Guinness plans for low-volume pubs

Guinness is to launch a bar-top unit that delivers draught quality Guinness from cans in the UK on-trade.

The device, known as the Surger, was first introduced in Japan and France.

The unit uses special unwidgeted 52cl cans of Guinness, and delivers the creamy head by sending an ultra-sonic pulse from its base through the liquid.

Diageo GB is testing the device in 100 on-trade outlets in the Meridian region, and sees it as a way of gaining distribution and improving product quality in low-volume pubs that sell less than half a keg a week.

Meanwhile, the new Guinness Red brand will be in all of its test outlets by the end of this week.

The trial takes in 142 Mitchells & Butlers pubs, across a range of styles and brands.

Red is aimed at infrequent, male Guinness drinkers, who drink fewer than four pints of the brand a year.

Diageo innovation manager Simon Garnett said: "There are a lot of people who will drink Guinness around key events such as St Patrick's Day or watching rugby but not at other times."

It is made using barley roasted for a shorter time than regular Guinness, giving it a sweeter taste and ruby colour.

A new Guinness advert, which echoes the famous Anticipation ad of the 1990s, features a pair of stop-frame animated hands performing a dance.

Guinness is spending a 10th of its annual marketing

budget of £25m on screening the ads in February and March.