The connection between Guinness Stout and Guinness World Records goes beyond a shared name, revealing an intriguing link between Ireland’s iconic beer and the world’s foremost record-holding book.
The inception of the Guinness Book of Records can be traced back to Sir Hugh Beaver, the managing director of Guinness Breweries, in 1951.
The story unfolds during a shooting party by the River Slaney in County Wexford when Beaver, missing a shot at a game bird, engaged in a debate about the fastest game bird in Europe with his hosts.
Failing to find a definitive answer, the group retired to Castlebridge House, prompting Beaver to realize the absence of official records to settle such debates.
To address this gap, Beaver enlisted the help of journalists Norris and Ross McWhirter to compile records and publish them in a book. The initial goal was to resolve disputes between Britain and Ireland. Letters seeking verification were sent to experts ranging from astrophysicists to gerontologists.
The first Guinness Book of Records, published in the summer of 1955, comprised 198 pages and was initially a promotional item distributed to bars that stocked Guinness brew. However, its unexpected popularity led to the creation of subsequent editions.
By Christmas of the same year, it had topped the British best sellers list, selling 70,000 copies in the US in 1956.
By 1960, the book had sold an impressive 500,000 copies and expanded its success globally, reaching countries like Germany and France. A TV series, “The Record Breakers,” based on facts from the book, aired from 1972, running for 29 years.
The Guinness Book of Records, now holding a world record as the best-selling copyrighted book, has sold over 100 million copies in 100 countries and is printed in 37 languages. Achieving this status as early as 1974, it remains the fastest-selling copyrighted book, with 23.5 million copies sold globally.
Although the Guinness beer company and Guinness World Records are no longer officially linked since 2001, the enduring popularity of the book continues to provide answers to a myriad of debates and discussions, making it a cultural phenomenon.
