I taste tested the alternative to Guinness you need to try

In recent years, Guinness has been having somewhat of a resurgence. Not since the heady days of the Good things come to those who wait campaign, coupled with the surfer - voted the greatest TV ad of all-time, has the black stuff felt so at the forefront of the public consciousness. At least when it comes to what you’re ordering at the bar.

Whether it’s ‘splitting the G’, your mate who is constantly telling you that “Yeah, the Guinness is great in there, but it’s not as good as it is in Dublin”, or its current ubiquitousness during the Six Nations, Guinness is everywhere. Bars around Glasgow and the rest of the world are fully embracing. Find a pub or bar’s social media account and you’ll find someone extolling the virtues of two-part pours, extra cold versus served at no more or less than six degrees celsius or, rightfully, lambasting those who fail to order their pint of Dublin’s finest at the start of the order.

All that has certainly had an effect on the great British pub trade. Such is the popularity of Guinness that owner Diageo has reported sales more than 20% higher in the run up to Christmas last year - prompting, ultimately false, speculation that the drinks brand would cash in on the popularity and sell it off. Further, it led to nationwide shortages of the beer. That shortage saw their, many, competitors seek to cash in.

One of those brands cashing in on that increase of demand was Murphy’s Irish Stout. So we headed off to Malone’s on Sauchiehall Lane to give the challenger to the throne a try.

Originating in Cork, the stout is produced by Dutch brewing giants Heineken but it’s a very different pint to what’s being produced up in Dublin.

Now, before I go any further I should probably register my interests. I am an avowed Guinness drinker, it would probably be my second choice going into a bar. However, I also worked for Murphy’s producer Heineken for a number of years before becoming a reporter - and have very fond memories of being shipped off home with crates of Murphy’s.

That said, for me Murphy’s and Guinness are similar in the sense that they are stouts, but it’s there that the similarities end. Whilst Guinness is known for being thick and creamy, Murphy's mouthfeel is much thinner with a much less bitter taste. But that’s not necessarily to its detriment.

Often drinking Guinness during a more lengthy session can feel a bit of a slog, at some point you’re going to feel like you’ve had a three-course meal - with seconds. But Murphy’s feels more sessionable, whilst maintaining that same great stout flavour.

So, if you find yourself in a bar and instinctively opting for a pint of Guinness - give Murphy’s a go and see how they compare.