Beer incentivizes science.

From Will O’Brien’s piece in the Fitzwilliam

Taken over its entire history, Guinness may just be the most successful company Ireland has ever produced. In 1930, it was the seventh largest company in Britain or Ireland. It is one of our oldest companies of note. Considering that it predates the Bank of Ireland and the State itself, it could even be said that Guinness is the longest-running successful large institution in Ireland.

Will O’Brien

The Irish brewing company has relentlessly innovated on multiple fronts.

• Workplace benefits
  • Annual leave
  • Free meals (today would be a company cafeteria)
  • Family trips
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Housing!
• The creation of a Guinness Research Laboratory
• The Easy pour system (1959) – Invented by mathematician Michael Ash. Allowed lesser skilled bartenders to serve a quality pour.
• Project ACORN (1969) – Advanced. Cans. of. Rich. Nectar. The first attempt to improve the can or bottle pour.
• “widget” – a gas filled, tennis table sized ball at the bottom of the can that releases a gas that creates bubbles. This greatly improved the taste of home-served pints.
• Branding – Guinness is good for you, Guinness is bad for you, The Guinness Book of Records, producing a Nigerian action film.

Guinness is proof that companies who endure, innovate across multiple areas of their business over an extended timeline. Innovation doesn’t pause.

A must read piece if you’re interested in history, economics, marketing, or beer.