Is the era of Guinness coming to an end?

Lent, finishing next week, is a time when many people in Ireland make sacrifice until Easter Sunday. Quite few gave up drinking alcohol for several weeks, though some made exception for St. Patrick’s Day.

But that’s not the main reason of falling Guinness sale (the 2006 figures for Ireland and Britain show a drop of 7%, continuing a trend that began years ago). The scale of the shift from drinking Guinness, which takes its dark colour from the roasted barley, appears even more dramatic given that Ireland has the fastest growing population in the European Union.

Some people blame the trend on the Irish Republic's smoking ban in pubs; others say it has to do with a crackdown on drink-driving. The main reason however is changing life-style as new wealth, new opportunities and immigration transform tastes and drinking habits in Ireland.

Alongside the decline of Guinness is an increasing appetite for wine, spirits, cider and imported beer. People are drinking more alcohol at home and are mainly choosing wine.

Is the era of Irish pubs filled with Guinness drinkers coming to end? Probably yes, but let’s hope that even when serving wheat bears from Czech Republic or …… Chardonney pubs won’t lose their unique and friendly atmosphere.