What Does 'Split The G' Mean When Drinking Guinness?

Ronin83/Shutterstock

Guinness is a beer that takes itself seriously — and so do the drinkers of said beer. And, sure, the milky stout probably tastes better when poured in its Irish home, but there are still some rules about pouring Guinness, Stateside, or wherever you may have a pint. However, if you've ever ordered a pint at an Irish pub anywhere around the globe, you may have heard someone dare you to "split the G," as you take your first sip. But what does that actually mean?

Simply put, it's the challenge of drinking your freshly poured Guinness in one straight go until you've reached the middle of the "G" on a Guinness-branded glass (when it's sitting upright). While it may just seem like a fratboy phenomenon, "splitting the G" has taken over the Internet (and news), having appeared in Bloomberg and The Chicago Sun Times. Guinness Brewery Ambassador Colm O'Connor told our sister site Chowhound that it is "something that I imagine would've been dreamt up by somebody on TikTok," adding that it has grown to the point where he's meeting visitors at the Gravity Bar — the Guinness brewery's 360-degree bar — in "split the G" T-shirts. O'Connor was quick to note, however, that this is decidedly not an official Guinness initiative — saying "that's a lot of beer to split the G, to be honest with you."

Warajenny/Getty Images

Whether you're a longtime fan who knows the untold truth of Guinness, or someone who only recently learned that Guinness and the famous Book of World Records share a surprising connection, the split-the-G phenomenon is worth understanding before your next pint. The #SplitTheG challenge didn't need a marketing budget — it built itself. The trend took off in 2022 on social media platforms, with searches peaking the following December, as noted in The Irish Times. A search for the trend on TikTok now produces thousands of results, including videos with millions of views.

The challenge is simple: take your first sip of a draft Guinness with enough precision that the foam line lands exactly in the middle of the "G" in the word "Guinness" printed on the glass. Miss high or low, and you owe yourself another round. The trend exploded on TikTok, spreading from Irish pubs to bars worldwide. LADbible threw down the gauntlet with a viral "Who can split the G?" video, racking up over 6,000 likes. Comedian Mo Gilligan gave it his best shot, declaring, "When in Rome, do what the Romans do." Celebrities got in on it, too. Niall Horan filmed himself and Ed Sheeran splitting the G backstage on tour, pulling in 684,000 likes. One throwback video from @cam.rao, captioned "Ireland was my flop era," hit 1.1 million likes. And if Paul Mescal says split the G, you split the G. Whether you nail it or flop it, it might just make you order another pint.

Both Mashed and Chowhound are owned by Static Media.