We were talking to Dillon about this trip and the conversation turned to Guinness, the beer Guinness, because that’s predictably what they drank in Ireland, which is where Guinness is from. This is what Dillon told us:
I have a weird history with it. When I was like 15 I used to go to my friend’s house, because his parents were never home right after school, for a couple hours for some reason. I don’t know why. Every other weekend they would always have like a neighborhood party, you know? They’d have all these adults over, and different kinds of beers. I guess his parents never drank, but they would buy beer for the guests, so they would always have Guinness in a bottle, in the back of the pantry, all warm.
For some reason his parents never found out we drank them, so we drank warm Guinness and tried to get drunk, because we were like 16, or 15, and couldn’t get our hands on anything else. It was the worst shit ever. It just tasted so bad, and so bitter. Like, I’ll never ever be able to drink that shit in real life, casually. I was so against it.
Then we were in Ireland and Tom [Carey, photographer] was raving about it, like it was so good. And I was like, “This stuff’s so bad, are you kidding me?” I was a skeptic. But I tried it, and that first sip was sooo good. We’d have at least three or four after dinner then just pass out. It was the best thing because it’s so tasty and flavorful and appetizing. You could be hungry, then you just drink that. It makes you tired, and full, and then you just go to sleep.
…Which is a pretty accurate depiction, both of Guinness and of the pathetic lengths to which a teenager will go for alcohol. So then later when we were talking to Nat about Ireland we asked him about Guinness too, and Nat said this:
Yeah, I actually did, I had a couple Guinness’s while I was there. I’d had it before and I thought it tasted like oil, but this time I didn’t mind it. I actually kind of liked it. I normally drink beer, like when I’m having a mellow one, but I don’t know, actually I’d say Guinness is probably one of my favorites. I heard it’s like the least bad for you too, so that’s kind of cool. I don’t know why. It’s just what Dillon was saying, and Dillon knows a lot about that stuff so I’ll take his word for it.
One of the days we were in Ireland it was Arthur Guinness Day, so we dedicated one of the nights to him, went to some sick little full speakeasy from way back in the day with this super old lady serving drinks.
And then even later we were talking to Mitch about Ireland, and Mitch said this trip was pretty much shit for waves and that they all left thinking they’d gotten no photos, no clips, been cold as little penguins and presumably the best thing about it was all that dark thick delicious Guinness in a glass, from the tap, in Ireland.
Enjoy this What Youth original short.