Guinness has been forced to recall their 0.0 Stout just two weeks after it was released over concerns of a microbiological contamination during production, which could have made some cans unsafe to drink.
In a statement on its website, Guinness (owned by Diageo) said: “We wanted to let you know that as a precautionary measure we are recalling Guinness 0.0 in Great Britain because of a microbiological contamination which may make some cans of Guinness 0.0 unsafe to consume.
“If you have bought Guinness 0.0 do not consume it. Instead, please return the product to your point of purchase for a full refund. Alternatively, contact the Diageo Consumer Careline on consumercare.gbandireland@diageo.com or 0345 601 4558 with details of your purchase to receive a refund voucher before disposing of the product.”
The brand also apologized to customers. On its website, the brewery also says its team is “working hard to investigate and determine the root cause” of the contamination.
The new stout was created in response to what Guinness said was growing consumer demand for lower-calorie and non-alcoholic drinks.
It is produced with the same amounts of water, barley, hops, and yeast as a traditional Guinness before the alcohol is removed using a cold filtration method.
According to BBC.com, at the time of launch, Guinness bosses insisted that none of the traditional flavor had been lost, with the seal of approval being given by independent taste testers.
The new product was due to become available on draught in pubs next spring, before being launched in other parts of the world later in 2021.
