I knew Guinness had become cool when a friend told me they were considering a branded tattoo.   

We meandered down the street one Saturday morning and they pointed to one of their triceps. Their forefinger landed on a patch of empty space. “I think it would look good here,” they said, and we stopped to imagine the stout drink nestled among the other ink drawings.   

They, of course, are not the only one who has gone mad for the dark foamy drink. We’re in the middle of a Guinness craze in the UK – most recently illustrated by the on trade shortage this Christmas and the subsequent +13% increase in supermarket stout sales in December. Plus, the sharp increase in Guinness 0.0 sales doubling year on year according to Diageo.   

You can see the popularity anecdotally by going to a London pub on any given Thursday or Friday evening. Here, swarms of trendy looking office workers can be found trying to ‘split the G’ while standing out in the freezing cold.  

Why Guinness has become so popular is another topic. On the internet, us Gen-Zers are subject to a constant stream of ’tilt test’ and ‘Guinness game’ videos. Meanwhile, the gym lovers have jumped on the bandwagon after rumours that a pint of Guinness has fewer calories than some beers – the former being about 210 calories (4.2% abv), while a 5% beer is around 244 calories. 

Whatever the reason, it’s thriving and it’s impacting the drinks trade. But, what’s next?   

For Heineken, which owns Murphy’s Irish Stout, the popularity is a clear indicator that it’s time to grow. The company announced that it would be expanding its stout brand with the introduction of multipacks (4 and 10 packs) to be sold in grocery, wholesale and convenience channels from March 2025.   

“The stout category has performed incredibly well over the past year as the consumer demand for the ‘black stuff’ surges,” the Heineken team explained, pointing to a value and volume growth in the total market of +23.7% and +18%, respectively. Plus, in the off trade specifically, growth of +15.6% in value and +11.3% in volume.   

The same thought crossed the mind of Irish pub Mulligans in Manchester, which told Drinks Retailing it plans to add Murphy’s to its offerings. Owner Pádraig Brady said: “We’ve always wanted to add another iconic and reliable Irish stout like Murphy’s to our lineup, and we’re excited to bring it to our customers soon.” 

Elsewhere, there’s rumblings of fellow Irish stout Beamish coming to the UK. Last week, pub Gibney’s and restaurant Daffodil Mulligan posted a joint Instagram video announcing that “for the first time in over ten years, Beamish will be available again in the UK and London.” Firstly, for a limited time while stocks last. Then it will return to these venues permanently later in the year.   

At present, there’s no indication that Beamish is going to make its way into the UK off trade but if the stout trend continues, I wouldn’t rule anything out. In some online craft beer shops, other Irish stouts are starting to appear too. O’Haras Nitro Stout from County Carlow for example can be found with selected retailers.   

Do I think this means Guinness has anything to worry about? Not really. Right now, the UK has a seemingly insatiable appetite for the brand with its little gold harp emblem. But it’s only a matter of time until its popularity will usher in a wider variety of Irish stouts into popular consumption. It already is.   

So, if like a friend of mine you’re considering a tattoo that swears your undying love to the king of stout – maybe consider your options. A toucan is nice, a harp is cool, but you might want to leave room for the Murphy’s family crest too.