Latest news with #Guinness'
Metro
18-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
The 'crowd pleasing' Irish beer set to take Guinness's stout crown
There's a beer on the block that could be about to steal Guinness's stout crown. While the joy of 'splitting the G' has helped the Irish beer to dominate since it was created in 1868, it seems the stout industry is filling up with choice, and there's one beer emerging as a clear favourite at local pubs: Murphy's. Call it a beer revolution, a cost of living crisis or a generation of beer lovers unafraid to try new things, the reality is Murphy's sales increased by 632% across the UK in December 2024, according to The Irish Examiner. Meanwhile Guinness – which is owned by Diageo – experienced price hikes and supply issues, sparking a debate among stout drinkers who are asking: 'Is Guinness or Murphy's the better choice?' Reddit threads are filling up with opinions, publicans are weighing in, and we even got Murphy's to share their thoughts as well. Here's what we found out: Despite the seeming newness of Murphy's, the Irish stout isn't a young brew. In fact, it's been around longer than Guinness, having been created 12 years earlier in 1856. After running as an independent brewery in Cork for over 100 years, Heineken acquired it in 1983, and since then, it's been quietly rising in the stout ranks. So, what's the major difference between Murphy's and Guinness? According to stout lovers on Reddit there are a few noticeable differences. Mr-EdwardsBeard says: 'Murphy's is a tad sweeter', and Kshump says they 'prefer the drier taste of Murphy's'. The beer experts behind the popular The Real Ale Craft Beer page on YouTube say Guinness has more of a 'rich, creamy, and thick mouthfeel', with a 'lingering bitterness'. While Murphy's is 'lighter, less bitter, and more sessionable, with a thinner mouthfeel'. Landlord Padraig Brady of the popular Irish pub Mulligans in Manchester, who considers himself a 'Guinness expert', tells Metro: 'Murphy's delivers an authentic, high quality alternative to the market leader, with a smoother, slightly sweeter flavour profile that's especially appealing to those who find Guinness' coffee-like bitterness a little too intense.' Basically, if Guinness is the bold older brother, Murphy's is the mellow mate. The recent popularity of Murphy's can be attributed to a few things, but one is supply and demand. According to Heineken, Murphy's saw a 176% increase in UK sales, and in November, it was declared that 'the stout battle between Guinness and Murphy's' had moved to the UK. The reason why is partially because Guinness hiked its prices, and suddenly, the average price for the once-affordable brew in London became approximately £5.74, with some pubs charging upwards of £8, while others offer them for under £3, according to the Evening Standard. It was a hit for Guinness lovers but it unfortunately wasn't the only challenge to come. During Christmas 2024, the stout experienced a surge in popularity so great that the Dublin-based brewery was unable to produce and distribute the product according to demand. It meant publicans had to find an alternative or go without. For Brady, he saw it as a perfect time to introduce Murphy's draught into his pub. He knew there was an appetite for stout as he, on average, sells 13,000 Guinness each week. 'We wanted to offer our customers more choice, and Murphy's felt like the perfect fit. It's an iconic Irish name and a truly traditional pint, ideal for enjoying while soaking up the atmosphere of Mulligans and our daily live music line up.' To welcome the beer in, the pub gave away 1,989 pints last week – a nod to the year it was first launched on draught in the UK – and the result has been fantastic. 'People have been coming back specifically to ask for Murphy's,' Brady explains. 'Sales have exceeded all our expectations, and we're already seeing strong repeat orders from customers.' Turns out, dry Guinness taps weren't the worst thing in the world for stout lovers, and as Reddit's Sjeffield said, Murphy's has become a bit of a crowd pleaser'. It's tough to answer this one. As Guinness is sold in significantly more pubs across the UK, there are major variations in its cost. For example, at one pub house, you can nab a pint for just £2.91, while another sells a pint for £9.05. Based on this, the average Guinness ends up being £5.74, according to the Pint Pricer – a website that compares the prices of pints across all pubs in London. The average price for a pint of Murphy's is slightly higher at £5.83, with the cheapest being £5.20 and the most expensive sitting at £6.20. Regardless, the price hike certainly changed things and shifted some perspectives on Guinness, including from CAMRA Chairman Ash Corbett-Collins, who tells Metro: 'It's a blow to see Diageo is taking advantage of the rise in the popularity of Guinness by hitting punters in their pocket when they just want to enjoy a pint of stout.' For Corbett-Collins, she understands why many would switch to Murphy's but she believes there are even better options. 'I'd encourage everyone to seek out and choose great stouts and porters from independent and local breweries. These independent breweries and beers deserve as much as attention as the global brands. Sadly, unfair access to taps at the bar in a lot of pubs makes this difficult.' London pub Nancy Spains, the 'home and top seller of Murphy's in the UK', has seen a rise in people switching to Murphy's this year. 'We always see Irish drinkers seeking it [Murphy's] out, but also a growing number are younger drinkers curious about alternatives to big-name stouts,' Nancy Spains co-founder Peter O'Halloran tells Metro. 'Once they try it, they're converted.' 'People are after flavour, quality, and character. Murphy's has that in spades, and at Nancy Spains, we serve the best of it.' It's something Heineken UK's On-Trade Director, William Rice can prove as well: 'Draught sales are up 176% this year, and we've also tripled the number of pubs now pouring Murphy's. It's clear the brand is becoming a go-to for those looking for quality, authenticity and a fresh take on a classic pint.' We contacted Guinness for comment too, but the iconic brand seems to be sitting pretty and hasn't got back to us yet. The good news for Guinness lovers is the stout won't be going anywhere anytime soon. It still holds the stout crown in most corners of the UK and carries some impressive cultural clout. More Trending But Murphy's rising popularity has proven that Guinness isn't the only stout worth talking about anymore. The alternative Irish stout is going down a treat for landlords and beer lovers alike while making sure it doesn't stray too far from the old trusty Guinness. So, while Guinness isn't going anywhere, it's not quite as untouchable as it once was, and that can only be a good thing for stout fans everywhere. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ View More » MORE: I tried 70 wines from Co-op — a £7.35 bottle was the best MORE: Stop buying cheap Bordeaux — the best value wines are from this French region MORE: Is VE Day 2025 a bank holiday in the UK?
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Snooker star Mark Williams, 50, hits the bar after losing controversial world final against scandal-hit Zhao Xintong
Snooker star Mark Williams shared photos of himself hitting the bar just hours after suffering defeat in the World Championship final to Zhao Xintong. Xintong made snooker history on Monday night by becoming the first Chinese player to win the World Championship. The 28-year-old secured a dominant 18-12 victory over Mark Williams which has, however, left a sour taste in the mouth of fans following his return from a match-fixing ban. Just hours after Xintong's victory, Williams took himself to the bar for a few drinks and left fans in stitches after sharing some hilarious posts on social media. The 50-year-old's first post saw him posing with two Guinness' in his hands. It was captioned: 'thanks for all thensupport heblast 17 days, tome forncouoke guinessesss now . #seeyouallnexraeason'. It's appears that Williams was thanking fans for their support throughout the tournament before announcing that he was spending the rest of the night drinking. The 50-year-old kept to his word as the night progressed and shortly after he shared a picture alongside Xintong where he jokingly posed as if he were punching his counterpart. The caption read: 'look at this lucky little xxxxxx i bumped into.' Xintong was evidently playing along with the joke as he posed for the picture while holding onto his World Championship trophy. Williams ended his social media antics with a post at 12:23am, which read: 'Last one I'm off to bed'. Accompanying the post was a picture of a tray of shots. Xintong win over Williams was a landmark moment for the sport, it was hardly something to celebrate given he has recently returned from a match-fixing ban. Zhao, as his supporters have been keen to point out, did not directly throw a match, unlike the other nine Chinese stars sanctioned in 2023 following a major corruption investigation. However, the Cyclone was party to another player fixing and placed illegal bets on games, earning him a 20-month suspension which only lifted last September. Zhao is the first amateur to ever win the world title here, having been dumped from the professional tour because of his ban. He is also just the third qualifier to triumph at the Crucible, after Terry Griffiths and Shaun Murphy, and he won nine matches and 111 frames to do so, more than anybody has ever had to do. In his final post on social media, William shared a picture of a tray of shots before going to bed Amazingly, Zhao's victory over three-time world champion Williams was his 47th in 49 matches since he returned to the table at a low-key Q Tour event in Bulgaria less than eight months ago. His second Triple Crown title, after the UK Championship in 2021, also elevates him to 11 in the world rankings and sees him bank £500,000. Based on what we have seen in Sheffield, Zhao could go on to dominate the game for years to come. 'I can't believe what I have done, it is like a dream,' said Zhao, who held aloft a Chinese flag in celebration at a win which was watched by an estimated 150 million in his homeland. 'I am so happy that I am back. For nearly two years I didn't play a competition, so my first target was just to qualify for the Crucible. I can't believe that I am now the champion. It is very good for Chinese snooker.'
Irish Times
06-05-2025
- Irish Times
Motorists shell out €4m to replace driving licences in last six years
Drivers in the State spent up to €4 million to replace their driving licences in the last six years after their documents were lost or stolen. The National Driving Licence Service (NDLS) received nearly 114,000 applications for replacement licences between 2019 and 2024 after drivers reported them lost or stolen. Figures released by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) show 5,505 driving licences were reported lost or stolen in the State last year, down from 15,389 in 2023 and 25,895 in 2022. Over the six years from 2019-2024, those aged 17-20 misplaced 30,747 licences, more than a quarter of the total of 113,956. READ MORE A replacement licence can be requested online or in person at an NDLS centre with a stamped Garda declaration form, proof of address and PPS number, ID, a medical report if there has been a change in your details and a fee of €35. Separately, figures compiled by An Garda Síochána show there were just 120 licences 'recovered' by the force last year, with another 1,655 recorded as found. Earlier this year, on social media, gardaí highlighted a case where an American visitor's licence was handed into Killarney Garda station and returned to her after she had lost it on a night out. It was sent to her with a letter encouraging her 'not to drink so much Guinness' on her next visit. Beyond the hassle of securing a new licence, cybersecurity expert Brian Honan said criminals can use the information on the licences as pieces of a 'jigsaw' in identity theft, and 'also to target you for online scams more effectively'. Mr Honan, chairman of Cyber Ireland's advisory board, said: 'If you think about it, when you ring your bank, what questions do they ask you to prove who you are? It's your address, your place of birth, your date of birth which is on your driving licence. You can use that information to try to reset somebody's password or hijack their email accounts and from there you can hijack their complete online identity. 'The more data [criminals] have about an individual, the more money they can sell it for. The last time I looked, I think the prices range for people's identity from $3 per person up to $15 per person, depending on how detailed the information might be.' An RSA spokesman said reporting requirements for lost/stolen licences had not changed over the period and they believed the drop in the numbers may be partly explained by paper licences being replaced by cards, which may not be lost as easily. Following a pilot scheme in 2024, digital driving licences are to be rolled out later this year as part of a 'digital wallet' that people can keep on their smartphone. It will be launched in tandem with a 'life events portal', which is a one-stop shop for engaging with public services for events such as births, deaths, marriages and divorces. Mr Honan said that while digital licences would bring a lot of convenience, it would need to be a 'robust scheme' as the change would create new risks. 'The physical card has a limited use case, if it's in my possession I can't do x, y, z. A digital licence would bring different threats,' he said. 'For example, if I install malicious software on your phone through a scam email or whatever, could I steal a copy of your driver's licence? You still have it on your phone, you're not aware it's gone as it's not a physical thing any more, but I now have a copy of your licence. And now I can imitate you and try to get car insurance out in your name or rent a car or use it as ID to prove who you are when you're applying for bank loans etc.' In Northern Ireland (where two-part licences are still used), 21,755 were reported lost or stolen in the nine months to September last year, while in Britain more than one million were misplaced.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
American Culture Still Matters for Global Brands
Last week, Guinness debuted its first campaign with Uncommon Creative Studio, "A Lovely Day"-a sweeping, 5,057-mile journey across the U.S. spotlighting real people, diverse communities, and the passions that unite them. More than a brand film, it's a journalistic ode to the richness of American life, delivered through a lens of optimism and humanity. It also arrives at what can only be described as an "interesting" cultural moment. Global perceptions of the U.S. have shifted. Significantly. Recent data shows that the average net favorability of the U.S. has declined by roughly 20 points worldwide, with marked dips in key consumer markets like Europe and Canada. Driven by geopolitics, cultural polarization, and economic unease, America is under a sharper lens than perhaps ever before. So why are global brands still so invested in showing up here-and showing off? Let's start with the obvious: scale. The U.S. continues to represent an unmatched commercial opportunity. Despite economic fluctuations, it remains one of the most resilient consumer markets in the world. That resilience isn't just appealing to established giants, it's also proving magnetic for direct-to-consumer challengers. Take ME+EM, the U.K.-based womenswear brand. Known for its clean silhouettes and data-informed design strategy, they've doubled down on U.S. expansion. After a successful digital push, they've moved into brick-and-mortar, with stores in New York City, the Hamptons, and now Texas. The commitment signals not just short-term ambition, but long-term belief in the American shopper's continued global influence. That influence extends far beyond GDP. The U.S. is often the launchpad for brands aiming to embed themselves in the cultural zeitgeist. Just last year, Guinness was at the center of a TikTok phenomenon with the "Split the G" challenge-an unplanned but potent moment of viral cultural relevance. Similarly, Puma's new "Go Wild" campaign, its largest global initiative, debuted in the U.S. this March. For a German heritage brand, gaining traction stateside is more than symbolic; it's essential toward engaging Gen Z audiences at the intersection of sport, identity, and authenticity. With 17% of all TikTok users based in the U.S., and roughly 34% of ad revenue generated here, success in America can mean amplification everywhere. The U.S. is also uniquely valuable as a cultural testbed. With its intricate diversity-ethnic, geographic, and ideological-it serves as a global microcosm. It's where brands can pressure-test both universal insights and hyperspecific strategies. Guinness' film leans into this idea, exploring the connective tissue of American life. Toyota's latest campaign for the 2025 4Runner does something similar, pairing broad themes of adventure ("Your Window to the Wild") with a more targeted sub-campaign, "4Runner Landia," created with agency Conill to reach Hispanic audiences. The campaign even includes a contest to win land-an offer rooted in cultural nuance and aspiration. In that way, America isn't just a place to sell products. It's a place to refine ideas, build resonance, and test what it means to connect with people on a human level. As campaigns increasingly pivot toward emotional storytelling and values-led positioning, brands are turning to the U.S. as a litmus test for what works-and what endures-across communities, cultures, and digital channels. There's also a reason Guinness ends its film with the line, "People need people." It's a universal sentiment, but its resonance in the U.S.-with its division, complexity, and promise-feels especially timely. The film's soundtrack choice, Paolo Nutini's "Iron Sky," underscores that. It's a track woven with themes of resistance, justice, and unity-featuring audio from Charlie Chaplin's 1940 speech in The Great Dictator. It's a reminder that some ideas don't belong to one country or another. They belong to all of us. And right now, for global brands, the U.S. remains one of the most powerful places to express them.
CBS News
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Guinness sees a resurgence as more Americans are raising a pint of the iconic Irish stout
In its 266th year of brewing, Guinness is experiencing an unprecedented "golden age" in America, chugging its way to become the fastest growing imported beer in the U.S. as St. Patrick's Day revelers prepare to celebrate across both sides of the Atlantic. Guinness, the Irish beer that has been around since before the American Revolution, is celebrating a renaissance with rapidly rising popularity in the United States. "People are finding this beer for the first time, or, in some cases, rediscovering it," said Ryan Wagner, Guinness National Ambassador. "You're not just finding it in Irish pubs. Now it's in sports bars, at the beach, in coolers being taken to tailgates." Part of this resurgence is attributed to social media, where the viral "Splitting the G" challenge has celebrities like Ed Sheeran and Niall Horan attempting to take one or two gulps and land the beer line precisely in the gap of the letter "G" in the logo. For newcomers concerned about Guinness' dark appearance, Wagner offered reassurance. "The first thing we would tell someone is don't let the color scare you away. It's light in body. It's a little roasty, a little toasty, incredibly drinkable, and something that's built around occasions, bringing people together." The legacy of Guinness The brewing legacy dates back to 1759 in Dublin. Today, 3.5 million pints are produced daily and shipped worldwide. Devoted fans insist the beer requires a specific "perfect pour" technique — a two-part process that affects both taste and texture. This meticulous pouring process has spawned dedicated enthusiasts like the trio behind New York State of Pint, who anonymously rate New York City's best pints of Guinness using a scoring system that evaluates taste, pour quality, glassware, temperature and bar ambiance. "We're not looking for favorable treatment," said one of the anonymous raters. "We really just want to rate the Guinness and spread the word about good Guinness in the city." As Wagner sees it, the future for Guinness remains bright.
