I finally hauled my backside out of my chair, leaned across and had a look at Line's books. BBLTYB goves 7:2:1 for 'Guinness'; however in The Big Book of Brewing p238 he wrote "After many trials I consider that my recipe for 'Goodness Stout' is as near to draught Guinness as it is possible to brew on amateur equipment." That recipe is 7:1:1. So I think we should accept the good folk of Beeston were not entirely up the pole on this one!I always thought that Guinness for one was 7:2:1 pale malt, flaked barley, roast barley. So did David Line. I would tentatively suggest that the Beeston Beer Circle were talking out of their collective A*ses. Of course, other Irish stouts differ from that. I'm only referring to Guinness.
I think the "Big Book" is the later one - can anyone confirm; also can anyone say whether he changed his mind or if one is a typo?