In a recent blind taste test conducted by the Guardian, participants sampled Guinness Original and its non-alcoholic counterpart, Guinness 0, to see if they could distinguish between the two. The test comes amid a surge in sales of alcohol-free beverages, with major US beer brands launching non-alcoholic alternatives like Sam Adams's Just the Haze IPA and Budweiser's Zero.
The Test Setup
Ten colleagues gathered in New York to sip beers labeled A and B, scoring each on flavor, aftertaste, and overall quality on a scale of one to five. They also guessed which was the alcoholic version. The test was inspired by craft beer expert Beth Demmon, who claimed that most people blindfolded couldn't tell the difference between the two.
Guinness Original
First brewed in Dublin in 1821, Guinness remains one of the world's most popular stouts. It uses nitrogen for a creamy head and has a dry finish with notes of chocolate and coffee. Participants described it as "creamy cocoa with a bitter aftertaste" and "a full taste," though some found it "watery" or noted an "alcoholic kick." Its overall score was 3.4, with flavor at 3.6 and aftertaste at 3.5.
Guinness 0
Released in 2020, Guinness 0 is brewed similarly to the original but has alcohol removed via cold filtration. Testers called it "deep, chocolate, hoppy" and "creamy, delicious, foamy," but also "flat, lacking weight, a bit stale." It scored 2.9 overall, with flavor at 2.8 and aftertaste at 3.4.
The Results
Only six of ten participants correctly identified the non-alcoholic version. One participant confidently declared Guinness 0 as "the real deal." The Irish colleague admitted, "I was so wrong and I feel dumb." Overall, the test showed that half couldn't tell the difference, proving the quality of Guinness 0.
