Huge Guinness shortage set to hit pubs and bars just days before Christmas

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Scottish Guinness enthusiasts could be facing a miserable Christmas as stocks of the much-loved brew run dry in pubs, with some even at risk of becoming completely Guinness-free over the festive period.

The beloved Irish stout is running low across bars in the whole of the UK, with the producers of Guinness even restricting shipments of the beer to public houses in Scotland, England and Wales, reports the Mirror.

Reports have even suggested that certain establishments have already ran out of their supplies, while others brace for shortages by imposing customers limits.

This shortage has been heightened as some pub owners have raced to panic buy in an attempt to stave off a dry spell during the busy season.

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The problems have worsened as breweries have begun capping the number of kegs pubs can acquire at once due to logistical snags.

Simultaneously, the drought has worsened after the 'Guinness Challenge' exploded on social media platforms, unexpectedly shooting the beverage to fame among younger drinkers, and sparking a wild demand surge.

A Diageo spokesperson previously disclosed to The Independent : "Over the past month we have seen exceptional consumer demand for Guinness in GB. We have maximised supply and we are working proactively with our customers to manage the distribution to trade as efficiently as possible."

Pub owners all across the nation are scrambling to extend their stocks into the holiday season, fearing that punters might be left "disappointed" come Christmas.

Katie Davidson, who runs the Old Ivy House in London, told The Times that the lengths they're going to keep the drinks flowing: issuing cards allowing customers to purchase a pint of Guinness after they've bought two other drinks.

Usually, her establishment would guzzle around seven barrels weekly, a figure that usually increases during the festive season. Yet, this December, they're rationed to a mere four barrels.

She shared: "On Wednesday, when I got my order, we only had half a barrel left in the cellar at the busiest time of the year. And we’d run out by 10pm on Friday night," Katie confessed. Meanwhile, The Liffey pub in Liverpool drew its last pint on Wednesday, as reported by the BBC, reeling from a delivery nightmare that replaced an expected 12 barrels with just one.

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