Netflix will release House of Guinness, a new drama from Steven Knight, the Oscar-nominated creator of Peaky Blinders, on 25 September. The eight-part series tells the story of the Guinness family, heirs to what was then the world’s largest brewery, in the wake of the 1868 death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, whose business acumen had cemented the Dublin brewery’s success.
Set between Dublin and New York, the series follows siblings Arthur (played by Anthony Boyle), Edward (Louis Partridge), Anne (Emily Fairn) and Ben (Fionn O’Shea) as they navigate power, loyalty, and the future of the brewery empire. Central to the drama is their father’s will, which deliberately bound Arthur and Edward to share stewardship of the company. Other characters include Sean Rafferty (James Norton), Aunt Agnes Guinness (Dervla Kirwan), Lady Olivia Hedges (Danielle Galligan) and Byron Hedges (Jack Gleeson).
The production, developed by Kudos, is executive produced by Knight alongside Karen Wilson, Elinor Day, Martin Haines, Tom Shankland, and Ivana Lowell. Shankland directed four episodes, while Mounia Akl directed two. Knight said he was struck by the “wild” energy of the family and their zest for life, noting that their first challenge was not to “screw up” their inheritance, and their second was to make Guinness even bigger.
The series arrives at a moment of strong commercial momentum for Guinness. The stout has become the UK’s best-selling draught beer, accounting for about 11% of all sales in 2023, and remains Ireland’s leading beer brand. Founded in 1759 at St James’s Gate in Dublin, Guinness is today owned by Diageo, brewed in nearly 50 countries, and sold in over 120. The Guinness Storehouse has attracted more than 20 million visitors since opening in 2000. By the 1880s, the brewery already produced over a million barrels (about 1.17 million hl) annually and was valued at GBP 6 million when floated in 1886 — despite refusing to advertise.
Netflix is positioning House of Guinness as a prestige historical drama, drawing comparisons to Succession, with themes of inheritance, family conflict, and corporate power set against the rise of one of the world’s most famous beer brands.
