In 1759, Guinness, an iconic beer, was born and cemented itself as the most legendary Irish stout. When Guinness was founded, the founders wanted to claim a symbol that could represent Ireland in all its glory, so they used the harp sign, the official national emblem of Ireland, as the logo. Guinness, and its harp symbol, continues to be an iconic Irish staple to this day. When you order a Guinness, it’s usually served with its accompanying glass — which has the harp symbol placed right above “Guinness.” The glass, and the act of taking your first sip of the beer, has caused debate for many decades, as people argue over exactly how much you should be sipping when you put the pint to your lips. It’s called splitting the G, and the debate has recently made its way to TikTok. Here is what we know about this challenge and the major debate it has caused recently.
What does it mean to split the G?
Splitting the G essentially refers to the act of taking your first, likely large, sip of Guinness. The goal is to sip enough to allow the beer to then settle right between the “G” on the glass. This challenge is harder than it might sound, as you must sip the perfect amount of beer out to split the G correctly. TikTok has gone feral over this challenge, and it has become a fun, or some might say, highly competitive, game whilst sippin’ on stout. As if this isn’t hard enough, pub goers are debating whether the challenge should be to split the G or to sip enough to land between the bottom of the harp symbol and the top of the G. Either way, both challenges seem hard to me. The one thing people can agree on, though, is that for the challenge, you must do it in one sip, with no pauses or tilts to check your progress.
Which challenge is harder?
Most agree that splitting the G is harder to do as you must be extremely precise to do it correctly. If you’re participating in the other way, it can be slightly less precise as the goal is to drink enough to get the beer to settle anywhere between the bottom of the harp and top of the letters, creating a bit more leniency for the sip.
Where can you “play the game?”
The most authentic place to partake in the challenge would be Ireland itself, as it’s the home of Guinness beer and local pubs. However, there are ways to “play” at home. You can purchase Guinness glassware and cans online, pour it into your glass, and pretend you’re at the pub with friends. Or, you can go the full nine yards and purchase Guinness’s latest innovation, which is the at-home microdraught — a new way to have Guinness at home, authentically. This challenge is the perfect way to ring in St. Patrick’s Day this year — whether you’re playing in your college house, or at a local pub in Ireland. I say it’s time to book a flight to Ireland, go straight to the pubs, and split the G with some local peeps.
#SpoonTip: Drinking can be fun, but be responsible. Spoon does not promote binge or underage drinking. Stay safe!