Guinness fans have long questioned the correct way to ‘split the G’ in its signature pint glass.
And with St Patrick’s Day fast approaching, everyone is eager to settle the debate.
The beloved party trick challenge involves drinking the stout until you think the line of liquid has reached down to the correct spot.
In one gulp, without pausing to look, you then stop and then look to find out if you drink lines up with the target – but what does that really mean?
For years, many thought the goal was to get the division between the beer and foam halfway through the ‘G’ on the Guinness logo.
Elsewhere, others thought it had to stop at the bottom of the harp on the glass.
Jonathan Sitson – whipped cream expert at Quick Whip – has shared written confirmation from Guinness owners, Diageo on the right answer.
‘The only correct way to Split the G would be when your first uninterrupted sip lines up with the line on the G and E,’ the company confirmed.
Guinness fans have long questioned the correct way to ‘split the G’ during the Guinness Challenge however Jonathan Sitson, whipped cream expert at Quick Whip has shared written confirmation from Guinness owners, Diageo on the right way to do the trend
This information will send shock waves to the many people across the UK and Ireland who have spent years trying to reach the bottom of the harp, and the top of the logo mark.
Jonathan went onto reveal a step-by-step guide on how to master the perfect G split.
He explained: ‘Start with a properly chilled pint in a clean, tilted glass, then take a deliberate, uninterrupted gulp, aiming to precisely align the foam’s edge with the horizontal line of the G and the E.
‘Maintain a steady pace to achieve a clean and even split. Practice makes perfect, so if you fail, don’t worry.
‘It’s just an excuse to get yourself another lovely creamy pint and try again! But always make sure you drink responsibly, or try a Guinness 0.0.’
While this is a trend that started in the pubs of Ireland many years ago, it has recently exploded on social media, where platforms like TikTok and Instagram have amplified the challenge.
Diageo confirmed: ‘The only correct way to Split the G would be when your first uninterrupted sip lines up with the line on the G and E’
While this is a trend that started in the pubs of Ireland many years ago, it has recently exploded on social media, where platforms like TikTok and Instagram have amplified the challenge
Experts first noticed the trend in 2017 and it then spread from London and Ireland to the US.
Guinness drinkers who have participated in the trends have taken pictures or videos for social media to prove they completed the task.
Niall Horan and Ed Sheeran also attempted to ‘split the G’ in August 2024, and while the ‘Shape of You’ singer was able to do it, the Irish former One Direction member could not.
American actor John Cena later admitted he was ‘ignorant’ when it came to his attempt at ‘splitting the G’ this year.
Cena claimed it was ‘heavy’ and ‘tough to drink’ but insisted a Guinness beer was his ‘drink of choice’ during an August 2024 interview.
Other celebrities who showed their love for Guinness include Olivia Rodrigo and Kim Kardashian during a trip to Dublin last year.
Every year, people across the world drink more than 13 million pints of Guinness on average.
Guinness was created after Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on a brewery in Ireland in 1759.
Every year, people across the world drink more than 13 million pints of Guinness on average
It comes after supermarkets and off-licences saw a Guinness shortage last Christmas – as drinkers empty shop shelves in a panic buying spree before New Year’s Eve.
Shoppers took pictures of sold-out Guinness sections in a string of Tesco supermarkets across the country as demand for the stout surged.
And some off-licences also reportedly sold out of the popular beverage, leaving many fans of the black stuff panicking that they won’t be able to enjoy the drink whilst celebrating the arrival of 2025.
Eight million pints of Guinness would usually be sipped in Britain on New Year’s Eve across pubs and homes, consumption trend data shows.
But shoppers stripped Tesco and other supermarkets bare after some pubs ran dry amid a buying boom.
Andrew Williams, who discovered Guinness shelves empty at Tesco in St Helens, Merseyside, wrote on X: ‘Hope no-one is expecting any Guinness. It’s people only thinking of themselves.’
Fan account Pints O’Guinness replied: ‘Idiots are stockpiling.’
Craig Panks, who found Guinness sold out at a Tesco in Scotland, said: ‘It can only be described as a disaster. And my local off-licence is out as well.’
Stephen Clews, who found the Guinness section bare at Tesco in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, said: ‘Every can and bottle of Guinness were gone.’
Film producer Ray Verma added: ‘I just got the last pack of Guinness in my local Asda.’
Tesco said photos taken of empty Guinness shelves in its supermarkets did not represent its overall stocks of Guinness at other stores.
Guinness brewer Diageo said supermarkets and off-licences had seen a 22 per cent increase in Guinness can and bottle sales, the most recent available data showed.
A Diageo spokesperson said: ‘We are working closely to manage Guinness distribution and ensure we maximise supply and minimise disruptions for retailers and pubs.’
Some pubs have run out of Guinness during December after a sales surge was triggered by the stout’s increased popularity with younger drinkers.
The boom was partially driven by a viral game where a drinker tries to ‘split the G’ by supping down to name on the pint glass in the first gulp.
As the demand for the drink began to surge just before Christmas, pub owners were forced to redirect reserves earmarked for Ireland to the UK.
