A t first glance, there’s nothing out of the ordinary about a pint of Guinness 0.0. The velvet black pour, the creamy foam head balancing delicately on the rim of the glass, the familiar satisfaction of watching it settle.
But there’s one crucial ingredient missing: the alcohol . Guinness 0.0 has been gaining serious momentum.
Recently, Diageo , its parent company, reported an 18 per cent growth in beer sales over the fiscal year, driven largely by increased demand for Guinness, with 0.0 sales doubling year on year. Until recently, this alcohol-free version of the iconic stout was only available in cans, but now it’s pouring from taps outside of Ireland for the first time right here in London at The Devonshire pub in Soho.
.. for £6 a pint, the same price as regular Guinness.
That sound you just heard? It’s the collective gasp of the Irish diaspora. Guinness 0.0 isn’t some half-hearted nod to temperance, or a substitute for the “real thing”.
It’s the product of a much larger cultural movement, the rise of NoLo (no- and low-alcohol) drinks, continuing to sweep the UK and Ireland. No longer are non-alcoholic drinks the sole property of some lonely teetotaller lingering in the corner. Today’s modern drinker is a different breed – one that prioritises wellness without sacrificing the taste and experience.
They want to have their pint and drink it too. The real revelation? That someone would pay full price for the privilege. And yet, at The Devonshire “not a .
