Guest,
I believe that you were drinking bottled Guinness which I think is still made under license here in Canada. The canned Guinness Pub Draft is still imported from Ireland. There is a huge difference in the two, but I also heard that there was quite a difference in the Irish bottled version and the Draught you would get at a pub in Ireland.
The actual Pub Draught can is quite an invention and has allowed other wonderful Draughts to taste like they were just pulled in a pub. Kilkenny, Newcastle Brown and Boddingtons are all now available here in these cans.
They are kind of pricy and I rarely treat myself to Guinness. But it's the best brew I've ever had.