURPHY,

Wicklow.

Sir, – The only snipe bottle that I can recall was the snipe of barley wine, which some used to drink on its own, or pour into a pint of Guinness to strengthen it. – Yours, etc,

MARTIN AHERNE,

Loughrea,

Co Galway.