Guinness ‘ration cards’ introduced at pub over nationwide shortage

A pub has introduced “Guinness ration cards” due to a nationwide shortage of the drink.

The Old Ivy House in Clerkenwell is telling customers they must buy two other drinks before being allowed to order a pint of Guinness.

After buying two drinks, staff give punters a stamped and signed card to prove they are eligible for one “ration” of the Irish stout.

The system will remain in place until supplies run out, with co-owner Del Currie warning that stocks are already critically low.

“We’re down to about two kegs, so tonight is going to be all about the ration cards,” he told the Morning Advertiser. “I’d say we’ll probably run out by 10pm.”

Mr Currie said the pub usually gets through eight barrels a week but only received three in its latest delivery.

He added: “Instead of freaking out and saying, ‘there’s going to be no Guinness for Christmas’, we thought we’d have a bit of fun with it.

“We started doing it last night and it ended up being quite fun – people really enjoyed it.”

The pub alerted customers to the shortage on social media.

“Ladies and gentlemen we are being rationed. The #blackgold is in short supply countrywide. It’s true,” it wrote on Instagram.

“We are down to three barrels with our next delivery not due until next Wednesday – at the busiest time of the year!!

“Ask at the bar for your ration card. We’ll get through this together.”

The stout has surged in popularity in the past year.

Guinness’s parent company, Diageo, has had to limit supply in Britain due to the “exceptional demand” in the build up to Christmas.

The supply issues in the UK are due in part to businesses overstocking to avoid being left short over the festive season.

One wholesaler quoted in the New York Times said the rush to buy Guinness barrels “feels like the toilet roll shortages during Covid – the more coverage that comes, the worse the situation gets!”

Challenges such as “splitting the G”, where the aim is to drink the first sip to the point where the foam line hits the middle of the G of a Guinness-branded glass, is also thought to have increased its popularity among young people.