Craft beer in Ireland?

Went to school in dublin 15 years sgo. Loved it.

Sas not into craft then, but remember loving all the 'macro' staples at the pubs over there.

 

BA had an article on Ireland craft not too long ago, but searching the magazine online only brings up 2007 issues. If you keep your back issues, go back a few.

If not maybe start at the Regional thread: UK & Ireland.

A quick search brought this up first: http://www.beeradvocate.com/communi...-tours-bottle-shops-pubs.250827/#post-3657970 , but there are sure to be others.

 

There's been a borderline-ridiculous surge in craft brewing over the past three years. Use this as a guide: http://www.beoir.org/
And this is my most recent favourite: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22861/105751/

 

Pubs are Dublin-based because I am; I put this in another thread:
"Best Dublin pubs for craft are The Galway Bay Brewery bars (5 locations), L Mulligan Grocer, W J Kavanagh, and the Porterhouse (2 locations.) In some cases, that includes a lot of US and UK beer; 57 Headline is exclusively Irish."

Also check The Salt House in Galway, The Bierhaus in Cork, and The Roadside Tavern in Lisdoonvarna (near Doolin) who brew their own beer.

Breweries have doubled in number in roughly the past year, but some of those are local, entry-level, and average. 8 Degrees, Blacks of Kinsale, Metalman, Kinnegar, and White Hag are all strong across their entire lineups (and mostly based out West.) Be warned: there's no law allowing samples, so tasting rooms aren't a thing.

Beers are constantly changing but this list is fresh and pretty on the money. Full Irish, Black Boar, Leann Follain, and Black Bucket especially; I'd put them up against anything in the same style from the US. (I'm from NY, btw.)

PM with any questions.

Have fun!

 

I'm planning to go in a few months... I've already bookmarked Beoir. Thanks.

 

If you get to Belfast you can visit The Hilden Brewery just outside Belfast, it has a good bar and great restaurant and a very impressive range of beers. Knockout Brewing in East Belfast do a very good Red Ale, IPA and APA. Whitewater brewing is based in County Down but their fine beers are available in many Belfast bars. If you do decide to visit Belfast send me a message and I'll suggest some bars and beers for you.

 

Whatever you do, ignore the crap that is Guinness and co. There's a whole new craft beer scene in the making there and its about fucking time.
Look out for offerings from Galway Bay Brewery, White Hag and Eight Degrees Brewing and make sure you hit the Porterhouse in Temple Bar (Dublin) from a proper Irish stout experience. Good things are happening with our Irish cousins.

 

Well said. Living in Northern Ireland we have exploded from a few breweries to 20 in a short space of time and a few of those are starting to brew beers outside of the regular Stout, IPA and Iirsh Red Ale. Soon to hit the shelves is a Brett IPA.
Even the bar scene is changing, we now have a bar with 12 rotating taps and over 100 bottles on offer that you can buy to take home. Expand that out to the whole island and some serious stuff is happening, so much so that Guinness and the other stalewarts are starting to release 'craft' beers of their own. Jesus we are even having our first Sour Fest this year in September, barrel aging is becoming prominent, collaboration between breweries is exploding. Damn it is good to be a beer drinker in Ireland, for too long was it the same 3/4 taps in bars with the off license not being too much better. The future is bright, come a join us.

 

Sorry to threadjack but where is the Sour Fest?

 

Sept 26th in Belfast @ Boundary Brewing.