They say Guinness is good for you... but the booze-free alternative is proving particularly beneficial for the brewers at St James’s Gate.

Around one in eight pints pouring out of the giant brewery will soon be Guinness 0.0.

The alcohol-free stout was introduced to Irish pubs on draught less than four years ago, but it has already seen a “significant” sales growth of 161% between June 2022 and March of this year.

Guinness owner Diageo Ireland’s commercial director, Ross Bissett, said: “Following our recent investment announcement of €30m in Guinness 0.0 production, we expect Guinness 0.0 to take up about 12% of all production at St James’s Gate, which is a testament to the sheer demand we’re seeing and the incredible high-quality product our teams continue to produce here in Dublin 8.”

Guinness 0.0 is now available in 4,000 pubs, restaurants and hotels across the country, as the non-alcoholic stout enjoys “phenomenal growth”.

It has been particularly welcomed by rural publicans as their thirsty patrons do not have to worry about drink-driving to get home.

Publican Cathal Sheridan, who is the seventh generation of his family to run Sheridan’s Bar in Milltown, Co. Galway, hailed the positive impact the brew can have in rural Ireland.

He remarked: “We have seen a huge demand for Guinness 0.0.

“It’s also key for the future of rural pubs as we try to encourage folks through the door.

“People who are drinking Guinness 0.0 are people who already drink Guinness – folks who now enjoy having the option of the same taste and quality of Guinness, just in a non-alcoholic version.”