Guinness cans and the floating widget issue.

T

twofor1

Registered User
Messages
1,631
This story was covered By Joe Duffy on Liveline and most of the newspapers last week.

https://www.joe.ie/news/diageo-confirm-guinness-cans-no-longer-have-the-floating-widget-706829

https://www.independent.ie/irish-ne...ing-widgets-in-cans-of-guinness-39652053.html

Anyway, I have just tried my first 470ml fixed widget can of Guinness and like many, I am not impressed.

Not only is the can smaller, the head is much flatter, not as creamy to drink and tastes totally different. No way is it the exact same as claimed by Diago.

What do others think ?

I normally stick a 24 slap in the garage as it works out substantially cheaper per can, when this slab is gone I will happily pay the 25% more per can for the 8 pack as it still has the floating widget.
 
Last edited:
Why didnt they offer people a few bob to bring their used widgets back, clean them, and pop them back in new cans?
Win-win, no?
 
I drink draught Guinness and bottled Guinness. The canned stuff doesn’t hold candlelight to either.
 
Dunnes Stores have dropped the price of a slab (24 cans) of draft Guinness from €30 to €28, which is just about right to make up for the lost 30mls.
 
Drakon said:
I drink draught Guinness and bottled Guinness. The canned stuff doesn’t hold candlelight to either.
Click to expand...
I drink draught Guinness and while the can't aren't the same thing they are still nice. Bottled Guinness is manky.
 
Duke of Marmalade said:
Dunnes Stores have dropped the price of a slab (24 cans) of draft Guinness from €30 to €28, which is just about right to make up for the lost 30mls.
Click to expand...
You should reprimand your staff for bothering to concern you with such trivial matters.
 
Not been embroiled in current issue but any time previously I have bought a slab (last xmas maybe) approx 25% of the widget cans were duds. The duds poured a thin/ anaemic head - thats a fairly high proportion of rubbish Guinness.
 
deanpark said:
Not been embroiled in current issue but any time previously I have bought a slab (last xmas maybe) approx 25% of the widget cans were duds. The duds poured a thin/ anaemic head - thats a fairly high proportion of rubbish Guinness.
Click to expand...
I think I've only had that happen once or twice and I've had hundreds of cans, maybe thousands.
 
Large bottles of Phoenix , Harp , Smithwicks , Guinness , Bass and Carling were available in Waterford pubs until relatively recently but sadly only Guinness and Smithwicks are now readily available with Guinness hugely outselling Smithwicks.
Obviously depending on your preference you can choose your bottle offa the shelf or offa the cooler !
A small glass is obligatory and the lack as you say would generally settle for a Ritz and a packet of crips
 
I heard a spokesperson for Diagio (Guinness) say there was a shortage of widgets for their cans of the Black Stuff. I reckon the stuff won't taste the same until a plentiful supply of widgets becomes available and I understand this will happen in early 2021.

But, all is not lost. Draught Murphys in cans was always a superior product. I would have put the cans of Beamish on par with Guinness but in my days of taking alcohol the can of Murphys was easily better (in taste, presentation, content etc) than Guinness.

I agree with Déise Blue (above) - the large bottle of Guinness when chilled and drank from a half-pint glass beats them all.
 
Centra have 12 packs of the 500ml floating widget cans of Draught Guinness for a very reasonable €15.

More importantly though, it is the proper Draught Guinness that looks, pours and tastes like it should.

I will be keeping my inferior fixed widget cans for christmas visitors.
 
Leper said:
If you haven't tried it don't deride it!
Click to expand...
I did try it. Bland and watery muck (actually it's not bad but not as nice as Guinness).

On a side note I tried the famous Waterford Blaa recently. Can anyone tell me what makes it different from a soft white bread roll? I was underwhelmed.
 
Purple said:
I did try it. Bland and watery muck (actually it's not bad but not as nice as Guinness).

On a side note I tried the famous Waterford Blaa recently. Can anyone tell me what makes it different from a soft white bread roll? I was underwhelmed.
Click to expand...
As I can't convert you to trying Murphys or Beamish once again, I'll try and explain something about the Waterford Blaa. Back in the day when we lived in Waterford we used to buy our blaas on Ballybricken (corner shop across the road from the Garda Station). They were affordable, fresh and available always. It was worth driving to Ballybricken early just to get the blaas fresh for your immediate breakfast. The blaas were magnificently tasty. Some people had more fondness for the lower section of the blaa although I preferred the top.

Soft white bread rolls are insipid next to the blaas. I've seen "Waterford Blaas" recently in Dunnes Stores - they fall down on the job on taste, size, appearance, smell and feel.

I've tried baking the Waterford Blaas from a recipe using Strong Flour and still were not as good as the blaas I used to buy in Ballybricken.

You're learning though, Purple - You're coming up in my estimation. You'll be supporting Cork Hurling next (if they manage to beat Dublin shortly).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top