Revealed: The heartwarming origins behind Baby Guinness shots - and it wasn't created to fuel wild nights out!

Daily Mail​

6 days ago

The coffee liqueur and Irish cream shot has become a must-have on birthdays, bar crawls, and bottomless brunches alike- but its origins are heartwarming.
According to Jonathan Sitson, founder of cream chargers supplier Quick Whip, Baby Guinness wasn't invented by accident, and has a real purpose many Brits won't realise.
The party favourite shot, which resembles a miniature pint of Guinness, wasn't created to fuel wild nights or bottomless binges- its beginnings are surprisingly wholesome.
'It looks cheeky and fun, but it began as a very low-key toast to new life,' revealed Jonathan.
'It was originally served to new and expectant fathers at a pub near one of Dublin's maternity hospitals. It was the perfect way to toast a new arrival alongside a full-sized pint of the stout.'
The shot is believed to date back to the late 1980s in a now-closed Dublin pub called The Waxies' Dargle, located near the Rotunda Hospital.
As local legend goes, publican Stephen Daly created a signature drink for new fathers, a shot of dark coffee liqueur, topped with a float of Irish cream, made to resemble a celebratory pint of Guinness in miniature.
Though the drink contains no stout, he dubbed it the 'Baby Guinness' in a quiet, affectionate nod to the occasion.
Word spread among hospital staff, who began recommending it to new or expectant fathers as a lighthearted way to mark the moment. And just like that, a tiny ritual was born.
Despite its name, it's not made with any beer at all. The drink is all about visual trickery, and the key is in the layering.
'The trick is to chill your liqueurs in advance and pour the cream very slowly, a curved bar spoon makes all the difference', Jonathan added.
In Ireland, it became tradition for fathers to 'wet the baby's head' after the birth of their child.
Despite the name, no baby is actually involved in getting wet. Instead, it's a social ritual where the father, and often close friends and family, head to the pub to raise a glass in honour of the newborn.
The phrase 'wetting the baby's head' is believed to date back centuries, and while its precise origin is hard to pin down, it likely has roots in baptismal customs, where a baby's head is literally 'wetted' during a christening.
Over time, though, the meaning shifted from a religious ceremony to a more informal, celebratory first drink in honour of the baby's arrival.
It's within this spirit that drinks like the Baby Guinness are said to have found their way into the tradition.
It comes after Guinness expert Jonathan revealed the correct way to 'split the G' in its signature pint glass.
The popular party trick challenges drinkers to swig enough beer so that the bottom of the Guinness' foam aligns with the bottom of the 'G' in the glass' logo - and they have to do it in a single sip.
The beloved party trick challenge involves drinking the stout until you think the line of liquid has reached the correct spot.
In one gulp, without pausing to look, you then stop and then look to find out if you drink lines up with the target - but what does that really mean?
For years, many thought the goal was to get the division between the beer and foam halfway through the 'G' on the Guinness logo. Elsewhere, others thought it had to stop at the bottom of the harp on the glass.
Jonathan, whipped cream expert at Quick Whip, has shared written confirmation from Guinness owners, Diageo on the right answer.
'The only correct way to Split the G would be when your first uninterrupted sip lines up with the line on the G and E,' the company confirmed.
This information will no doubt surprise the many people across the UK and Ireland who have spent years trying to reach the bottom of the harp, and the top of the logo mark.
Jonathan went on to reveal a step-by-step guide on how to master the perfect G split. He explained: 'Start with a properly chilled pint in a clean, tilted glass, then take a deliberate, uninterrupted gulp, aiming to precisely align the foam's edge with the horizontal line of the G and the E.
'Maintain a steady pace to achieve a clean and even split. Practice makes perfect, so if you fail, don't worry. It's just an excuse to get yourself another lovely creamy pint and try again! But always make sure you drink responsibly, or try a Guinness 0.0.'
While this is a trend that started in the pubs of Ireland many years ago, it has recently exploded on social media, where platforms like TikTok and Instagram have amplified the challenge.
Experts first noticed the trend in 2017, and it then spread from London and Ireland to the US.
Guinness drinkers who have participated in the trends have taken pictures or videos for social media to prove they completed the task.
Niall Horan and Ed Sheeran also attempted to 'split the G' in August 2024, and while the 'Shape of You' singer was able to do it, the Irish former One Direction member could not.
American actor John Cena later admitted he was 'ignorant' when it came to his attempt at 'splitting the G' this year.
Cena claimed it was 'heavy' and 'tough to drink' but insisted a Guinness beer was his 'drink of choice' during an August 2024 interview.
Other celebrities who showed their love for Guinness include Olivia Rodrigo and Kim Kardashian during a trip to Dublin last year.
Every year, people across the world drink more than 13 million pints of Guinness on average.
Guinness was created after Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on a brewery in Ireland in 1759.