Guinness is one of the world’s biggest drink brands — but stout fans say there’s a better one (Image: Getty)
Guinness has been a favourite pint for generations of drinkers. While so many other alcoholic drinks have tweaked and altered over the years, with gimmicks introduced left, right and centre, Guinness has remained that glorious mixture of jet black body and thick, creamy head for decades.
It’s reputation and dominance is such that there are few pubs in the UK and Ireland where you can’t find the “black stuff” on tap. And it’s fairly new, alcohol-free Guinness 0.0 has also become very popular very quickly.
But as with every champion, there’s always a long line of contenders waiting to knock it off its perch. One of those, , is Murphy’s, which some fans think tastes better than Guinness. But Murphy’s, like Guinness, is a long-standing Irish stout that’s been around for generations.
However, there are newer kids on the block that fans think taste better. In fact, one beer reviewer was so confident after a taste test that he said he was “100%” sure that it was better than Guinness.
Drinks reviewer Dom Drinks Beer said on he had been recommended O’Hara’s Irish Stout “hundreds of times” and had “finally got hold of it”.
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With a can of each of the Irish stouts in front of him, he pours each into a pint glass. There is very little difference in the pour and how each stout looks in the glass. But O’Hara’s at 4.3% is slightly stronger than Guinness at 4.1%.
After trying the Guinness, he says “oh so creamy” before moving on to O’Hara’s and saying: “Fully rate that, it’s a little bit creamier than Guinness, and there’s more flavour, and that smokiness, I can’t get enough of it. So, 100%, O’Hara’s is better than Guinness.”
Another reviewer, The Linton Lounge, gave O’Hara’s an 8 out of 10 and said: “Yep, that’s really good. As you can see on the glass, that’s probably the best-sticking one we’ve had out of the tins so far. I couldn’t fault it.”
And Glasgow Beer Guy also said: “I’d say this is better than Guinness.”
But another reviewer, Dan One Minute Beer Review, said that although O’Hara’s was good and had strong hints of espresso as claimed by the brewers, it “wasn’t a patch” on Guinness.
O’Hara’s is made by the Carlow Brewing Company, in County Carlow, Ireland, which didn’t make its first beers until 1998. That makes it more than 250 years younger than Guinness, which was founded by Arthur Guinness in Dublin in 1759, and more than 150 years younger than Murphy’s, which was founded in Cork in 1856 and became Ireland’s second-largest brewer (after Guinness, of course).
The Irish Post says O’Hara’s is a “hark back to the classic Irish stouts of yesteryear”, adding: “Known for its quality and authenticity, O’Hara’s Irish Stout boasts a robust roast flavour complemented by a full-bodied and smooth feel.
“It’s a gloriously creamy Irish stout, it blends coffee aromas with light liquorice notes thanks to its combination of traditional stout hops and roast barley.”