Baker serves up a slice of the black stuff

Irish baker Irwin's has teamed up with drinks manufacturer Diageo to produce the world's first Guinness bread.

In collaborating with such an iconic brand, Irwin's - whose own bread brands are well-known throughout Ireland - is set to boost sales and increase consumer recognition.

After widespread trialling of the product, which was in development for two years, the loaf has finally made it to shelves with UK retailer Tesco stocking the whole grain bread at 250 of its English stores and several Irish supermarkets also picking up the product.

Michael Murphy Business Development Manager at Irwin's told bakeryandsnacks.com​: "Guinness is such a strong flavour - you either love it or hate it but we've sampled it at shows in Dublin and the response was very positive."​

The loaf is a wheaten bread containing 17 per cent Guinness. "The alcohol is baked off leaving a malty taste,"​ said Murphy.

Irwin's are predicting strong sales of the product in Ireland over the St Patrick's Day period when Guinness is traditionally the drink of choice in pubs throughout the country.

It's not the first time the bakery has worked with drinks giant Diageo, who own the Guinness brand. A range of cakes which incorporate the signature flavour have also been launched.