Ireland's Beer Culture: Unique Drinking Traditions Explored

Ireland is famous for its beer, with a long history of brewing and a thriving craft beer scene. The country consistently ranks in the top 10 for per capita beer consumption, and lager accounts for 63.5% of the beer sold. While Guinness is the most popular Irish beer worldwide, it is not the most popular beer in Ireland. Heineken has a large brewery in the country and is the top-selling lager, while Guinness is the sixth most popular alcoholic drink.

Irish Stout

• Murphy's Irish Stout: This stout is known for its thick, creamy head and strong coffee and chocolate notes with little to no bitterness. It originated in Cork and dates back to 1856.
• Beamish Irish Stout: This stout has comforting flavours of dark chocolate and coffee and is served almost everywhere in the country. It has been around since the 1800s and is one of the most traditional and popular beers in Ireland.
• O'Hara's Irish Stout: This stout is produced by the Carlow Brewing Company, which was established in 1996 and offers a range of distinctive beers. Their stout is award-winning and a must-try for any stout lover.
• Plain Porter (The Porterhouse Brewing Company): This stout is described as a lighter version of stout with a subtle aroma, a silky mouthfeel, and a touch of bitterness at the finish.

While Guinness may be the most popular Irish stout worldwide, it is not the most consumed beer in Ireland. That title goes to Heineken, with Guinness coming in at number six in 2015. Despite this, Guinness remains synonymous with Irish culture and is the best-selling alcoholic drink in Ireland, making up over 25% of beer sales in the country.

Irish Lager

Ireland is known for its beer, with Guinness being the most famous Irish beer worldwide. However, there is a lot more to Ireland than Guinness. Harp Lager is a classic lager that is perfect for summertime and is widely consumed in Ireland. Harp is a light beer that is easy to sip and has a refreshing, clean taste with hints of citrus, malt and a dash of spice. It was created in 1960 by Guinness in its Dundalk brewery.

Another popular Irish lager is the Porterhouse Temple Lager, which is the first and original lager of Temple Bar. While you’re there, you can also try the unique Porterhouse Oyster Stout, which incorporates the distinctive taste of fresh oysters.

In addition to Harp and Porterhouse, there are several other notable lagers brewed in Ireland, including:

• Hard Lager, produced by the Guinness Brewery since 1959
• Smithwick’s Blonde, a crisp and slightly citrusy blonde ale
• Franciscan Well’s Friar Weisse, a German-style unfiltered wheat beer with a good whack of zest
• Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale, a classic ale with a creamy texture and flavours of roasted nuts, toffee and caramel

Irish Ale

Irish Red Ale, also known as Irish Ale, is a style of pale ale with a reddish hue. It is brewed using kilned malts and roasted barley, which give the beer its distinctive red colour. The strength of an Irish Red Ale typically ranges from 3.8% to 4.8% alcohol by volume, but some craft varieties can be as strong as 6%.

The origins of the ale are unknown, but it is said that it has been brewed in Kilkenny, Ireland, since the 14th century. The most well-known Irish Red Ale is Smithwick's, which was established in 1710. The beer has a malty, sweet flavour, with notes of coffee, plums and biscuits. It is surprisingly refreshing and easy to drink.

Another popular Irish Ale is Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale, which also originates from Kilkenny. It has a creamy texture and flavours of roasted nuts, toffee and caramel.

Other notable Irish Ales include Harp Lager, a light and refreshing beer with hints of citrus, malt and spice; and O'Hara's Irish Pale Ale, a strong and flavourful beer with a combination of European and American pale ale characteristics.

Irish Cider

Cider, or "apple beer" as it is literally translated to from Irish, has been made in Ireland for hundreds of years. It is widely available at pubs, off licences, and supermarkets.

Dan Kelly’s Whiskey Cask Cider

Made in the Boyne Valley and coming in at 4.5% ABV, this cider is fermented in bourbon casks for 6 months and then matured for 12. All the apples used are handpicked from their own orchards, resulting in a tasty cider.

Stonewell Medium Dry Irish Craft Cider

Produced in Nohoval, Cork, Stonewell Cider uses apples from farmers in Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, and Carlow. It is Ireland's only Supreme Champion premium cider, made with fresh apple juice and free of artificial additives and colourings.

Cockagee Irish Keeved Cider

Cockagee Cider is produced in Meath and is one of the few cider producers in Ireland that use the ancient keeving method of fermentation. It is a naturally sweet cider with no added sugar or additives, resulting in rich fruity flavours and a long dry finish.

Madden’s Mellow Cider

Produced by the Armagh Cider Company, this cider is made from apples grown on the maker's home farm in Armagh, where orchards have been nurtured for generations. It is an award-winning cider made from fresh-pressed apples and contains no artificial ingredients.

Other popular Irish ciders include Orchard Thieves, made by Heineken, and Rockshore Cider, brewed at St. James’s Gate.

Irish Whiskey

Some well-known brands of Irish whiskey include:

• Jameson
• Bushmills
• Tullamore Dew
• Redbreast
• Green Spot
• Yellow Spot
• Powers
• Teeling
• Knappogue Castle
• McConnell's
• Silkie

Frequently asked questions