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By Mark A Leon
Guinness’s story stretches from its beginnings at St. James’s Gate in Dublin to its first recorded shipment to the United States, which arrived in Charleston in 1817.
More than two centuries later, that connection is being celebrated through the pairing of Guinness and oysters—a tradition that brings together the beer’s history and Charleston’s food culture.
Tommy Condon’s inaugural Guinness Oyster Fest on October 24th will carry that story forward with oysters, live music, and local art.
Guinness history—and the stories people get wrong
Guinness began in Dublin on December 31, 1759, when Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease for the brewery at St. James’s Gate. His son, Arthur Guinness II, later expanded the business, more than quadrupling production and helping turn Guinness into an international name.
The story of Guinness is often wrapped in folklore, but Ryan Wagner, Guinness’s national ambassador and head of beer quality for the United States, explained that many traditions have practical roots. Take the two-part pour. In the past, bartenders combined beer from two barrels: one fresh and lively, the other matured and less carbonated. When nitrogenated Guinness Draught was developed in 1959, the two-part pour remained—not only as a link to the brand’s history, but also as a way to create the proper head and taste.
Wagner also addressed a familiar misconception: that Guinness tastes different in Ireland. He said Guinness Draught served in the United States is brewed at St. James’s Gate using the same ingredients and process. In his view, differences are more likely to come down to how the beer is cared for between the keg and the glass. Another misconception is that Guinness is just one beer. Wagner emphasized that the brewery’s story includes other beers, including Guinness Extra Stout, Foreign Extra Stout, Harp, Smithwick’s, and Guinness Zero.
Charleston’s connection to Guinness
Charleston’s place in Guinness history reaches back to October 16, 1817, when the first recorded shipment of Guinness bound for the United States left Dublin for Charleston. It is believed that the purchase was made by a local resident for private use or a gathering. Still, Charleston became an important part of the story of Guinness in America.
For Wagner, the connection is more than a date in an archive. He described Charleston as a city with its own distinctive hospitality, a quality he sees as closely aligned with Guinness’s emphasis on bringing people together. He recalled visiting local pubs, meeting people in the beer industry, and learning about Charleston oysters and the waters where they are grown.
That experience deepened his appreciation of the pairing of Guinness and oysters. The interview traced the pairing back at least to 1837, when a letter by Benjamin Disraeli described a day ending with a supper of Guinness and oysters. In Charleston, Wagner said, the region’s seafood and oyster culture gave him an especially vivid introduction to the pairing.
Tommy Condon’s inaugural Guinness Oyster Fest – Saturday, October 24, 2026
That history will come together at Tommy Condon’s, a Charleston staple that has welcomed locals and visitors for 43 years and now holds the title of South Carolina’s top Guinness seller. On October 24, the pub will host its inaugural Guinness Oyster Fest, celebrating the 209th anniversary of Guinness’s first arrival in Charleston’s harbor in 1817.
The community celebration will feature a traditional oyster roast, live music, local artisan vendors, personalized Guinness engraving and a live painting by local artist and College of Charleston alum Maddie Alexa Art, depicting Tommy Condon’s alongside the vessel that brought Guinness from Ireland. For the owners, the festival represents both a tribute to the pub’s rich heritage—including its longtime bartenders and signature two-part Guinness pour topped with a shamrock—and an opportunity to create new traditions rooted in Irish hospitality, local artistry and community.
Advance tickets are $15 and include a bucket of oysters and a pint of Guinness.
Tickets are available through the Tommy Condon’s events page.
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Photo Credit: Tommy Condon’s and Guinness
