Beer lovers prepare yourselves for this piece of news: there are no (and I mean, no) good microbreweries in Dublin. Guinness runs the show. A careful mixture of water, barley, hops and yeast make up Ireland’s famous signature beer – first brewed in 1759 at St. James’s Gate in Dublin.

Though the final product is dark in color (Guinness is actually deep ruby red, not black), it’s far from heavy. Draft Guinness actually contains less alcohol and has fewer calories and carbohydrates than Budweiser. When bartenders pour a pint of Guinness, they force the beer through a tap that strips extra gases by using a pressurized mix of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. This leaves the beer sans carbonation, and nitrogen bubbles move inside the glass, creating the thick creamy head that crowns your pint to the last sip.

Guinness brews up to 100 batches per week and generates about 3 million pints per day. Luckily, back in 1759, Arthur Guinness leased the factory for 9,000 years at an annual rate of just $65, so it’s safe to bet Guinness will stick around for a while. From grain to cask, brewers have mastered the Guinness-making art. Your job? Drink it. Not all pints are created equal in Dublin, and the key to a perfect Guinness is the perfect pour. Here’s a rundown of the best 5 places to sip one.