Sober St. Patrick's Day!
'Everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day!'
But not everyone enjoys a hangover - nobody in fact!
And until recent years the choice was stark.
At least for those of us who enjoy a pint of stout. The options were:
- don't drink
- don't drink (much)
- lemonade
Since 2016 that scenario has gladly shifted. The market for 'NoLo' beers expanded 30% towards 2021, in the UK alone.
With a respectable trend of 34% growth predicted by 2024.
So big brand names and fresh players alike are rising to meet new demands and habits.
Which begs a question even St. Patrick would love to know. . . .
Can you get Guinness zero on Draught?
Guinness on taps with an Irish heritage sets certain standards.
Standards difficult to achieve with a brew kept in the captivity of cans.
Guinness 0.O is indeed available in hybrid draught form - that is to say,
a cross between cans and kegs.
A modern switch the company claims should create:
"a beautiful two-part pour with the iconic surge and settle and cold, smooth taste that makes
Guinness Draught a beer loved by consumers around the world".
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| Guinness 0.0 MICRODRAUGHT poised to refresh regular punters |
So is non-alcoholic Guinness any good?
"Served blind, I'm not sure I'd know the difference" was the verdict of one lifelong Guinness
enthusiast reporting in the Evening Standard - and after tasting the canned stuff.
His opinion seems to be shared by most making the comparison: whether with acquired or
occasional tastes.
In a Which? magazine survey a 'slight preference' for standard Guinness was expressed with a
similar verdict reached in Reddit deliberations.
So not bad at all!
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| Guinness 00 blending into the background for non-alcoholic nights |
Naturally, Guinness 0.0 is a different beast . . . with a missing bite.
But the fond, familiar malt taste is richly present with every gulp. And in terms of intoxication,
well, even a bout of regular Guinness affords surprising spells of lucidity!
Maybe some of the great Irish writers, like Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett knew a thing about
saving such moments to make notes. Whereas lifelong teetotal word-slinger, George Bernard
Shaw, may well have expressed wonder towards zero-alcohol Guinness today.
St. Patrick's Blessing takes a Temperate turn
Legend has it the goodly bishop would exert a form of mysticism on stingy pub landlords.
To the tune of getting their grudging generosity and flagons filled to the brim!
So while 13 million glasses of Guinness are drunk around the world on 17 March - it's perhaps no bad thing that quite a few of them will contain Guinness 0.0.
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| A new era of elegant tipples for teetotal tastes! |
Non-alcoholic liquors and spirits are now available in surprisingly
sophisticated blends.
Among them Celtic Soul provides a whiskey alternative that recently
made a Forbes review shortlist. As with any attempt to imitate dark
spirits: a substitute 'kick' is provided with particular spices.
Usually ginger.
In the case of Celtic Soul, other blends of spice veer the taste away
from that of alcohol-free rums.
And it's a mild mix, enjoyed neat over ice.
Here's to a non-Fluthered future!
And perhaps for a spot of St. Patrick's Day reflection . . . Baileys Original
Irish Cream could start to sit-up and cater for zero-alcohol tastes?
Maybe the vegan market too!
Meanwhile, it's inevitably time to say, Slainte!
For my own cans of Guinness 0.0 have reached a refrigerated
impression of Camden's finest Guinness Extra Cold.
So now's the time. Stay safe (and may the road rise to meet you) . . .
John M. Gilheany
Freelance Copywriter
Available for Niche non-alcoholic drinks marketing campaigns at: A dash of Tonic! Copywriting Service
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