In the days leading up to Christmas, stout lovers are reeling from a severe national shortage of Guinness, with some pubs forced to ration pints of the 'black stuff' as taps begin to run dry. .
Supermarkets remain at risk of running out of stock as customers stock up, while Diageo, maker of the popular stout, reportedly He even sent extra Guinness reserves from Ireland..
Now, it has been revealed that criminals are pulling out all the stops to overcome the drought, carrying out robberies that are exacerbating the nationwide shortage.
The Guardian has revealed that a truck carrying 400 30-litre barrels of Irish stout – equivalent to more than 20,000 pints – disappeared from a warehouse in the Midlands in mid-December.
The contents of the truck were meant to be sent to pubs wanting kegs of Guinness during the peak of the festival, but it is believed to have been stolen from a distribution hub near Daventry, Northamptonshire.
Diageo, the owner of Guinness, declined to comment on the theft allegations.
However, a source familiar with the incident confirmed that a subcontractor of a company in Diageo's supply chain had reported the theft to police.
The Guardian has contacted Northamptonshire Police for comment, but it is believed the whereabouts of the stolen Guinness remains a mystery.
The Guinness shortage has been exacerbated by its newfound popularity among Gen Zers, who like to pose with beer on social media. Diageo, which brews its stout at its St James's Gate brewery in Dublin, has ramped up its marketing efforts and worked with influencers in recent years to raise the profile of Guinness.
The apparent theft follows a series of recent crimes in which edible delicacies have been stolen.
In December, the Michelin-starred chef called on the public to “do the right thing” and give pies to people in need after thieves stole a van containing 2,500 pies.
Detectives investigating the theft of 22 tonnes of cheese from Neal's Yard Dairy two months ago arrested a 63-year-old man on suspicion of fraud by false representation and handling stolen goods.
A London cheese specialist delivered 950 wheels of cheddar cheese – reportedly worth up to £300,000 – to a suspected fraudster posing as a wholesaler for a major French retailer.
The 2024 Guinness Heist isn't the first to take advantage of the busy Christmas period to steal thousands of pints of ebony nectar.
In 2007, The van drove into the St James's Gate brewery.where Guinness is manufactured, escaped with 180 barrels of Guinness, 180 barrels of Budweiser, and 90 barrels of Carlsberg (equivalent to 40,000 pints), also during the Christmas run-up.
