Guinness taps run dry: Supply chain crisis causes liquor shortages ahead of holiday season

The owner of The Irish Heather Shebeen in Vancouver's Gastown neighbourhood has recently fallen victim to the supply chain crisis.

Sean Heather has built his business off of Guinness.

When the owner of The Irish Heather Shebeen came to Canada 30 years ago, Heather says he couldn’t get a decent pint of Guinness and decided to build his business plan around others looking for a proper pint.

“For me, it’s like the cornerstone of everything that I’ve achieved in my 26 years of business,” he said. “So it’s a little bit unnerving to see that cornerstone not be there anymore.”

Heather has recently fallen victim to the supply chain crisis as the Guinness taps at the Vancouver landmark have run dry. He’s now turning to a local porter to make up for the loss.

“We don’t have any Guinness. It’s a tragedy,” he said. “At the end of the day, Guinness is about 75 per cent of my beer sales and right now, the new product is selling 45 per cent of that. Basically, I am taking a hit.”

Irish beers like Harp Lager and Kilkenny are also out of stock, and exactly when a new shipment of Guinness will arrive is anyone’s guess.

Heather said he’s been told his product is on backlogged ships off San Diego.

“The last two deadlines have come and gone and there has been no sign. We just have to move forward assuming there is no Guinness for the next few months and if it comes, it’s gravy and if it doesn’t — well, we are prepared.”