Guinness crisps: would you sink them?

Yes: Rebecca Armstrong

Having once drunk seven pints of Guinness on a school night (it really was: I had an art exam the next day), I can't really stomach the black stuff in liquid form. But Guinness crisps, available now in Selfridges and Waitrose, and in Asda from next month, are far more palatable. Despite the slightly off putting grey-tinged colour and an initial scent of old booze, the flavour develops to include a hint of mushroom and a Marmite-y finish.

No: Gillian Orr

Moreish and grown-up tasting, they're a hell of a lot better than I thought they'd be. I'm not sure I'll be washing them down with any stout, mind.

Crisps are great with a pint, but what about stout-flavoured crisps? Guinness has teamed up with Burts Chips to bring us Guinness crisps. On opening, the smell hits you first, which one Trending staffer likened to that of an old Chinese takeaway. Then you notice their brownish hue which makes them look mouldy. They taste dreadful, sort of like sweet and salty beef. I suppose the sweet taste comes from the cocoa powder listed in the ingredients. Apparently flavour specialists spent six months creating the crisps, which is probably how long it will take me to forget that stench.