No Luck Needed: How to Pour the Perfect Pint of Guinness

Sean Miller, a bartender at Miller's Crossing in Chesterfield, knows a thing or two about pouring a Guinness. 

The Chesterfield watering hole goes through nearly as much Guinness in one year as it does Budweiser and will pour two to three half-barrel kegs alone during St. Patrick's day weekend. At 15.5 gallons per keg, that breaks down to around 124 pints each. 

He helps run Miller's Crossing with the owner, his father Mike Miller, and they previously had a bar in Fenton called Rody McCool's. The junior Miller has been a bartender for 18 years and helped Rody's earn "perfect pint" status for his expert Guinness pour as part of annual contest sponsored by businesses in the area.

As they prepared for the weekend's festivities Friday afternoon, Miller demonstrated the proper technique for serving a Guinness. The key, he said, is patience. After filling the glass about two-thirds full, you have to pause to let the beer "cascade" before topping it off. 

"You never want to rush it 'cause your true Guinness drinkers will yell at you," he joked. 

To find a place to have a Guinness of your own this weekend, check out Patch's collection of St. Patrick's Day events in the St. Louis area and remember to enjoy it responsibly.