Guinness shortage 'set to hit UK pubs before Christmas'

Stocks of Guinness in UK pubs are said to be dwindling, with some at risk of running out over Christmas. According to reports, some places have already exhausted their supplies, while others have brought in customer limits.

This shortage has been made worse by some pub owners panic buying in a desperate bid to stave off a dry spell during their peak season. Breweries have also capped the number of kegs pubs can get hold of at once due to logistical snags.

It comes as the 'Guinness Challenge' has gone viral on social media, catapulting the tipple to fame among younger drinkers and sparking a new surge. Diageo, the producers of Guinness, have been forced to limit shipments of the beer to pubs across England, Wales, and Scotland.

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A Diageo spokesperson told 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 bosses across the UK are said to be scrambling to prolong their stocks during the festive period, Mirror reports. But there are fears punters might be left 'disappointed'.

Katie Davidson, who runs the Old Ivy House in London, told The Times that they have issued cards allowing customers to purchase a pint of Guinness after they have bought two other drinks. Under normal circumstances, her establishment would polish off about seven barrels weekly.

But this December, they are rationed to four barrels. She said: "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." The Liffey pub, in Liverpool, drew its last pint on Wednesday, as reported by the BBC.

They experienced a delivery nightmare that replaced an expected 12 barrels with just one.