Always A Lovely Day For A Guinness (0) in Canada
/No hangovers with this excellent non-alcoholic dupe of the world’s most famous nitro stout
In the early spring of 2021, word got out in the Non-Alcoholic Spirits group on Facebook that storied stout brewer Guinness had launched a 0.0 version of their nitro stout, but it wasn’t yet available in North America. The non-alcoholic drinks community is very passionate about having access to good liquids, so understandably people were upset. Taking matters into their own hands, some ardent fans of the brew not only encouraged the group to call U.S. customer service directly, but went as far as starting an online petition. The ‘Bring Guinness 0.0 to North America” petition was addressed to the Guinness media relations team and was signed by 755 people.
What many people in the group didn’t know is Guinness had briefly released the brew in October 2020, but then recalled it over concerns of “microbiological contamination”. No-one was drinking any Guinness in the spring/summer of 2021 - not even in Ireland.
Despite a re-release at the end of 2021, it still took over a year for cans to get onto shelves in the U.S. and came somewhat illicitly over the border into Canada through online retailers. Those of us so lucky to get our hands on some only had good things to say. All Canadians can now get their hands on some now that Diageo is finally officially launching Guinness 0 across the country.
“Our first priority was making sure there was enough in the supply chain to be able to launch, and ensure product was available. In Canada, we have to be thoughtful about French language laws, and our packaging has to be in English and French which means another run on the supply line,” explained Diageo Director of Marketing Nadia Niccoli.
Visitors to a Yonge-Dundas Guinness 0 vending machine flooded social media with pics from the FUN activation.
It couldn’t have come soon enough. Diageo launched the product here with an activation of Guinness 0 vending machines at Yonge Dundas Square and Union Station which saw hundreds of people lining up to try a can with very positive reactions.
It’s no surprise the reviews about Guinness 0, from both new consumers and the non-alcoholic drinks community, have all been glowing. Niccoli said she believes the innovation around the liquid is what’s made it so popular.
“The brewers start by making regular Guinness, but then they remove the alcohol through a cold-filtration process which allows the alcohol to be filtered out without presenting thermal stress. That’s how they’ve preserved the quality and the taste structure of the liquid to be so similar to Guinness.”
If you’re a fan of Guinness, you’ll know the other element of drinking a can of this stout is the widget. The Guinness widget is a small plastic ball inside cans of Giunness they call the “smoothifier'“. It helps to introduce nitrogen into the liquid once the can is cracked, creating a smooth and velvety texture. This differs from regular beer because it replaces carbon dioxide with less fizzy nitrogen for a smooth texture. The team at Guinness included the widget in the cans of Guinness 0 as well, to maintain the true Guinness experience even if it doesn’t have alcohol. In fact, this is so important for Guinness, bars in Ireland have special ‘single can’ micro draught taps for Guinness Zero that a bartender can use to properly pull the infamous “two part pour” for zero beer lovers.
PHOTO CREDIT: IRISHNEWS.COM
READ OUR FULL REVIEW OF GUINNESS ZERO HERE
“There's such a rich history and heritage to the Guinness brand. There’s so much craftsmanship in terms of ingenuity and innovation and that was important to celebrate and bring full-circle through to a non-alcoholic product,” said Niccoli.
The legacy and heritage is not the only aspect of the Guinness 0 release reflecting a modern approach to brewing. The need and desire from consumers for non-alcoholic beer is reflected by the meteoric 30% YOY growth in the non-alcoholic beer category over the past few years. There’s a growing number of people around the globe who are regular drinkers, but are increasingly reaching for non-alcoholic options on a regular basis.
“We talk about Guinness being a brand about community and bringing people together and now we can be truly inclusive and welcome everybody no matter what their drinking preferences are,” said Niccoli, adding there’s only 70 calories in a can, which is also attractive to people looking for something a little bit healthier.
Guinness is not the only big global brewery to release non-alcoholic versions of their beers, but it’s definitely one of the most thoughtful products and one of the best tasting. Guinness joins Heineken and Stella Artois as premium beer products with a non-alcoholic counterpart. Soon it will be as easy to find Guinness 0 in Canada as it is to find Heineken, which currently has most of the market share on hospitality menus, with some growing competition from new entrant Corona Sunbrew.
Right now, you can pick up a four-pack of Guinness 0 almost anywhere that sells beer in the U.S.. In Canada, it’s rolling out slowly but surely. You can find it at the LCBO in Ontario although quantities are already selling like hot cakes (but strangely 124 four-packs are still available in Elora). Diageo promises liquor stores in provinces across the country will be stocking it within the next few weeks, and should be on shelves in retail grocery stores across the country in the new year.
So let’s raise a glass and say slainte! We hope you love it as much as we do!
*Unofficially, you can order Guinness online via TheSobrMarket - but if you want a bilingual can, you’re out of luck!
