Guinness Beer Can Chicken

A visit to Dublin, Ireland would not be complete without a trip to the Guinness Storehouse at St. James’s Gate Brewery.

Originally built as a fermentation plant in 1902, it was converted into a place to showcase Guinness in 2000. It covers seven floors surrounding a glass atrium shaped in the form of a pint of Guinness. Starting at the bottom as you make your way up, you learn about how Ireland’s most famous beer is made, its history and some of its most fun advertising campaigns.

Your reward when you reach the top is not only a refreshing pint of Guinness but also 360 degree views of Dublin. The whole experience is worth it for the view (and the beer, of course). It helped that it was bright and sunny at that point in the day and we could see as far as the Wicklow Mountains.

We enjoyed lunch on the 5th floor at the 1837 Bar & Brasserie so named for the year that Guinness and oysters were declared a perfect match. We had a nice seat next to the window – even the views from the 5th floor were pretty spectacular. We were joined by two attractive Irish seagulls who sat on the ledge while we had lunch. I’m sure they were hoping for a French fry or two, but we had none to share.

After our tour, we couldn’t resist a stop at the very large gift shop on the first floor. There I found The Official Guinness Cookbook by Caroline Hennessy (2021) and knew that I had to bring it home with me.

I’ve made beer can chicken before and was particularly pleased with this recipe. The rub gives the skin and meat a great flavor, while the can of Guinness keeps it extra moist. Beer cans are sturdy enough to hold the chicken but you can also get a beer can chicken holder (as seen in the photo) for extra support – they come in various shapes and sizes. Be sure to remove the ‘widget’ (used to ensure the proper ‘head’ on your pint) in the can of Guinness before placing the chicken on the can.

I look forward to sharing more recipes from this cookbook in the future (and likely some more photos from Ireland).

Guinness Beer Can Chicken

Recipe type: Main Dish

Author: Nicole

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (~3-1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (14.9 ounces) Guinness Draught
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce (see Notes)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. If necessary, adjust the oven racks to accommodate the height of the chicken.
Pat the chicken dry and remove anything stored in the cavity, such as giblets.
Prepare the spice rub by combining the smoked paprika, thyme, black pepper, cumin, coriander, Kosher salt, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Stir well. Add olive oil to the spice mixture and stir well.
Open the can of Guinness and pour half into a roasting pan. Using a can opener, remove the top of the can and remove the widget. Discard the widget.
Add 1 teaspoon of the spice rub to the can and stir.
Massage the remaining spice rub all over the chicken, including under the skin on the breast of the chicken.
Place the beer can in the center of a roasting pan. Carefully set the chicken, legs down on top of the can so that it fits into the cavity and the chicken looks like it is sitting upright (legs down, wings up). Alternatively you can place the beer can in a beer can chicken holder and place the chicken on top of it (see pictures).
Place the chicken in the oven and roast for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Remove the chicken from the oven and brush it with barbeque sauce. Put it back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes on top of the beer can.
Remove the beer can, transfer chicken to a cutting board, and carve the chicken.