The quintessential Irish pour, Guinness, says it will not be part of the landmark celebration of St. Patrick's Day, the parade through New York City City on Monday.
The brewer said on Sunday that it was withdrawing its sponsorship of the parade after two other beer makers withdrew their sponsorship of the parade because of its refusal to allow gay and lesbians to march.
"Guinness has a strong history of supporting diversity and being an advocate for equality for all. We were hopeful that the policy of exclusion would be reversed for this year's parade," Guinness. part of liquor giant Diageo said in a statement Sunday. "As this has not come to pass, Guinness has withdrawn its participation. We will continue to work with community leaders to ensure that future parades have an inclusionary policy."
The decision came after New York City's historic Stonewall Inn said Sunday it was dropping Guinness from its shelves because of the brewer's decision to stand by its sponsorship of the parade. Guinness did not respond to CNBC.com's request for comment.
Meanwhile on Friday, Heineken said it would not participate in New York's upcoming St. Patrick's Day celebration.
"We believe in equality for all. We are no longer a sponsor of Monday's parade," the company said.
Representatives of the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade committee declined to comment.
Boston Beer, the parent company to Sam Adams beer, pulled out of Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade earlier on Friday after a popular Boston bar said it would stop selling its products "until such time as either the Parade organizers change their position, or Sam Adams removes its support of the St. Patrick Day Parade," the Boston Herald reported Friday.
The beer maker had previously said it would not withdraw its sponsorship of the event.
UPDATED: This story was updated to include the response from Guinness.
—By CNBC