The King was praised for pulling the “perfect” pint of Guinness when he marked the launch of a new brewery and visitor attraction by pouring the popular tipple.
Charles stood behind the bar during his tour of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery London in the heart of Covent Garden and was expertly guided in the ritual of creating a pint by Guinness experience ambassador Leo Ravina.
With glass in hand, the King was told to hold it “at a 45 degree angle – very important – it’s not 46 or 44, precisely 45” and pulled the pump towards him and then stopped when the glass was around three quarters full.
Drinkers have to famously wait for their pint of Guinness to settle before it can be topped up – with the total pouring process taking 119-and-a-half seconds – and the King chatted to his guide before adding the last drops.
At the end of the process, Mr Ravina said “that’s a perfect pint of Guinness” and Charles quipped “if you say so”.
The finished pint was taken over to a machine and the King marvelled as the words “Merry Christmas” and a sprig of holly were printed on the top of the pint using edible dyes before he took a sip.
Charles also had a taste test of some of the beers produced by a micro brewery in the building’s basement, having a sip of a porter, winter warmer and an apricot sour, which Charles said did not taste like a beer.
Mr Ravina said afterwards: “He did great, that was an ideal pint of Guinness. He’s got the job – he’s hired.”
Charles officially launched Guinness’s £73 million centre, which opened last week, and features a microbrewery, visitor experience, restaurants, shops, and events space.
It will also serve as the UK southern hub of the Learning for Life hospitality training programme of global drinks firm Diageo, which owns Guinness.
After pouring his pint in Bar 232, the perfect roasting temperature for barley to give Guinness its colour and flavour, the King met graduates from the training programme and his own King’s Foundation’s Introduction to Hospitality Course.
During the visit the King was guided by staff through the process of creating beers in the microbrewery, from raw ingredients to the finished products, and had the chance to sample some under the watchful eye of master brewer Holly Stephenson.
Charles ended his visit by braving a heavy downpour to meet representatives from local businesses and the community in Old Brewer’s Yard.
He saw a selection of produce from Gilroy’s Loft restaurant which overlooks the yard including a Guinness bread, oysters and pies.
Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha was invited to the event and revealed her latest movie Christmas Karma – a modern day retelling of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – has been requested for royal festive viewing.
She said: “The King has asked for my movie to be sent to Sandringham as the Christmas movie.”
