British pubs fear they could run out of Guinness

CNN
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At the Sheephaven Bay pub in London, just behind Camden High Street, Guinness makes up more than 50% Sales of draft beer. Owner Pat Logue told CNN that he has already sold twice as much Guinness this year as he did two years ago.

The Irish Stout, known for its distinctive warm brown color, creamy head and unique pouring style (it takes 119.5 seconds to pour a proper pint of Guinness), has long been the drink of choice for rugby boys and men. Men known pub.

But over the last two years, Guinness has become increasingly popular, particularly among young people and women.

Beer sales from July to October According to CGA, a data analytics firm for food and drink companies, the UK data fell 0.5%. Nevertheless, beer sales increased by 23.2% in the same period for Diageo, which owns Guinness Brand. In particular, sales of Guinness in kegs increased by 20.9%.

Guinness until the end of October was the best-selling beer by volume in the UK in 2024, according to Nielsen data shared with CNN.

Social media influencers and marketing campaigns have helped dispel the notion that Guinness is a drink for older men. Logue praised influencers on TikTok for making beer trendy and showcasing various pubs through video reviews that rated and compared the best draft pints across London.

He said it was no surprise to see a group of six young people – three men and three girls – heading to the bar at Sheephaven Bay and ordering a round of Guinness – something he said was unthinkable years ago.

“It used to be portrayed as a drink for older men, but now it’s for everyone,” Logue said. “Now it’s a cool drink.”

Given the sudden surge in demand, Diageo has told some pub owners it will set allocation limits for Guinness to ensure distribution can continue over the festive period.

“Over the past month we have seen exceptional consumer demand for Guinness in (the UK),” a Diageo spokesperson said in a statement. “We have maximized supply and are working proactively with our customers to make distribution to retailers as efficient as possible.”

The allocation restrictions have not affected all pubs. But bar owners told CNN they are tired of having enough supply to meet demand, especially during the holiday season, which is often the busiest time of the year and crucial to weekly profit margins.

Logue, who goes through 40 to 50 barrels of Guinness in a week, secured an order for 60 barrels on Friday. He said he was nervous until the shipment arrived and was relieved that he had enough supplies for this week.

While growth at distilleries and breweries slowed last year, Diageo’s Guinness bucked the trend, noted Verushka Shetty, equity analyst at Morningstar.

In March, Diageo launched a popular marketing campaign featuring actor Jason Momoa, which Shetty said helped grow the brand.

“The brand is growing in popularity, particularly among women and Generation Z,” she said.

On Diageo’s fiscal year-end conference call in July, CEO Debra Crew said Guinness had seen a 15% increase in global net sales in fiscal 2024.

Crew said Diageo had “recruited more Guinness consumers” through marketing campaigns like the one with Momoa and by working with influencers to “co-create content and shape the brand”.

In the UK, women’s Guinness consumption increased by 27% from the 2022 to 2023 financial years, according to Crew.

In addition to working with content creators, the Diageo crew expects the company to continue to contribute to demand through its business partnership with sporting events such as the Premier League and Six Nations Rugby.

At the Auld Shillelagh in London’s Stoke Newington, which has been a “Guinness house” since 1991, barrels of Irish stout are delivered two to three times a week. Aonghus Leydon, co-owner of the pub with his brother, told CNN that while they have always been known for their Guinness, he has noticed an increase in popularity in recent years.

“For us, Guinness has always been a fairly large volume product. But yes, I would say in the last few years Guinness sales have increased,” he said. Irish stout currently accounts for up to 70% of pub sales.

Leydon, who is from Roscommon, Ireland, said the number of young people drinking Guinness had increased significantly compared to a decade ago.

“Our clientele is mostly in their early 20s to early 30s and the majority are Guinness drinkers,” Leydon said. “Gender-wise, it’s pretty mixed.”

While drinking at a pub in London’s Shoreditch, 26-year-old Harry Evans told CNN that he loved Guinness because it was smooth, drinkable and “less gassy” than other beers. “I drink it all year round,” he said.

Leydon said in his 37 years in the industry he has never had a problem with the Guinness supply. This explains why some pub owners fear there could be quota restrictions.

Leydon has not yet been informed of any allocation limits, but said they are nervous about receiving supplies.

While Diageo cited “extraordinary” demand in the UK, the stout is also growing in popularity in the US. Guinness was the most imported beer in the U.S. in the last 12 months through October, according to Nielsen.

In Europe, Guinness 0.0, a non-alcoholic version of stout, saw net sales double in fiscal 2024, according to Diageo.

At The Dead Rabbit in Manhattan, co-founder and managing partner Jack McGarry said he sold as much Guinness in the first 10 months of 2024 as he did in all of 2023.

McGarry, who is from Belfast, Northern Ireland, said he believes Irish culture is having a moment in the public eye, which bodes well for Guinness.

He also believes that young people are becoming more aware that Guinness is a light, low-calorie beer. A 20-ounce pint of Guinness has about 210 calories, comparable to a lager like Stella Artois, which has about 224 calories in a 20-ounce pint. And Guinness is only 4.2% ABV, comparable to a light beer like Michelob Ultra.

“All of our bars are selling better than last year,” McGarry said. The Dead Rabbit also has an outpost in Austin, Texas.

Victor Boyd, the owner of Iona Bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is originally from Dublin. His bar has been serving Guinness for 25 years, he said, and he has also noticed the recent surge in popularity.

But according to Boyd, this isn’t just the case for young people. He said reviews on social media about the best poured pints of Guinness in New York helped raise awareness of his bar among many people.

“Others have discovered the benefits of a stout that is lower in alcohol and calories than many other beers,” Boyd said.

CNN’s Maisie Linford contributed reporting