Saturday, February 11, 2006
Pint of Mid-Strength please
Paul over at the N.Irish Magyar spotted this interesting story in the Belfast Telegraph which is sure to interest every real Irishman throughout the land.It seems that Guinness are to experiment with a new reduced-strength pint of its famous stout.
The new tipple, called Guinness Mid-Strength, is identical in every way to traditional Guinness, except that its alcohol content is significantly lower - 2.8 per cent rather than the regular 4.2 per cent.
The brewery says it is a new Guinness for a new age in which Irish men want to drink but also want to keep their wits about them for more hectic and exacting lifestyles. No, seriously.
Call me crazy but if you want to keep your wits about you, surely going drinking wouldn't be the best idea in the world? And who are these Irish men with their 'hectic and exacting lifestyles'? If you want to get a mental image in your head of the average Irishman drinking a Guinness, think Norm from Cheers but lazier and you'll get the picture.
A Guinness executive said: "There are times when you want a couple of pints but you don't want the fuller hit of a higher alcohol product.
"We believe this will be appealing to 25- to 45-year- old males - guys with family and work commitments."
Oh please! A real Irishman can handle the real thing surely? And if he can't, he should just avoid it! If guys have family and work commitments maybe they should try, oh I dunno, staying home or working maybe?
Mid-Strength is set to go on sale in pubs in Limerick next month, a city which is said to have a particular fondness for
The new approach is in line with the policy of the Irish government, which has for years expressed concern about excessive drinking and "binge" drinking, especially among the young.
I say the young can feck off! How dare these people alter the great Irish symbol known as the pint of Guinness. As far as great Irish symbols go, it's right up there with the harp, shamrocks and Bosco.
Bertie doing the country proud
Who knows, perhaps this is some PR stunt, perhaps it's a marketing gaffe from Guinness, perhaps it's an honest attempt to cut out binge drinking...
I just know one thing...I could really go for a Guinness right about now.
# posted by United Irelander @ 12:53 AM 
© 2008 United Irelander.
