Background – From Guinness themselves “Irish tradition meets American spirit in Guinness Blonde American lager. Complex and flavorful. Light, floral and alive with citrus. This beer is perfectly balanced with a lingering malt and biscuit finish. It’s the coming together of vibrant flavors, of character drawn from both sides of the pond. And it’s come a long way to get here. Ireland and America go way back. Ours are histories that have crossed paths countless times. Our cultures may be totally different but we’ve still got a lot in common. One thing we can definitely agree upon is what makes a good beer. Whether it’s stout or lager, we demand the same things: quality, distinctiveness, character.

The first fusion beer in the Guinness Discovery Series, Guinness Blonde combines the best European brewing techniques – as well as our famous strain of Guinness yeast – with the finest American hops and malts. A collaboration between the Guinness brewers in Dublin and their counterparts at the legendary Latrobe Brewery in Pennsylvania, the result is an American pale lager akin to that of the 1930s: a crisp, light beer that’s big on flavor.”

Appearance – I really enjoy to style of the bottle as well as the design on the label. Using the traditional Guinness Toucan with some beautiful gold accents this bottle is an eye catcher. The beer pours a clear golden color with minimal white head and virtually no lacing which leaves you with a clean glass.

Aroma – The aroma is surprisingly strong for an American Pale Lager. With the bready malts being the strongest scents I also noticed a bit of banana.

Taste – Similar to the aroma there is a decent amount of flavor. Once again I primarily notice the malts and get an aftertaste of banana. Somewhere in between I notice a bit of the hops.

Drinkability – This is an odd beer to drink because you get the clean smooth drinking of a pale lager and yet you walk away with a dry mouthfeel and a bit of bitterness. Somehow when I first take a sip it seems to be a creamy sensation and will lay quire heavy for a 5% beer. Similar to most Guinness beers this is an overall easy beer to drink.

Overall – Overall I enjoy this beer. The Guinness Blonde manages to create a better American Pale Lager than most American breweries. With the bready malts and a touch of banana there is a lot to like about this Irish/American fusion.

Game Pairing: When it comes to game pairing I decided to go with Rage a unique game that is quite underrated. Its like Doom in the world of Mad Max so it manages to combine the best from both racing and FPS’s. Similar to the Guinness Blonde these two together yield a complex product that is very enjoyable. So grab a couple bottles and get playing, Sláinte

Background – From Guinness themselves “A direct descendant of our archival recipes, Guinness Extra Stout is based on a beer first brewed in 1821, when Arthur Guinness II set down precise instructions for brewing his Superior Porter. This beer has since become the precursor to every Guinness innovation you’ve ever enjoyed. Brewed at our St. James’s Gate brewery in Dublin, Guinness Extra Stout is crafted from finest quality malt, hops and Irish barley. Sharp and crisp to the taste, it’s an entirely different experience from the smooth, creamy Guinness Draught and punchier Foreign Extra Stout, but the trademark Guinness flavors preside. We’ve come a long way since this beer was first dreamt up in the 1800s, but we’ve stuck to our values. We’re blessed with over 250 years of brewing experience, and, as Guinness moves forward, history accompanies us in the bottle still enjoyed by people all over the world.”

Appearance – Starting with the bottle I have to say I love the overall look, simple and retro looking the dark brown bottle mixed with the tan label is a classic. With the iconic Guinness harp it helps make the label stand out. Once poured you will see the distinctive black body with a tan head that produces a ton of lacing.

Aroma – The aroma is similar to the Draught Stout being fairly strong with roasted malts, coffee and a general smokiness. You can detect a faint hint of fruits by the end of the glass.

Taste – The flavor is evenly balanced between the roasted flavor and the malts. You will notice a decent amount of chocolate and coffee and as the beer warms you notice a small hint of dark fruits.

Drinkability – Compared to the draught the extra stout is much more bitter. It is still quite smooth overall but just has a dryer finish with less of a creamy mouthfeel.

Overall – Overall, this is quite different from the draught, but it is still damn good. If you have only had the draught in the past I would recommend giving the Extra stout a try. The additional alcohol and sharp bite adds a new dimension to the Irish Dry Stout, without sacrificing the flavors.

Game Pairing: When it comes to game pairing I chose Bioshock. Something makes me feel that this would have been a popular beer in Rapture. An excellent game that manages to be both an inventive FPS with plenty of horror elements. Mix these two and keep an eye out for Big Daddy, Sláinte

Background: From Guinness themselves “Developed in 1959, this beer was our brewers’ celebration of Arthur Guinness signing his 9,000-year lease – a fitting way to mark 200 years of groundbreaking brewing. With a skillful pairing of nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide, the smooth, velvety texture was born. Distinguished by its legendary stormy surge upon pouring, Guinness Draught brewed up a storm all of its own. It established itself as the top-selling Guinness beer with lightning speed. Drinkers were instantly drawn to its complexity; its bold combination of flavors made a lasting impression. Guinness Draught was an unparalleled success.

Rich and creamy. Distinctively black. Velvety in its finish. This iconic beer is defined by harmony. Sip after sip, sweet counters bitter as the malt arrives on cue to compliment a base of roasted barley. Just as the unmistakable white head sits flush atop the dark beer, so do the flavors counter and combine perfectly. This is our greatest innovation. Truly unique. Perfectly balanced.”

Appearance: The bottle used in this review is a special commemorative design with a white dominant color scheme and the classic image of the Guinness Tucan taking center stage. I personally prefer the usual black can/bottle with the golden harp. For the purposes of this review I am using the classic can as my basis. The beer pours a dark black with a tan head that leaves the traditional lacing that anyone who has sipped this Irish classic knows well.

Aroma: The aroma is fairly strong with roasted malts and coffee being the strongest. It is an inviting smell that will always remind me of my time in Ireland.

Taste: The flavor is everything that you would expect from a Stout. Coffee, smokiness, chocolate, and roasted malts all blended in a very pleasing way.

Experience: It may be my personal bias but I find the Draught Stout to be one of the most drinkable stouts I have ever had. Of course if you have too many it will begin to sit heavy so you will be limited. During the time when you are enjoying this iconic brew you will notice a creamy mouthfeel with a dry finish that leaves you craving more.

Game Pairing: When it comes to game pairing I chose Left 4 Dead 2. This is my favorite multiplayer game as well as one of my favorite games of all time. Naturally I had to chose one of my games to go with one of my favorite beers. Grab a few cans and some buddies and mow down some zombies, but avoid the witch, Sláinte

• Intro (plug new Patreon vlogs)
• What are we drinking
• What are we playing
• Patreon Questions
• Polymega responds to newest delays https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/03/polymega_release_still_on_track_despite_production_problems –
• GamersMad: smash fans can’t take jokes https://twitter.com/foshizzanator/status/1369437062135484421?s=21
• Rumor: Microsoft to buy Sega and Konami https://www.notebookcheck.net/Microsoft-eyeing-up-Konami-and-Sega-acquisitions-to-possibly-invigorate-waning-Xbox-console-sales-in-Japan.527726.0.html
• Irish Video Game Characters:
• Gaming Music: Duran Duran Planet Earth – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLdPDCVT4EM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3zoTqo0AXI
• Which is Better? Smash Bros or Street Fighter
• Overrated/Underrated: Hatred for “Cheap” Game Characters. Oddjob, Eddie Gordo, Mike Tyson…etc

Bonus #BeerBattle for St Patrick’s Day , I’ll be comparing two Irish legends.
– Guinness Extra Stout click here for our review.
– Murphys Imported Stout click here for our review.

Starting off with the Guinness , let’s begin with the bottle, I love the overall look, simple and retro, the dark brown bottle mixed with the tan label is classic, ass the iconic harp it helps make the label stand out.

The aroma is fairly strong with roasted malts, coffee and a general smokiness. The flavor is evenly balanced between the roasted flavor and the malts. Giving a decent amount of chocolate and coffee. Quite smooth overall but just has a dryer finish then the classic draught.

Overall this is an excellent Irish Stout and just a little bit below the draught when it comes to my favorite Guinness beer. I had to give this one a 4/5. Give it a try! Sláinte.

Next up is Murphys Imported Stout and this is the first time I’ve tried this. So black, tan and gold must be a standard for Irish Stouts. Bold and regal looking can with helpful instructions on how to pour the beer on the back.

The aroma is all about roasted malts with a little bit of chocolate. The flavor is very similar, malt heavy with coffee and chocolate. The mouthfeel is interesting because it’s creamy yet light, and has a very dry finish.

Overall this is another great beer. A bit too dry in the after taste but all the familiar chocolate and coffee notes we love. It should also be noted that this beer goes down really easily.

And the winner of tonight’s #BeerBattle is Guinness Extra Stout. There was a little more flavor and not as much bitterness in the end. Still they are both great. Sláinte, happy St Patrick’s Day and be safe everyone