An unprecedented rise in Guinness sales has caused a shortage of the popular Irish stout in the run up to Christmas.
The latest sales data shows that Guinness consumption has risen by more than 20% over the past 12 months, taking its owner, Diageo, by surprise.
A social media trend, known as 'split the G' went viral this year which helped sales.
Young people film themselves trying to swallow enough Guinness on their first sip so that the line between the liquid and the foamy head ends up halfway through the “G” on the Guinness-branded glass.
However, earlier this month, The Times first reported that the nation’s Guinness stocks were being depleted after a year of surging demand.
Guinness' owner Diageo said in a statement that it was limiting how much pubs can buy because of "exceptional consumer demand" in Great Britain.
Landlords across the UK have described the shortage as "a shambles".
Diageo has invested more than £160million in a new brewery in Co Kildare to keep up with growing demand for its draught products in recent years, and an additional £20million in its Dublin brewery to cater for demand for non-alcoholic Guinness.
FTSE 100
The UK's flagship share index, the FTSE 100, was down 20-points at 8,300 shortly after opening this morning.
Brent crude oil futures were down 0.19%, trading at $74.16 a barrel.
Companies reporting today
No FTSE 350 Reporters