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King praised for pulling 'perfect' pint of Guinness during brewery visit

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King Charles III Opens Guinness Open Gate Brewery London
Picture: Getty

By Flaminia Luck

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.

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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.

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The King was told to hold it "at a 45 degree angle - very important - it's not 46 or 44, precisely 45"
The King was told to hold it "at a 45 degree angle - very important - it's not 46 or 44, precisely 45". Picture: Alamy
The King tasted a Guinness during his visit to the Open Gate Brewery
The King tasted a Guinness during his visit to the Open Gate Brewery. Picture: Alamy

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."