The scene is becoming increasingly frequent, and is currently creating a real question mark in Ireland’s pub industry. Michael, aged 12, is in a Galway pub with his parents, quietly sipping a non-alcoholic Guinness. Same branded pint as the alcoholic Guinness. Same color, same taste. Only the alcohol content changes: Michael is obviously drinking a non-alcoholic beer.
A phenomenon that is currently creating controversy: more and more bartenders are proving uncomfortable with the idea of serving non-alcoholic beer to minors. For many, this behavior tends to lead to a trivialization of alcohol among young people, which could ultimately lead them to consume alcoholic beers more readily.
Of course, alcohol-free beer is physiologically harmless for minors. But more and more Irish people are questioning the long-term consequences for children who get into the habit of drinking this type of beverage.
Especially since Guinness 0.0 has succeeded in recreating the perfect Guinness clone in a non-alcoholic version. So it’s impossible to know whether the youngster is really drinking a non-alcoholic beer, or whether the glasses have been switched afterwards.
For many bartenders, it’s all about appearance:
Even though it’s a non-alcoholic beer, we clearly get the impression that a child is drinking a stout. A real beer. The image is disturbing for us.
This is a major problem, especially as Guinness is currently enjoying a resurgence of interest among young people. This is thanks to influencers like Kim Kardashian, who are increasingly appealing to Generation Z, and other influencers who have even revived the Split the G Challenge, a challenge consisting of drinking a Guinness in one go, so that the waterline of the foam intersects the G of the pint in the middle.
For many parents and bartenders, the time has come to legislate on this type of 0.0% drink. Some are calling for a ban on serving these drinks to minors.
Serving a non-alcoholic beer in a pub to a child tends to blur the lines between what is acceptable and what is not. Above all, it can accustom a child to tastes that are not for his age group, and trivialize his use of alcohol later on. Nothing will stop him from switching to the alcoholic version more easily… said a Dublin bartender.
The government will surely be asked to comment on the issue in the coming months. Ireland, a country plagued by alcoholism, has for some time been tightening up its rules on alcohol consumption. No doubt the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) will take the issue seriously…
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