A properly poured Guinness is a work of art. It’s hard to overstate how much people appreciate a Guinness done right. But when it’s done wrong, you can count on chaos and anger.
Dan Olson, the owner of the Railtown Cafe in Vancouver, found that out the hard way. The Railtown Cafe posted a picture on their Facebook with a Guinness overflowing like it belonged in a cheap Budweiser commercial. Instead of a perfect creamy head of foam, it was bubbling over onto the table and sliding limply down the glass. If there’s ever been a case of beer blasphemy, this is it.
Commenters took note immediately.
“There was some irate people up there and, believe me, there were some colorful comments,” Olson told CBC Radio. “Let’s just say that Jesus Christ was brought into it on more than one occasion. One comment actually said that Jesus wept when he saw our pint of Guinness.”
People on the internet are prone to overreaction. That’s just a fact. The comments that Olson received, however, were hardly an overreaction. The Irish Independent called it “sacrilegious,” and the Irish Mirror said it “caused Irish people everywhere to grimace in disgust.” Blame Canada.
Olson’s trying to make nice now by offering a free pint and shot of Jameson to anyone with an Irish passport. He also posted a new photo on Facebook that looks like he just photoshopped a good Guinness into the old picture. But is it too little too late?
Apparently what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, because the Railtown Cafe is still open for business in 2021. Whether Guinness is still on the menu is unclear.
