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If you've been following the news, you may know that demand for Guinness in Europe is off the charts as of the end of 2024. Gen Z has discovered that the always popular classic stout as a result of celebrity spotlight, influencer marketing by Diageo, and product fundamentals that have always been solid. It is this last bit that we'll explore in depth today; Guinness is fairly unique on the market as far as been flagships are concerned.
Guinness: Differentiating Factors
Known for its dark color, many believe Guinness to be a "heavy" beer, but those who have tried it know that the opposite is actually true. Guinness differentiates itself from the competition with three main factors:
Nitrogen - Guinness's Key to Creaminess
In 1959, Guinness began to use nitrogen when kegging it's beer. Nitrogen is far less soluble than carbon dioxide which allows it to be pressurized without becoming fizzy (e.g. nitrogen bubbles are smaller which helps create the sensation of creamy thickness of viscosity). It also prevents some of the formation of that CO2 dissolving into carbonic acid, part of what gives fizzy drinks "bite". This is part of the reason why draft beers may taste different from canned/bottles since some use CO2 nitrogen mix in the lines (see our Heineken Draught Keg Analysis). Guinness and many others use a 75% nitrogen, 25% Carbon Dioxide blend, in the case of canned Guinness provided by a genius little nitrogen ball called "the widget" . The nitrogen also creates a lovely visual effect where bubbles seem to cascade downwards since bubbles on the side of the glass move more slowly than those in the middle of the beer. There is also the added benefit of enabling the glass to maintain a distinctive head longer. Both of these aesthetic effects are augmented by the fact that Guinness is very dark (officially a dark "ruby" according to Diageo) while the bubbles are very light colored. Beautiful.
Health - Surprisingly Low Calorie
A 12oz. serving of Guinness contains just 125 calories, just 15 more than a Bud Light. This is in stark contrast to the decadent mouthfeel. The flavor to calories ratio benefits from the fact that Guinness is relatively low alcohol by volume at 4.2% (most non-light beers are 5% or more). This leaves more space for flavoring chemicals from the roasted barley and fermentation process. Guinness 0.0 doubles down on this opportunity to further decrease calories by removing the alcohol with cold filtering while keeping almost all of the flavor. I would hazard that it is the best non-alcoholic version of a flagship beer currently produced by a wide margin. At a time where consumer preferences are increasingly health conscious, saving a few hundred calories vs a high gravity IPA can seem like a no-brainer.
Stouts - Relatively Underrepresented
Most mass market beers are lagers or pilsners and even in the craft beer world, dark beer styles like stouts are relatively underrepresented when compared to things like IPAs, Sours, or Wheat Beers. Stouts are themselves a type of ale which are typically warm fermented an can be further broken down into Dry Stouts, Milk Stouts, Oatmeal Stouts, or Imperial Stouts. Guinness is a "Dry Stout" or Irish Stout. Dry stouts are typified by a large proportion of Roasted Barley in the mash which creates a acrid, roasty flavor like coffee or chocolate as the roasting process reduces the sugar content of the barley. After the yeast has done its work, there simply isn't much sugar left in the resulting beer, and hop additions will further bitter the brew. As stouts go, Guinness is mild and approachable, delivering those distinctive stout tasting notes without being overbearing or intolerably bitter. If you go up to a given tap, there are likely a number of pilsner and lager options but Guinness may be the only dark beer they have!
Conclusion: Guinness Worldwide
You can find an Irish pub in almost every city in the world and they are almost guaranteed to have Guinness! Even better news, the common myth that Guinness is better in Ireland is mostly attributable to skunky beer served in locations that don't turn over kegs often enough. Any bar that serves a good volume of Guinness likely stores it at the right temperatures, knows how to pour it, and moves enough product to ensure you're getting fresh brew in your glass. Find yourself a cozy, wood-front bar, and order without fear.
As for me, Guinness is always in my fridge. Sláinte!