Fergal Murray, master brewer for Guinness, has a big job: to maintain the 250-year-old legacy of one of the world's favorite stouts. It's also a fun job, one that includes world travel and, of course, plenty of Guinness tasting.

"I'm the custodian of the magic and myth of Guinness," says Murray.

Murray has also mastered the perfect pour, and developed a six-step process. He has shared this process with bartenders and Guinness enthusiasts in hundreds of cities, dozens of countries and a handful of continents. His goal is to make sure every pint of Guinness is served and consumed perfectly.

According to Murray, there is a proper way to drink a Guinness.

"Drink with your eyes first, taking in the beauty of the pour," he says. "Then raise your glass proud and take a healthy first sip, always with your eyes to the horizon."

He says to then savor the sweetness of the malt and the roasted flavor of the barley. Most of all, he believes the perfect way to consume a Guinness is to appreciate every drop.

Murray started working for Guinness in 1983 as a research chemist. He later completed a brewing degree at the Institute of Brewing in London and served as a master brewer for St. James' Gate, where Guinness originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness.

Guinness, a stout, was developed from a porter-style beer that was popular in London in the 18th Century. Today, Guinness is one of the most successful beers in the world. Every year, 1,800,000,000 pints are sold around the world.

This St. Patrick's Day, Guinness is attempting to break a Guinness world record by having the largest toast of Guinness beer ever performed. People can participate from anywhere in the country. (To sign up for this, or to find out more, go here.)

The Guinness brewery in London closed in 2005, and the production of all Guinness sold in the world was moved to Dublin, where Murray resides.

"It's an amazing vibrant European city with that unique Irish charm," he says.

Surprising to some, even though Guinness is a dark beer, at 125 calories per glass, it is almost as low in calories as a "light" beer.

Freshness is top priority for Murray, and he helped to implement the floating widget device in cans (it used to be in bottles, too) to emulate the taste of Guinness Draught. He co-developed the surger, which is the unit that uses sound vibrations to release the nitrogen gas into the beer.

"Enjoy Guinness perfectly crafted and poured on St. Patrick's Day and always remember to drink responsibly," says Murray.