Craft beer in Ireland
Visit these Irish pubs and sample the best of a blossoming scene
With all due respect to Guinness, you can enjoy a pint of the stuff in more than 120 countries; so if you’re in Ireland, try seeking out craft beer for a taste of something special that you can’t get anywhere else. The craft beer scene in Ireland is blossoming, with approximately 50 breweries in operation across the country, and there are many opportunities for visitors to sample fresh and unique brews.
“In the past three to five years (craft beer has been really growing ), so wherever you go in the country, you have a great chance now of being able to have one of these drinks at a restaurant or café,” says Kristin Jensen, co-author of Sláinte: The Complete Guide to Irish Craft Beer and Cider (New Island, 2014). “It makes it a more meaningful, special experience when you can actually have something that is a real, Irish product.”
For the true beer lover, Jensen recommends Brewery Hops of Ireland — a company specializing in microbrewery tours. Due to the alcohol licensing laws of Ireland, just showing up at breweries hoping for a taste is not recommended. If you’re planning to go solo, Jensen says it’s imperative to contact the brewery ahead of time to ensure they’ll be able to serve you.
“While many of the breweries are happy to accommodate visitors, you’d need advance notice. You can’t just turn up at their door; so that makes things a little more difficult for people wanting to do more of a DIY version,” Jensen says.
If you’re all for craft beer but don’t want to plan your trip around it, the easiest way to experience Irish craft beer is to visit one of the many pubs that specialize in it. In Sláinte, Jensen and co-author Caroline Hennessy include a list of the top 50 pubs in Ireland for a craft pint, as well as top gastropubs, and restaurants that respect craft beer and cider.
“In any of the main cities, you’ll have plenty of choice. And not only are there plenty of pubs that are solely focusing on craft beer — you won’t find any big brands in those pubs, and that’s fun — but there are lots of pubs that offer a mix so everybody’s happy. If you want your pint of Guinness or Smithwick’s, you can have that. If you want a craft beer, whether Irish or imported, you can have that. So it’s not such an ‘us and them’ anymore, which is great because it doesn’t have to be,” Jensen says.
Jensen also recommends talking to your bartender — ask what’s new, what’s good, what’s unusual, and if you can have a taste. “One of the things that’s so great about craft beer is the story. And especially when you go to the craft beer pubs; chances are they are going to know the story because Ireland is a small country and it’s a small scene,” she says. “Because the companies are so small, half of the time it’s probably the owner/ brewer who is also delivering the beer to your pub. People are going to have real relationships with the brewers, and real knowledge about the beer.”
BEER FESTIVALS OF NOTE
If you’re in Ireland Aug. 27-29, don’t miss the Irish Craft Beer & Cider Festival (irishcraftbeerfestival.com) at The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) in Dublin 4. “If you are a true connoisseur, this would be the event to go to. It’s the crown jewel in the festival calendar that everybody looks forward to all year. Their sister festival, (the Irish Beer & Whiskey Fest; irishbeerandwhiskeyfestival.com), not surprisingly takes place over St. Patrick’s Day weekend,” Jensen says with a laugh. “That’s not quite as big of a deal. It’s more slotting in with the general St. Patrick’s Day festivities but if you’re here over that weekend, it’s absolutely worth checking out.”