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The Guinness Thread (2016)

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  • The Guinness Thread (2016)

    Dear Family and Friends,

    In honour of Uncle Righteousness, whose favourite drink was Guinness, I happily start "The Guinness Thread (2016)

    Please post all of your Guinness-related stories, anecdotes, news, questions, comments here.

    I will begin by posting an instant-classic photo of Sifu at the Guinness headquarters in Dublin.

    And above all, as you enjoy, please remember our Shaolin laws, and drink wisely.

    guinnesssifu.jpeg
    Charles David Chalmers
    Brunei Darussalam

  • #2
    Thank you Charles Siheng for starting this thread.

    My first memory of drinking Guiness was when I was a kid every year on Christmas eve my father would take my sister and I into town to buy some presents for my mother. When we had finished with our shopping we used to go to this tiny old pub, long since gone. My sister and I would get a glass of coke each and my Dad would get his pint of Guiness. My father always allowed me to take the first sip of his pint. I would only take half a mouth full and try and hold it in my mouth while I took a sip of my glass of coke so that the two mixed the bitter and the sweet and it tasted like magic no other way to describe it. I would only be about six or seven at the time, we start drinking young here in Ireland lol. I've tried since then mixing them together in a glass to see and it just isn't the same. Every time I think of this it always brings a smile to my face.


    We still have this tradition going into town on Christmas eve every year just this time it's my sister and I that take my Dad to town and I get to enjoy not only a sip of Guiness with my Dad but a few pints


    Thanks Siheng for reminding me of some of my first sips of Guiness


    Shaolin Salute,
    Brendan

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks Charles, great thread, and I enjoyed Brendan's story too. As an Irishman I have a few stories relating to guinness but I will narrow it to the Wahnam related ones.

      There was once a time when the happy occasion of my birthday coincided with the happy occasion of a Kungfu course with Sifu in Penang, and my kungfu brothers took me out for a few Guinness... perhaps one or two more than was best advised... and my feeling the next morning means I can readily agree with the advice to:
      Originally posted by Charles David View Post
      drink wisely.


      A couple of days before that, I had gone off for food in the evening with some brothers, while others had stayed closer to the hotel, and we had agreed to all meet up afterwards.

      (I should explain before I go further, that Guinness has a reputation, that I don't really agree with, for not travelling well. Some people think it is not as good when you get it in England for example, when it has only crossed the Irish sea, or even that it is not as good in Belfast as it is in Dublin, even though Belfast is only about 100 miles north. Me, well I've enjoyed good pints of it in all those places.)

      Anyway, after dinner we tried the few pubs nearest the hotel to see if we could find our friends, to no avail, but finally we found them upstairs in the bar at the Bulgarian restaurant near the Copthorne Orchid. As we filed in, one of the guys already there said to me "Have a Guinness, it's real good!" I felt sure he was being sarcastic, and was referring to it's well-known reputation for not travelling well, though I also had in mind the truer criticism which is that Guinness is usually not as good in a bar that doesn't sell many, as it is in one that sells a lot, something about the barrels/pipes, I'm not sure. I said, also in sarcasm and laughing, "Yeah, I bet it's great here, eh, a Bulgarian bar in Malaysia!" He said "No seriously, try it!" I noticed to my surprise he actually had a pint, so I tried some of his and... it was excellent!

      I don't know what others think, but to me the best Guinness is very smooth, and a little bit creamy, as opposed to watery and too bitter which a bad one can be. Well this guinness was among the smoothest and creamiest I have ever tasted, in the top 3 or 4 best Guinness I have ever tasted.

      So with the possibility to have such fine, fine Guinness in Malaysia, I can readily see how it would be Uncle Righteousness favourite drink!

      Ah that brings back good memories, I look forward to another course and another pint in Malaysia in the future. It also makes me want a pint. I shall raise a glass of Guinness in Uncle Righteousness honour, next time I get the chance. Perhaps in the Zen course in Dublin we may get a chance to do this, and see how it compares with the Bulgarian/Malaysian version!

      Comment


      • #4
        Stout and Meat Pie

        Perhaps post # 3 of that thread http://www.wongkiewkit.com/forum/sho...-Thread-(2016) should be posted here
        Attached Files
        Damian Kissey
        Shaolin Wahnam Sabah , Malaysia .
        www.shaolinwahnamsabah.com

        Comment


        • #5
          My Dear Family,

          When I was young, an old man (well we considered him old then but he must have been only in his 50's) called up to our house three of four times a week. It was a very steep climb up, so he was always pretty thirsty when he arrived. Water was not his drink of choice nor tea! Offering somebody water back then would have been a terrible insult anyway.

          The minute my Mom would see him arriving, she would get out a bottle of Guinness for him and he would happily drink it, but always leaving a little in the bottom of the bottle. The first one he drank quickly and the second one, much more slowly, while he told stories.

          While he told the stories, my brother and I would gently take the first bottle outside and finish what he had left! We did this each time he called up. We didn't really like it LOL I guess we should have put the Coke in like Brendan, but we knew we were being naughty!!!

          For those coming to the ZEN INTENSIVE in Dublin in February, we will take you on a tour of the Guinness Store House, where we can honour Uncle Righteousness with Sifu and where you get to see how it is all made and get to pull a pint yourself.

          Many Blessings,
          Joan
          Books don't mean a lot unless you open them, Hearts are the same.......


          Valentine's Smile from the Heart 2019 IRELAND - world renowned Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit.

          -A FEAST OF SHAOLIN transmitted by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit FEBRUARY 16TH -19TH 2019
          GENERATING ENERGY FLOW
          ONE FINGER SHOOTING ZEN
          THE INCREDIBLE 3 DAY INTENSIVE ZEN COURSE .

          Sifujoan@gmail.com

          Comment


          • #6
            Wow, Sije! That is hospitality! A very sweet, charming story. It reminds me of a Jim Harrison story, in which a visitor to the country home drinks his first beer quickly and then savours the second. I am charmed. Thank you for sharing.

            I would very much love to come to Dublin for the Zen intensive, but my family duties do not permit. Hopefully very soon. Those who are able to attend will no doubt have a marvellous experience, with or without the Guinness.

            All My Best,

            Charles
            Charles David Chalmers
            Brunei Darussalam

            Comment


            • #7
              Ha ha I remember this picture being taken of Sifu

              Best wishes
              Mark

              Comment


              • #8
                I very much enjoy the stories from the Irish classmates esp since it holds such a special place in the culture. The childhood stories are great, as is the notion of getting Bulgarian food in Malaysia.




                Well, thank you all for making me thirsty when I'm already in bed and there's no beer in the house!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Wow, Sije! That is hospitality! A very sweet, charming story. It reminds me of a Jim Harrison story, in which a visitor to the country home drinks his first beer quickly and then savours the second. I am charmed. Thank you for sharing.

                  I would very much love to come to Dublin for the Zen intensive, but my family duties do not permit. Hopefully very soon. Those who are able to attend will no doubt have a marvellous experience, with or without the Guinness.

                  All My Best,

                  Charles
                  Dear Charles,

                  Ah thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it.

                  I think Guinness might be made for just taking time out and being savoured with good conversation and stories. That is always the image that it conjures up for me anyway.

                  I am sure we will meet up soon and yes the Zen Intensive will be fantastic. Some people may miss out on it as they are not on the forum.............so another good reason to stay in touch here

                  Mark: We had a lot of fun that day in the Guinness Storehouse! I have a lovely picture of you and Sifu near the water fall.

                  Chiahua: Glad you enjoyed them. I am sure there are more stories and not just from the Irish family! Treat yourself today!

                  Smile from the Heart,
                  Joan
                  Books don't mean a lot unless you open them, Hearts are the same.......


                  Valentine's Smile from the Heart 2019 IRELAND - world renowned Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit.

                  -A FEAST OF SHAOLIN transmitted by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit FEBRUARY 16TH -19TH 2019
                  GENERATING ENERGY FLOW
                  ONE FINGER SHOOTING ZEN
                  THE INCREDIBLE 3 DAY INTENSIVE ZEN COURSE .

                  Sifujoan@gmail.com

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Joan View Post

                    Mark: We had a lot of fun that day in the Guinness Storehouse! I have a lovely picture of you and Sifu near the water fall.

                    Smile from the Heart,
                    Joan

                    Waterfall ha ha ha Sije I don't remember this at all. I remember Siheng Chun Nga asleep in my car that day

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      A bit low-key this one, but as the clock ticks down to the courses in Dublin / Dun Laoghaire, my mind wandered off to my first course with Sifu in Dublin, which was in fact my first ever course with Sifu, and first time meeting Joan Sije too.

                      I remember everything was a breeze the night before the course, the flight, taxi etc, I was very excited to be in Dublin and I was in the hotel thinking "Right, just need to follow my map and make sure I can find the venue, looks easy enough." Then another Irish ex-pat approached the hotel reception and asked if they could tell him where the same venue is. I said "I might know - I'm going for a recce of that place now. Are you here for the course?" We located the venue quicksharp and then decided to go for a pint.

                      The first bar we found had a great atmosphere, and great Guinness! Too good to only have one pint. So we drank Guinness and talked kungfu and chi kung for a couple of hours. This is a pastime I recommend, and one I fully intend to repeat in a couple of weeks time. At the time I did not know that Uncle Righteousness liked to drink Guinness, I am sure in Dun Laoghaire we can give him a bit of a toast.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        The God of Love.

                        Dear Family,

                        Here is something I learned about Guinness today!

                        This is taken from Medieval History's Facebook page:

                        Irish Medieval History, Gaillimh, Galway, Ireland. 227,511 likes · 1,152 talking about this. The medieval Irish “triggered a revolution that would change Britain from an illiterate, backward place to...


                        Smile from the Heart,
                        Joan

                        As we prepare to celebrate Valentine’s weekend possibly with roses and Guinness I’ll bet you never knew that the name Guinness is derived from the Irish God of Love! Certainly without the courage supplied by Guinness many would not have been able to find love!

                        The surname Guinness is derived from "Mag Aongus" meaning son of Aongus who in mythology was a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann who in turn was a god of love, youth and poetic inspiration. In translation Aon = one and gus = choice thus translating as “one choice” but more accurately translated as 'chosen one'. In Irish orthography "Mac" meaning "son of" changes to "Mag" when the following name begins with a vowel. When the name is vocalised in speech it sounds like Ma'gaon-gus or ma'gan-gus which in turn is phonetically rendered to English as MacGuinness. During the 17th century under pressure from the English authorities many Irish families dropped the prefix "Mac" to make their name sound more "English". In the case of “Mag” the “Ma” part was dropped erroneously leaving the ‘g’ attached to the original surname. Other examples include Geraghty, Garrity, Getty, Geoghegan, Gawley and many more. Variant spellings of Aongus include Óengus Aonghus, Angus and Aengus.

                        The proprietor of the Guinness brewery Benjamin Lee Guinness chose the harp motif in 1862 and registered it as a trademark shortly after the passing of the Trade Marks Registration Act of 1875. Could Benjamin's choice of logo have been influenced by the Aongus stories? Aongus had a harp which made irresistible music and his kisses turned into birds that carried messages of love.
                        Books don't mean a lot unless you open them, Hearts are the same.......


                        Valentine's Smile from the Heart 2019 IRELAND - world renowned Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit.

                        -A FEAST OF SHAOLIN transmitted by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit FEBRUARY 16TH -19TH 2019
                        GENERATING ENERGY FLOW
                        ONE FINGER SHOOTING ZEN
                        THE INCREDIBLE 3 DAY INTENSIVE ZEN COURSE .

                        Sifujoan@gmail.com

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Joan View Post
                          Here is something I learned about Guinness today!
                          A nice piece of scholarship Joan Sije! Very interesting.

                          Comment

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