You’re standing in a dimly lit pub, probably somewhere with slightly sticky floors and a decent playlist. Your mate just got a fresh pint of Guinness. It’s a beauty—creamy head, dark body, the whole bit. But instead of just drinking it, they’re staring at the glass like they’re trying to solve a quadratic equation.
Then comes the "big gulp." They set the glass back down, pull out their phone, and start snapping photos of the foam line.
Welcome to the world of the split the g app. If you haven't seen it yet, you will soon. It’s basically the digital version of a pub game that’s been around for ages, but now, thanks to some clever developers and a bit of AI, it’s actually official. Or as official as a drinking game can be when it involves computer vision and a pint of stout.
What is This App Actually Doing?
Honestly, the concept is stupidly simple, but the execution is surprisingly high-tech. The "Split the G" challenge is a ritual where you try to drink just enough Guinness on your very first sip so that the white foam line settles perfectly—and I mean perfectly—in the middle of the "G" in the Guinness logo on the glass.
The split the g app (specifically the one found at splittheg.dev or the various mobile iterations popping up) takes the guesswork out of the "was that a good split?" argument.
Here’s how it works in the real world:
- You open the web app or the mobile tool.
- You point your camera at the glass.
- The software uses object detection to find the Guinness logo and the liquid line.
- It spits out a score, usually from 0.00 to 5.00.
A 5.00 is basically a miracle. It means you hit the center of the G with surgical precision. If you’re at a 3.5, you’re basically a tourist. It’s harsh, but that's the game.
Why Did This Become a Thing?
You’ve probably seen the TikToks. Or maybe you saw Niall Horan or Ed Sheeran doing it. The trend exploded over the last couple of years, moving from a niche "old man" pub trick to a global phenomenon.
Some people think it’s a marketing ploy by Diageo (the folks who own Guinness). It’s easy to see why—it literally gamifies drinking a third of a pint in one go. You finish your drink faster, you buy another one. Business 101, right?
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But interestingly, Guinness ambassadors have gone on record saying they didn't invent this. Colm O’Connor, a brewery ambassador, once mentioned in an interview that it was likely dreamt up by someone on social media. Whether it was a bored student in Dublin or a clever marketer in London, it doesn't really matter. It worked.
The split the g app was born because people kept arguing over the results. "Look, it's right in the middle!" "No, it's clearly on the top bar of the G!" The app ended the fights. Or, more accurately, it gave people a new reason to look at their phones while they're supposedly "socializing."
The Tech Under the Hood
The most popular version of the app, built by developers like Nick Herrig, isn't just a simple camera filter. It actually uses something called Roboflow and computer vision models.
When you scan your pint, the app is running a model that has been trained on thousands of images of Guinness glasses. It has to recognize the specific "G" logo, which varies depending on the age of the glass (there are different logo iterations out there, believe it or not).
Then, it has to deal with the "meniscus effect"—the way the liquid curves up at the edges of the glass. The app’s AI has to calculate the true level of the beer despite the visual distortion. It's a lot of math for a Saturday night at 11 PM.
Common Misconceptions About Splitting the G
- It’s an ancient Irish tradition. Not really. While "three-sup" drinking has been a thing for decades, the specific "split the G" terminology is relatively new. Most old-timers in Dublin will just tell you to "drink the damn pint."
- You have to chug it. You don't have to, but most people find it impossible to hit the mark without a massive, sustained gulp.
- The app only works on official glasses. This is actually true. If you’re drinking out of a generic tumbler or a non-branded glass, the split the g app is going to be very confused. It needs that specific "G" as a reference point.
Is It Ruining Pub Culture?
There’s a bit of a divide here. On one hand, it’s just a bit of "craic"—good-natured fun with your mates. It adds a competitive layer to the night. On the other hand, you have the purists who think it’s "laddish" and performative.
There’s something slightly tragic about a group of four friends sitting in a beautiful, historic pub, all staring at their phone screens to see if their AI-generated score is higher than their buddy’s. But hey, that's 2026 for you.
How to Get the Best Score (Expert Tips)
If you’re going to use the split the g app, don't just wing it. There’s a technique.
First, make sure the pint is settled. If there’s still a "surge" (the cloudy brown movement), the foam line hasn't stabilized. Wait. Patience is a virtue.
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Second, the angle of the glass matters. If you tilt it too far while drinking, the foam will smear down the side of the glass. This is what the pros call "lacing." Lacing is great for proving the quality of the Guinness, but it messes with the app's ability to see a clean line.
Third, lighting is key. If you’re in a cave-dark corner of a dive bar, the computer vision is going to struggle. Try to get some light on the logo so the AI can actually see what it’s doing.
Moving Forward With Your Pint
The split the g app is likely here to stay as long as the trend keeps its momentum. It’s a weird intersection of tech and tradition that shouldn't work, but somehow does.
If you want to give it a shot, the best next step is to find a pub with a proper "Gravity" glass—the ones with the embossed logo—as the app’s AI recognizes these most reliably. Open the web app on your phone's browser before you take that first big sip so you're ready to capture the foam line immediately before it starts to settle or drift.