Now of all times

The British are running out of Guinness beer

Prince William and Princess Kate treat themselves to a glass of Guinness beer.(Bild: APA/AFP/Gareth Fuller)

Now of all times, just before Christmas: Publicans in the UK are running out of beer - and not just any beer, but the legendary Guinness! Producers are currently unable to supply the desired quantities because demand is too high ...

Also affected are the countless Irish pubs, whose existence is hardly imaginable without Guinness, famous for its dark color and creamy consistency.

"I'm a bit shocked because it's Christmas"
An empty, upside-down Guinness glass now indicates to customers at the Old Ivy House in London that the tap is empty. "I'm a bit shocked because it's Christmas," said landlady Kate Davidson. "I didn't expect the beer to run out at this time of year."

Exceptionally high demand this year
Although overall beer sales in the UK have fallen recently, a study shows that Guinness sales increased by a good 20 percent between July and October. And the trend is continuing: "We have seen exceptional consumer demand for Guinness in the UK over the past month," the company said.

Guinness owner Diageo has already acknowledged problems and is working feverishly to increase supplies. Managing Director Debra Crew pointed out some time ago that Guinness consumption among women had risen by 24 percent because the company had changed its marketing strategy to attract new consumers.

"Guinnfluencers" ensure more sales
In addition, so-called "Guinnfluencers" stirred up the advertising drum on the Internet. They included Kim Kardashian, who posted a photo of herself with the beer on Instagram. There is also viral hype on the internet about a game called "Split the G", which has been popular in Irish pubs in particular. With his first sip, the drinker tries to get the edge of the beer exactly in the middle of the Guinness logo printed on the glass.