HAPPY St Patrick’s Day! Many will be raising a glass of Guinness to celebrate the occasion – but is it really the best stout on the market?
The famous Dublin drink is facing competition from other breweries and supermarkets who are now producing their own dark stouts.
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We carried out a taste test to see whether you can swap Guinness products for a different brand without sacrificing quality.
We looked at a range of dark tipples on sale at the major supermarkets and compared them with the leading brand Guinness.
We gave them a score out of 10 for taste and a score out of 10 for value for money.
So which brand had the luck of the Irish on their side and came out on top? We reveal all below.
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Guinness
- £14 for 10 440ml cans from Iceland
- £1.40 per can
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There’s a reason that Guinness is the go-to stout for many.
Even in a can, it still tastes just as good as freshly poured pint.
It still has its recognisable malty sweetness and a hoppy bitterness that we all know and love.
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It’s lively and lovely and I even managed to get a perfect, creamy head on the pour.
Just delicious and puts you in the mood for St. Patrick’s Day.
- Taste: 10/10
- Value: 9/10
- Total: 19/20
Brewdog Black Heart
- £12.50 for 10 440ml cans from Tesco
- £1.25 per can
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A smooth stout that is lot lighter than pub-poured pint.
People are only just realising the meaning behind Guinness’ iconic logo
It also had a decent creamy head and a very subtle, bitter smell.
Sadly though, I was a bit disappointed when I tasted it because I found it to be pretty bland.
If you’re looking for a Guinness alternative that’s just as satisfying and tasty, I don’t think this Brewdog option quite hits the mark.
- Taste: 5/10
- Value: 5/20
- Total: 10/20
Velvet Stout
- £1.50 for one 330ml can from Asda
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Asda’s stout is brewed exclusively for them, and I was fairly impressed.
It smelt good with a malty, dark chocolate undertone and it hit me as soon as I opened the can.
But it poured a bit like Coca-Cola though, and the frothy head disappeared pretty much straight away.
The taste made up for it though as it was really rich and left a pleasant aftertaste.
- Taste: 8/10
- Value: 8/10
- Total: 16/20
Camden Town Brewery Stout Smooth
- £2.50 for one can from Sainsbury’s
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Camden’s stout looked promising from the second I started pouring it from the can.
It looked and smelt the most like Guinness and its pour was super smooth with a silky head.
The stout did have a bit more of a bitter taste than the other beverages though, but I still really enjoyed it.
So if you prefer a bitter taste, this one is for you.
At £2.50 for an individual can though, it’s a pretty pricey option.
- Taste: 9/10
- Value: 5/10
- Total: 14/20
Irish Stout
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M&S’ stout was one of the priciest I tried and it just wasn’t worth it.
The taste didn’t compare to Guinness and I found it to be quite nondescript.
It was neither bitter nor sweet and the texture was thin.
The stout also left a strange, smokey aftertaste, which wasn’t particularly pleasant.
- Taste: 4/10
- Value: 4/10
- Total: 8/20
Lancaster Black Stout
- £2.25 per 500ml bottle from Asda
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Lancaster Brewery’s stout was dark, refreshing and full-bodied.
As soon as I took off the cap, I was hit with the smell of coffee and chocolate.
It also poured beautifully, with a silky, smooth and creamy head.
While £2.25 is a little pricey, Asda is currently selling four bottles for the price of three.
This means you could pick up four for just £1.69 per bottle – making it cheaper than both Camden and M&S’ offering.
- Taste: 8/10
- Value: 9/10
- Total: 17/20
There is still plenty of time to get everything you need for St Patrick’s Day.
Bear in mind prices can vary from one day to the next and items can go on a deal at any point, especially in the build-up to a big occasion.
Note that some supermarkets charge extra for delivery, it may be cheaper to include the selection box in your weekly shop or to pick them up in-store.
Of course, you should always drink responsibly – for more information you should visit the Drinkaware website.
Trolley.co.uk has a price comparison tool which compares the prices of 130,000 products across all major supermarkets.
The Latest Deals app also lets you search items and helps you compare prices at several supermarkets to see where it’s cheaper.
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Meanwhile, Wetherspoons has slashed the price of pints including Guinness for St Patrick’s Day.
Plus, celebrate St Patrick’s Day on a budget with these bargains.
How can I save on my supermarket shop?
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
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