Less stout Guinness gets the Limerick taste test

LIMERICK’S stout hearted Guinness drinkers went Mid-Strength last night.

It looks a good pint, tastes a good pint and costs the same as the regular pint.

But the new Guinness Mid-Strength has a lower 2.8% alcohol level, compared to 4.2% in the regular pint.

Last night, the light stuff was pouring through the pumps in 85 Limerick city pubs for the first time.

Limerick has been chosen as a market test for a six-month trial.

Depending on how it goes down with Limerick stout drinkers, the potential for a national roll out will be assessed at the end of the test period.

Marketing director of Diageo Ireland Paul Norris said: “Guinness Mid-Strength offers drinkers the opportunity to reduce their intake of alcohol, while still enjoying the great taste of Guinness.”

Master brewers have developed a technique which enables them extract some of the alcohol from the stout without impacting the characteristic colour, taste and texture of Guinness.

Rugby legends Gerry ‘Ginger’ McLoughlin and Tony Ward teamed up at Fennessy’s pub in New Street and were immediate converts.

Tony said: “The first thing I found was that it tastes the same as a regular pint. It’s great that you can have a pint that has less alcohol. And even if you have a few, it won’t have the after affects the following morning.”

Gerry also gave the Mid-Strength the thumbs up. He enthused: “I think it’s a brilliant idea.”