Sir, - Moriarty and Flood may be the current topics of conversation in the elegant salons of Dublin 4. But in the pubs of Ringsend and Stoneybatter - indeed, in the very taverns of Tipperary - there is one subject that engages the mind of serious pint drinkers. Why in heaven's name has Guinness Group Sales relentlessly lowered the temperature of draught Guinness to near-Arctic levels? And this in spite of protests from the aforementioned SPDs who, over the years, have enjoyed their pint served at or around room temperature.
The straight choice is now between cold Guinness and extra-cold Guinness. Clearly the marketing whizz-kids at St James's Gate are determined to win over the youth market, in the belief that the rest of us, being a dying breed, can safely be ignored "marketing-wise". No doubt this chill factor constitutes a "plus" for the brewers since it increases shelf-life and cuts down on expensive pouring time. The plaintive cry, "Put me on a slow pint there, please", must send a collective shudder through the new boys, for whom draught Guinness is probably little more than a line on a sales graph.
If present trends continue, how soon may we expect the launch of "Guinness on a stick"? - Yours, etc.,
L.G. Smith, Shanganagh Vale, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin.