Australians can’t get enough of Guinness, with more than 23.5 million litres of the iconic stout expected to be consumed nationwide this year, the equivalent of over 41 million pints.
That’s up around seven million litres on last year’s volumes and is being driven by rising popularity among younger drinkers and women.
This week Guinness’ Australian distributor Lion ensured more than more than 1.2 million litres of the dark beer were ready to pour across the country for St Patrick’s Day, equivalent to around 2.1 million pints.
Nearly one in three Australians aged 18–34 now drink Guinness, with Lion revealing almost one million additional women have tried the beer over the past 12 months, marking the strongest year-on-year growth among any demographic group.
Lion Brand Director – Craft & Premium Beer Amy Hiscock said: “Guinness has always had a loyal following, but right now it’s reaching more Australians than ever.
“Gen Z and women are driving a lot of its extraordinary momentum. The love for Guinness is building year after year and St Patrick’s Day is the ultimate celebration of that.”
Victoria is Australia’s biggest Guinness market, with 5.1 million litres (around 8.9 million pints) consumed over the past year. NSW follows with 4.9 million litres (about 8.6 million pints). Western Australia accounts for just over 10% of the adult population drinking Guinness, with nearly one in five pints poured nationally enjoyed in the state. Queensland recorded 3.4 million litres of sales over the past year, while South Australia accounted for 1.3 million litres and Tasmania around 500,000 litres.
According to a report in The Australian, an extra 886 Guinness taps were available in Australian hospitality venues in September 2025 compared to September 2024. From June to August there were 10 new Guinness taps going into Australian venues every day.
Last year’s British & Irish Lions rugby tour also turbocharged enthusiasm Guinness, with fans drinking two million pints throughout the series.
Retailers are reaping the benefits too. A spokeswoman for Endeavour Group said Guinness sales were up 22.7% in 2025 across its stores. Sales of the single Guinness 470ml can were up 563% year-on-year and both the six-pack and carton experienced more than 400% in growth.
A social media trend called “Splitting the G” is also fuelling enthusiasm for the brand. The drinking challenge’s goal is to take a single, large gulp of the stout in a way that the liquid and foam line up perfectly with the middle of the “G” in the Guinness logo on the pint glass. This means the foam should sit right at the midpoint of the letter “G” after your first sip.
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