Wikimedia Commons, In Cork, a dark pint on the bar is not necessarily a Guinness. At The Roundy, the drinks menu also features two names tied to the city’s brewing history: Beamish and Murphy’s. It is a good starting point for understanding what lies behind Diageo’s latest results. On 5 November 2026, Guinness’s owner acknowledged that competition between stouts was intensifying. For travellers, that raises a simpler question: what should you order at the bar if you want to try something different?
What Diageo says about competition for Guinness
Local pressure, differing results across markets
In its 5 November quarterly update, Diageo reported a slight fall in beer sales in Great Britain and Ireland. This figure covers the group’s beer category across both markets: it does not mean that Guinness sales fell in the Republic of Ireland. Guinness did, in fact, grow in other regions, notably Africa and German-speaking markets.
Speaking after the results were published, chief executive Dave Lewis cited pressure from rivals as well as the summer heat, The Grocer reported. These comments do not provide detailed market shares by brand. The beers below are alternatives to discover for their flavour and local roots; there is nothing to suggest that they individually account for the decline reported by Diageo.
In Cork, two historic stouts to compare at the same bar
Beamish and Murphy’s: the contrast comes at the finish
For an initial comparison, start at The Roundy in Cork, whose online menu lists both. The pub describes Beamish as a stout with roasted malt notes and a dry finish. That finish—the flavour that lingers after a sip—is the best clue if you want to distinguish it from Murphy’s, generally described as smoother and creamier.
Taste Cork presents both as county classics. Ordering them here lets you discover more than a variation on Guinness: two brands with their own history in Cork, still appearing side by side on a pub menu. Ask what is available when you visit: an online menu is a useful guide, not a real-time picture of what is on tap.
From the Barrow Valley to Dublin, two ways to continue your exploration
O’Hara’s, then the Porterhouse stouts
The third beer to look for is O’Hara’s Irish Stout, from the independent family-run Carlow Brewing Company. The brewer describes a roasted profile with hop bitterness: another way of balancing a dark beer. O’Hara’s also offers its stout in a nitro version. If texture is what interests you, ask which version the pub serves: the name on the menu does not always tell you how the beer will arrive in the glass.
For a stop in Dublin, the Porterhouse in Temple Bar is another option: its website lists house beers and stouts, including alcohol-free options. I have not confirmed whether O’Hara’s is available there; it is best to ask which stouts are on draught that day. If you are planning a stay focused on brewing history, you can also save the Guinness Storehouse for an understanding of how a Dublin brand became the benchmark against which others are compared.
