A Taste of Ireland: Guinness Beer

The Liffey is a river in the Republic of Ireland which flows through Dublin. It is said that the best Guinnness (= a dark Irish beer) is made using water from the Liffey. It's a popular misconception, however, that the waters used for Guinness Beer come from the Liffey River in Dublin. In spite of this, many residents of Dublin even believe it.

Guinness is a stout. In a glass it will appear black, with a thick, creamy, foamy head on top. The two layers (the dark beer and the foamy head on top) are sometimes said to be "as dark as Cromwell's heart and as white as snow." Guinness, however, says that their beer is not actually black, but rather a dark ruby.
A stout is a strong, dark beer with a slightly bitter or sour flavour. The dark colour comes from some of the malted barley in it being roasted like coffee beans. There are many ways to use stout in cooking, from marinades to rich, moist cakes.