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Pubs Fear Guinness Shortage as the Beer Skyrockets in Popularity

Social media and clever marketing may be some of the reasons why pubs are running low on Guinness.

ByCaLea Johnson|
Guinness‘s recent popularity gains might cause a shortage for the brand.
Guinness‘s recent popularity gains might cause a shortage for the brand. | John Keeble/GettyImages

Guinness started as a small brewery in Ireland in the mid-18th century, and it’s since expanded to roughly 50 countries worldwide. Now the brand is experiencing an unprecedented surge in popularity—so much so that pubs suspect a Guinness shortage might be around the corner.

According to Guinness’s parent company Diageo, its beer sales in the UK increased by 23.2 percent from July to October of 2024. Additionally, Guinness saw a 15 percent increase in global net sales across the fiscal year. 

What could be the cause of this sudden boom? According to CNN, younger drinkers and women have recently taken a liking to the Irish stout. In Great Britain alone, Guinness consumption among women rose by 27 percent from 2022 to 2023. Anecdotal evidence from business owners also indicates that more Millennials and members of Gen Z are going out to the pub.

Once commonly associated with older male drinkers, Guinness has widened its appeal thanks to TikTok. According to Morning Brew, the app introduced many young people to “splitting the G”—a trend that challenges Guinness drinkers to down a big enough gulp so that the frothy foam on top of the beer (a.k.a the head) sits in the middle of the G on a Guinness glass. Others credit the international popularity of Irish celebrities like Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal, Hozier, and Barry Keoghan with the recent interest in Irish culture. Diageo has also worked to rebrand Guinness as a lighter, lower-calorie beer. Although it’s assumed to be high in calories because of its dark color and full-bodied flavor, one 12-ounce glass of Guinness is only 125 calories (a regular 12-ounce beer is about 153 calories).

To prevent a shortage, Guinness’s owners plan to set allocation limits on the beer to ensure it lasts through the holidays—which is usually the busiest time of year for pubs in the UK. Some establishments have already taken it upon themselves to ration pints. At one London tavern, patrons are only allowed to order a pint of Guinness after purchasing two other drinks first.

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