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Which beers sold as foreign are brewed in Britain, and what to buy instead

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Work in progress. We are still reading cans and settling where listings disagree. Seen a beer whose small print contradicts its label? Tell us.

Where is Guinness Foreign Extra Stout brewed?

Imported, not from the country on the label Verified Last checked 6 September 2026

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout is sold as Irish, but the beer in UK shops is imported from Nigeria.

Listed by Asda when last checked. The product pages are among the sources below.

7.5%
UK
7.5%
Ireland
The UK version matches the strength sold in Ireland.

Every beer on the shelf by strength

Brewed for the UK in
Imported from Nigeria
Imported
Sold as a beer from
Ireland
Guinness Irish branding and Dublin heritage
Brewed in (country)
Nigeria
Brand owner
Diageo plc
HQ: United Kingdom
UK strength
7.5%
Strength at home (Ireland)
7.5%
7.5% on the Asda 4 x 325ml pack, which is the Nigerian-brewed version, and 7.5% on Guinness's Irish page for the Irish-market version.
What the UK label says
“Country of Origin: Nigeria. Brewed under licence by Guinness Nigeria PLC. Guinness Nigeria PLC., 24 Oba Akran Avenue, Ikeja. 'Imported for its unique taste'”
Source: www.asda.com
More about the brand: rights, style, when it was created, where it is brewed at home
UK rights held by
Diageo Great Britain Ltd (owned)
Style
Foreign extra stout
Brand created
1801, Ireland
Brewed at home in
St James's Gate, Dublin, Ireland (the Irish-market version)

In short

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout is imported. The UK product is brewed in Nigeria. That is not the country the branding suggests: it is sold as Irish, but the beer comes from Nigeria. It is also the same strength as at home, 7.5%. The brand belongs to Diageo plc. The label says: "Country of Origin: Nigeria. Brewed under licence by Guinness Nigeria PLC. Guinness Nigeria PLC., 24 Oba Akran Avenue, Ikeja. 'Imported for its unique taste'."

What changed

Questions people ask

Where is Guinness Foreign Extra Stout brewed?

The UK product is imported from Nigeria.

Is Guinness Foreign Extra Stout brewed in the UK?

No. The UK product is brewed in Nigeria.

Is Guinness Foreign Extra Stout really Irish?

It is sold as Irish, but the beer in UK shops is brewed in Nigeria.

Who owns Guinness Foreign Extra Stout?

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout is owned by Diageo plc, headquartered in the United Kingdom. In the UK the brand is handled by Diageo Great Britain Ltd.

What strength is Guinness Foreign Extra Stout in the UK?

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout is 7.5% ABV in the UK. In Ireland it is 7.5%.

Is Guinness Foreign Extra Stout weaker in the UK than in Ireland?

No. It is 7.5% in both the UK and Ireland.

See also

Caffrey's Irish Ale
Tadcaster · 3.8% · sold as Irish
Brewed here Partly verified
Harp Lager
Imported from Ireland · sold as Irish
Partly verified
Murphy's Irish Stout
Brewed in Britain · 4.0% · sold as Irish
Brewed here Verified
Rockshore Irish Lager
Imported from Ireland · sold as Irish
Partly verified
Smithwick's
Imported from Ireland · 3.8% · sold as Irish
Genuine import Verified

Side by side with Harp Lager, Rockshore Irish Lager and Caffrey's Irish Ale.

Every beer sold as Ireland · Every brand owned by Diageo plc

Sources

  1. 365 Drinks (365drinks.co.uk), 5 September 2026: Guinness Foreign Extra Stout sold in the UK in 330ml bottles
  2. Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org), 5 September 2026: 7.5% ABV Dublin version; separate locally brewed versions in other markets
  3. Asda (asda.com), 5 September 2026: Guinness Foreign Extra Stout 4 x 325ml: alcohol by volume 7.5; Country of Origin Nigeria; 'Brewed under licence by Guinness Nigeria PLC.'; manufacturer 'Guinness Nigeria PLC., 24 Oba Akran Avenue, Ikeja.'; features 'Imported for its unique taste'. Tesco shows the same 4 x 325ml title in search.
  4. Guinness (guinness.com), 5 September 2026: Brewer's UK page gives 7.5% and names no brewing location or pack size.
  5. Guinness (Ireland) (guinness.com), 5 September 2026: Guinness's Irish page gives 7.5% and names no brewing location.

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