Is this the curse of popularity? Guinness — once so in decline that even an Obama press op couldn’t boost sales — has rallied as boxers sometimes do on the canvas. The brand has spent the last decade coming out swinging; now one in every 10 pints poured in a London pub is said to be the black stuff. And what’s the trick when you’re in demand? Diversify, sell the fans something else. It’s an old ruse, it’s business.
It is, I’d wager, exactly what Dublin’s most famous family are doing now with their new release, Guinness Cold Brew Coffee Beer. It is, they say, “the ideal drink for Guinness fans, as well as those who may not previously have considered enjoying a pint of the black stuff.” They’re ambitious, then, splitting their target market between those into Guinness (me, maybe you) and those not (some of your mates, children, animals et cetera). A niche product this is not.
