Does it actually taste like Guinness?
Honestly, closer than you'd expect. That's the short version. The longer version: it's not identical, there's a slight sweetness upfront that the real thing doesn't have, and the finish is a bit thinner. But pour it cold into a proper glass and let it settle, and you've got something that's genuinely in the same postcode as a pint of the black stuff. My mate Dave, who's been off the drink since January, reckoned it was the first 0% beer that didn't make him feel like he was being punished.
The floaty widget and the ritual
The nitrogen widget is in there, same as the original. So you still get that satisfying surge when you crack the can, still get the cascade, still get a decent head. That bit of ritual matters more than people admit. It makes a Friday evening feel like a Friday evening, even if you're on the sparkling water side of the fence now.
Who's this actually for?
People doing dry months, designated drivers, anyone who likes a Guinness with a Sunday roast but has somewhere to be after. It's not really for someone who just wants a cold lager alternative, the roasted malt flavour is pretty specific. And if you're a Guinness purist who'll be comparing every sip to a pint pulled at a Dublin pub, just let it go, mate.
The deal stacks Subscribe & Save with a clipped voucher, which brings the price down to something genuinely reasonable for 24 cans. Not a bad shout at all.
