I tested stouts as Guinness shortage starts to bite… winner was complex, creamy pint from brewery linked to sport star

THESE are dark times for Guinness drinkers as pubs up and down the country run dry – due to a viral TikTok trend.

“Splitting the G” involves draining just enough from a pint glass in one gulp to leave the line between the remaining beer and its foamy head cutting through the letter “G” in Guinness, as shown in this picture.

It is leaving boozers short of the bevvy.

This is a problem compounded last month by the disappearance of a truck in the Midlands, which was transporting hundreds of 50-litre kegs of the Irish stout – equalling 35,200 pints.

Fortunately, if you are struggling to get hold of a Guinness at your local, there are plenty of other contenders lining our supermarket shelves.

Here, Thea Jacobs tests and marks some of the top alternatives – which range in strength from a classic 4.1 per cent ABV to 6 per cent.

BrewDog Black Heart 4.1 per cent, Tesco, £5.50 (4 x 440ml cans) - 2/5

THIS isn’t as carbonated as some of the others, and certainly not as fine.

BrewDog says it has an in-can widget, just like Guinness.

But that being the case, I have no idea what it is doing.

The head is lacklustre, at best. It’s not so much creamy as semi-skimmed.

And it is much more bitter than the others, which is not what I’m looking for.

BrewDog sells it as an old dog with new tricks.

But I don’t think this can of stout has any tricks at all.

It’s not bad, but not standout. I suppose it would do if there was nothing else.

Kakawa Chocolate Stout
4.5 per cent, Lidl, £1.85 (per 440ml can) - 3/5

AS I cracked open this can, there was barely any pressure released.

But even though I was not expecting to find that much of a head, I was pleasantly surprised at the one that did materialise.

The content of this can is darker than the rest and I would say it is not really a stout in the style of Guinness.

This is very much its own beer. You can taste the chocolate and it is definitely more lively than some of the others I have tried.

Strangely, I can imagine it being nice to drink on a hot day.

Dark Arts Surreal Stout 6 per cent, Waitrose, £3.15 (per 440ml can) - 4/5

I CAN instantly tell this is a lively brew, given that it almost bursts from the tin as I open it.

It pours out nicely and has a really good head on it.

Given that it is labelled as a vegan product, I am a bit suspicious at first.

But it is actually a really tasty drink – with a good creaminess to the head.

It is livelier than Guinness, with mild flavours.

And while, at six per cent, it is another strong brew, it does not feel it on the tongue.

This could be very dangerous!

Hobgoblin Stout 4.1 per cent, Morrisons, £2.25 (per 500ml bottle) - 1/5

WHILE this stout looks good once poured out – with a decent head – it is very forgettable.

It is easy to knock back because it lacks flavour.

There is none of the signature creaminess I would expect from this kind of beer. It also misses the hoppiness found in Guinness.

And it does not really have any chocolate or coffee flavours to it.

All round, it is just pretty anonymous.

You could drink several of these in a sitting. But I doubt you’d remember enjoying them.

Coffee Stout 5.2 per cent, Aldi, £1.69 (per 500ml bottle) - 3/5

THIS one has a really strong caramel nose to it.

It’s extremely light in colour compared to the others I sampled.

And it produces a good head, despite being from a bottle.

To taste, Aldi’s offering has strong caramel notes and an undertone of vanilla.

The coffee stout is almost sweet, which really isn’t what I expect in this type of ale.

It looks similar to Guinness, but is very much its own drink – like a dessert you could have after a main meal!

Overall, a great brew but not a good Guinness substitute.

Black Sheep Milk Stout 4.4 per cent, Tesco, £2 (per 500ml bottle) - 3/5

WITH a darker head than all the others, this was almost like drinking liquid charcoal.

And I mean that in the best way possible!

It has a chocolatey tone to it, without being too lively.

And there really is no alcohol smell from it, either.

The head is a bit nondescript in taste, but that did not matter too much to me.

This feels like something out of a cask rather than an aerated sparkler in a pub.

I don’t know if I could drink lots of it in one sitting. But it is certainly a good sipping beer.

Forged Irish 4.2 per cent, Asda, £5.75 (4 x 440ml cans) - 5/5

THIS has the head I would expect from a pub pour – and then some!

But that might be user error, and it definitely detracted from the taste of the ale.

However, once past that, it is nice and creamy.

I would say it is actually creamier than the can of Guinness.

And it has a more complex flavour, leaving coffee and chocolate dancing across the tongue.

I would rather stock up on this one than cans of Guinness – and it’s cheaper.

Fuller’s Black Cab Stout 4.5 per cent, Morrisons, £2.25 (per 500ml bottle) - 2/5

STOUT connoisseurs are not going to be overly impressed with this.

It is very dark in colour and has a deep flavour to it.

But even though it has a good head when poured out, this lacks the creaminess I like. It has a slight bitterness to it.

I would say it is definitely based on Fuller’s signature Pride ale – and that’s not a bad thing.

But leave it on the shelf if you are looking for something extra special.

It’s a good middle ground between bitter and stout.

Guinness 4.1 per cent, Tesco, £4.99 (4 x 440ml cans) - 3/5

HERE is the classic stout we all know from the pub.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much of a head I am getting on the beer as I pour.

While it does not taste exactly like the fresh draught, the little ball inside – known as a widget – is doing a decent imitation by releasing nitrogen to create its creamy head and smooth, velvety texture.

This tin also has the hoppiness I expect from Guinness.

It is good for a can. But just bang average overall.