Lack of Guinness floating widget gives some a sinking feeling

Drinks giant Diageo has admitted that a shortage of floating widgets has meant reverting to a fixed widget for cans of Guinness Draught, but this news has gone down like a bad pint in some quarters. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

At times like this, a pint of plain is your only man - it might just taste a little different if poured from a can.  

Drinks giant Diageo has admitted that a shortage of floating widgets has meant reverting to a fixed widget for cans of Guinness Draught, but this news has gone down like a bad pint in some quarters, with callers to RTÉ Radio's Liveline saying the different widget means a different taste.

In a world where supplies of PPE and the search for a Covid-19 vaccine are paramount, the travails of the can drinker won't be a priority, but the shortage of the widget - triumphantly topping off canned pints with a creamy head since 1998 - is thoroughly 2020.

The statement issued by Diageo to Liveline was as smooth as a jar left sitting between pulls. 

"The Covid-19 situation has created many challenges for all types of businesses and the brewery is no different," it said. "Thankfully our brewing operations have held up very well, but we have encountered a supply issue with our floating widgets for Guinness Draught in a can.  

"As a temporary measure, we reverted to a fixed widget system in some of our can formats until production of the floating widget returns. The fixed widget can is slightly smaller at 470mls. This temporary change was made simply to ensure the supply of Guinness Draught in a can - it contains exactly the same Guinness, just in a different can format. We expect to have the floating widget back in production for early 2021."  

Yes, that, and a vaccine, thanks.

It brings to mind the old saying 'anything that can go wrong, will go wrong'. Murphy's Law? Sorry, that's a different stout altogether...