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Thank the Lord and Pass Me a Pint!

July 17th, 2010 at 07:49am Albert McIlhenny

The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer that Changed the World – Stephen Mansfield Thomas Nelson (October 13, 2009) Topic: Biography Summary: History of the founding of the Guinness Brewery and its subsequent development Rating:

I have always had a soft spot for Guinness. For those in America who love this Irish staple, it is an acquired taste that is not in sync with the swill of mass produced American suds (although the microbreweries may be changing that somewhat). But I was not all that familiar with the history of the company that produces my favorite brew.

Stephen Mansfield takes his readers on a fascinating tale in The Search for God and Guinness – his history of the Guinness company. He begins with a brief account of the history of beer making and how it rose to became a beloved beverage in Europe. The connection to God appears early with references to the patron saints of beermaking.

The author then gives the history of the company itself as it rose from its humble beginnings and overcoming various disputes with the availabilty of local resoruces (e.g., water) to its current status as the leading brewer in the world. Of no less importance is its history of treating the Guinness employees well and of generally being a good neighbor that helped it achieve a beloved status in its homeland. Much of this comes from the personal philosophy of the founder – a philosophy informed by his Protestant faith.

This last little tidbit demonstrates a difference between much of the Christian religion in Europe as opposed to America. Even though the Guinness family would be associated with the Protestant religion and were quite devout, there would be no contradiction with their making an alcoholic beverage. The temperance mentality that would take hold in much of Protestant America did not seem to gain any foothold on the other side of the ocean.

The Search for God and Guinness paints a picture of a company that has been a positive influence and a longterm financial success. With all the stories of Wall Street lowlifes ruining whole industries in the pursuit of their own greed, it is refreshing to read of an example of good corporate stewardship. Thank the Lord and pass me a pint!

Entry Filed under: Biography