In short: according to figures Guinness shared with us, the countries that drink the most Guinness are the United Kingdom, Ireland and Nigeria, followed by the USA, Cameroon, Kenya, Ghana, Indonesia, Malaysia and Canada. Around 10 million pints are drunk worldwide every day.
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I was curious to find out which countries drink the most Guinness, and there was almost nothing reliable online. So I reached out to Guinness directly, hoping they could shed some light, and they replied with their top 10. Here it is, along with the Guinness facts that surprise people most.
The top 10 Guinness-drinking countries
- United Kingdom
- Ireland
- Nigeria
- United States
- Cameroon
- Kenya
- Ghana
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Canada
Source: Guinness Archives and Guinness Storehouse, shared with Irish Around The World in 2021.
The big surprise for most people is Africa. Guinness has been brewed in Nigeria since the 1960s, and Foreign Extra Stout, a stronger version, is hugely popular across West and East Africa. And yes, the UK drinks more Guinness than Ireland, simply because it has far more people.
10 Guinness facts
- A 9,000-year lease. In 1759 Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on the St James’s Gate brewery in Dublin, at £45 a year.
- It isn’t really black. Hold a pint up to the light and you’ll see it’s a very dark ruby red.
- The 119.5-second pour. Guinness says the perfect pint takes 119.5 seconds, poured in two parts and left to settle in between.
- Nitrogen makes the head. The creamy head comes from nitrogen as well as carbon dioxide, which gives smaller bubbles than most beers.
- About 210 calories a pint. A pint of Guinness Draught has fewer calories than many people expect, about the same as a pint of most lagers.
- The harp faces the other way. Guinness registered its harp as a trademark in 1876. When the Irish Free State later adopted the harp as its emblem, the state’s version faces the opposite way.
- “Guinness is good for you”. The famous slogan comes from 1920s advertising. It isn’t medical advice, whatever your granny says.
- It started the Guinness World Records. The record book was dreamt up in the 1950s by the brewery’s managing director, Sir Hugh Beaver, to settle pub arguments.
- Guinness 0.0. The alcohol-free version arrived in 2020 and is now widely available in Irish pubs.
- Millions of pints a day. Guinness has said that around 10 million pints are drunk around the world every day.
Visit the Guinness Storehouse
The Guinness Storehouse at St James’s Gate in Dublin is Ireland’s most visited paid attraction, and in 2023 it was named Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction at the World Travel Awards, beating the Colosseum and the Acropolis. The tour finishes with a pint in the Gravity Bar, with views over the whole city. Book a Guinness Storehouse ticket with a pint, and see the rest of our Dublin guide.
More Guinness on the site
- Beef and Guinness stew recipe
- Lough Tay, the Guinness Lake
- The most legendary Irish pubs
- How to say cheers in Irish
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