In a recent blind taste test conducted by the Guardian, participants compared Guinness Original and its non-alcoholic counterpart, Guinness 0. The test aimed to determine if drinkers could distinguish between the two, as sales of alcohol-free beverages surge across the United States.
The Rise of Non-Alcoholic Beer
Major beer brands, including Sam Adams with its Just the Haze IPA and Budweiser with its Zero, are launching non-alcoholic alternatives. Craft beer expert Beth Demmon previously named Guinness 0 as the best mainstream non-alcoholic beer, claiming that most people would not notice a difference in a blind taste test.
The Taste Test Setup
Although the Guardian did not recruit 100 participants or use blindfolds, a small group of colleagues in New York sampled beers labelled A and B. They rated each on flavor, aftertaste, and overall quality on a scale of one to five, and guessed which was the original.
One participant confidently declared Guinness 0 as the real deal. In the end, only about half correctly identified the alcohol-free version.
Guinness Original Results
Guinness Original, first brewed in Dublin in 1821, scored an overall 3.4, with flavor at 3.6 and aftertaste at 3.5. It is known for its creamy head due to nitrogen bubbles and notes of chocolate and coffee. Participant comments ranged from “Creamy cocoa with a bitter aftertaste” to “That nice, nasty alcoholic taste.”
Guinness 0 Results
Guinness 0, released in 2020, scored an overall 2.9, with flavor at 2.8 and aftertaste at 3.4. It uses cold filtration to remove alcohol while preserving flavor. Comments included “Deep, chocolate, hoppy” and “The Diet Coke of beers.” Some noted it was less effervescent and slightly flat, possibly due to sitting out before the test.
Final Verdict
Six out of ten participants correctly identified Guinness 0 as the non-alcoholic option. One survey respondent noted it was a testament to the strength of the non-alcoholic version that they could not tell without a side-by-side comparison. The resident Irish participant admitted being wrong, saying, “I was so wrong and I feel dumb.”
Overall, the test suggests that Guinness 0 is a convincing alternative, with many unable to distinguish it from the original.
