Ian Ryan, 28, is the man behind the social media account @shitlondonguinness which has garnered a huge following (Picture: Getty Images/Ian Ryan/@shitlondonguinness)
Nothing beats a cold and creamy pint of Guinness – especially on St Patrick’s Day.
But across the capital it can sometimes be impossible to find a pint of the stuff that hits the spot perfectly. That’s where Ian Ryan comes in handy.
Known as @shitlondonguinness online, he has amassed more than 250,000 followers on Instagram for spotting bad pints of Guinness across London.
Ian moved from Cork, Ireland, to the capital six years ago, but soon realised that the pints of Guinness on offer weren’t up to scratch.
The social media account was then born.
Ian told Metro.co.uk he decided to set up the ‘silly and stupid’ account but had no idea it would garner such attention.
‘It all started when I used to send photos of bad pints of Guinness back to the lads in Cork and we would laugh about it,’ he said.
‘To be honest I didn’t really drink much of it back then because it was considered an old man’s drink.
‘The account was going steady and then suddenly during lockdown, boom, the follower count really started picking up.’
In preparation for St Paddy’s Day, Ian talked about the best way to spend the day (Picture: Ian Ryan/@shitlondonguinness)
A tiny head is the classic sign of a bad pint of Guinness (Picture: Ian Ryan/@shitlondonguinness)
Guinness served like this in a non-Guinness glass is simply blasphemy (Picture: Ian Ryan/@shitlondonguinness)
The famous Irish pint has experienced a renaissance post-pandemic.
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Pre-pandemic, drinkers would usually have to ask pub staff whether Guinness was on following decades of declining sales across Europe.
Fast-forward just a few years, and one in 10 pints served across London are now Guinness.
A £37,000,000 Guinness microbrewery is even set to open in Covent Garden in October.
But why is there a newfound love for the ‘proper pint’?
Well not quite, Ian explains: ‘Guinness looks good in a photo and more people were taking photos of their pints at home during the pandemic.
‘Pre-pandemic it was very rare to see young people drinking pints of Guinness in pubs.
‘As lockdown lifted, virtually every pub in London now has Guinness on and people don’t have to ask anymore.’
How to drink a pint of Guinness the right way? Split the G
Fans of Guinness remain divided over the correct way to drink Guinness.
Ian revealed in his expertise it doesn’t really matter, but some people like to do something called split the G.
This means they drink until the top of the Guinness bisects the letter G on the logo on the side of the glass.
But others reckon the right way is to drink until your line is between the top of the G and the bottom of the harp.
What does the Guinness guru think makes the best pint and the worst?
‘First off for a great pint of Guinness you need a clean glass,’ Ian revealed.
‘On top of this you need a domed head on top, enough cream too, and that excellent bitter taste.
‘A lot of the time people think the secret to a great pint of Guinness is the pour but it isn’t.
‘A great pint of Guinness needs clean lines and just a lot of love and care.’
For Ian, there are some standout pubs across the capital that have proved time and again to serve exceptional pints of Guinness.
Ian said sometimes it can be quite a challenge finding a good pint in the capital (Picture: Ian Ryan/@shitlondonguinness)
These include The Sheephaven Bay, in Camden, The Auld Shillelagh, in Stoke Newington, and Gibney’s, in Old Street.
Turning to disastrous pints of Guinness, Ian has seen many and knows exactly what a bad one looks and tastes like.
‘A big head on the pint or a head that’s too small is a big giveaway,’ he revealed.
‘This is bad because you are basically paying for half a pint of Guinness because there’s so much froth.
‘A dirty glass and marks on the side just puts you off from drinking it and takes away psychologically from that crisp taste.
‘Bubbles in the head, a metallic taste and off colouring are just some of the other clues to look out for too.’
Ian did not want to reveal pubs with the worst pints of Guinness in the capital.
Lets just say for Guinness lovers this St Paddy’s Day, make sure to avoid Clapham.
In terms of the best company to sit down and have a pint with dead or alive, Ian named three, Anthony Bourdain, Jose Mourinho and Brendan Gleeson.
He also had these top tips to make the most of St Paddy’s Day.
‘Get some exercise in to prepare your body for the day ahead,’ he advised.
‘Eat a massive fry up and get to your local early to get a good seat.
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‘Have a reasonable amount of pints but make sure you drink responsibly and stay hydrated.
‘When you want to call it a day, get a kebab, drink a pint of water, and go to bed.’
Ian has a book out called A Beautiful Pint: One Man’s Search for the Perfect Pint of Guinness which you can buy on Amazon here.
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