6 Things You Didn't Know About Guinness

The best-known of Irish beers, Guinness has taken the world by storm since its inception in the 1770s. It is now brewed in 49 countries and sold in more than 150, and it's hard to go anywhere without seeing your beloved Guinness on tap (even in Africa, where 40 percent of Guinness is consumed today). And it's all due to Arthur Guinness, whose porter recipe took off.

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We were surprised by what we learned about Guinness. There's a science to the perfection of a perfect pour, the Guinness bubbles (really - physicists have taken it upon themselves to figure those little suckers out), and how to properly enjoy a pint. (Though the answer shouldn't surprise you; the best way is to drink a pint in a pub in Ireland, obviously). But Guinness has a long storied history that makes it so popular worldwide.

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#1) It's a fact that everyone loves to share: The St. James' Gate Brewery, in Dublin was leased for 9,000 years by the Guinness family. The flat rate? An annual fee of about £45 (about $67), and an initial price of £100 (or $150).

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#2) The brewery is also behind the Guinness Book of World Records. In 1954, the head of Guinness, Hugh Beaver, got into an indignant fight with someone and decided to commission an official reference guide to solve all disputes. It was originally a promotional item Guinness gave to bars who stocked the Guinness brew (because you never know when an official reference guide could settle a bar fight).

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#3) Guinness bubbles are a special kind of breed. The head of Guinness is unlike any other, because the beer is dispensed using a mix of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. That gives the beer a thick head, very little carbonation, and a smooth taste.

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#4) When poured at an angle of 45 degrees, it takes 119.5 seconds for the perfect pint of Guinness to settle. So relax, and settle in a little!

#5) The first overseas Guinness brewery was opened in London in 1936; and the next locations of Guinness breweries may surprise you: in Nigeria, Malaysia, Cameroon, and Ghana.

#6) Today, 40 percent of all Guinness sold is in Africa.

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-Marcy Franklin, The Daily Meal