Irish beer brand. Irish beer. Ireland's leading breweries

The history of Irish brewing goes back more than five thousand years. It so happened that Ireland's fertile soil, gentle rain and cool winds created excellent conditions for growing excellent barley. And it was in this area that it was easier and faster to brew beer than other alcoholic drinks. Most pubs originated from local breweries, allowing the beer to be high quality and unique to its area. In this material we will talk about the origin and development of this culture.

The pub, or as the British call it, boozer, the local, rub-a-dub-dub, takes its name from the abbreviation “public house”. Such brothels were not invented by the Celts; the first ancestors of pubs, alehouses, appeared in Great Britain and Ireland with the arrival of the Romans to these lands. Their main function was drinking and spending the night. The owners of the alehouses attached green branches to poles nearby, which meant that the ale was ready and the alehouse was open to all interested guests and passers-by. Brewing developed rapidly in Ireland during the Bronze and Early Iron Ages. According to legend, the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick, could not do without his own brewer, a priest named Meskane.

St.Patrick 's Day

We all know how St. Patrick's Day is celebrated now, mostly with green outfits, lots of beer and fun. Previously, everything was a little different. On March 17, after mass, women and children hurried home to prepare a festive dinner, which included pork, jacket potatoes, lard and sweets for the children. Men flocked to pubs to drink a “St. Patrick’s mug” - a pint of beer with a shamrock leaf at the bottom, which, after emptying the mug, had to be spat out over the left shoulder. During and after the festive dinner, people chatted, sang and, of course, continued to drink.

In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day was until recently considered a religious holiday and was celebrated much more modestly than Irish communities did in other countries. So, in the 20th century until the seventies, all pubs in Ireland were closed on St. Patrick’s Day, and the holiday was celebrated by the Irish with their families at a traditional dinner.

It so happened that Irish monasteries dominated the production and supply of beer for many centuries. The monks called beer liquid bread; they drank it mainly on fasting days. Peasants drank beer in winter for practical purposes, since vegetables and other vitamin-containing products were then very difficult to find and were expensive. At first, travelers preferred to stay in monasteries, but later the demand for alehouses began to grow, and at the same time, brewing traditions developed. At a certain point, there were so many drinking establishments that the rulers became worried. By 965, King Edgar issued a decree that there should not be more than one pub in one village to prevent the population from drinking too much.

The pub takes its name from the abbreviation "public house".

However, by the early 18th century, Dublin's population was at least 70,000, with some 1,500 taverns and hundreds of small home breweries producing dozens of different types of beer. In 1869, a law was issued regulating gambling, prostitution, and including the procedure for obtaining a license to sell alcohol in drinking establishments. The license required compliance with certain rules: opening the establishment at certain hours, conditions for serving food and cleaning the premises. Because of this, the number of pubs fell sharply again.

The Irish, like no one else, care about their cultural heritage, and folk dances, songs and ballads here have never been forgotten. In rural houses, at fairs and sporting events, in noisy pubs in the cities and towns of Ireland, people have sung at all times.

Brobdingnagian Bards - Whiskey in the Jar

The first Irish brewing company to produce bottom-fermented beer (lager) appeared in Dublin in 1892 - Darty Brewing Co. But it lasted only five years. The second attempt was made by Regal Lager Brewery Ltd. in 1937. It lived a little longer and closed in 1954. Stable lager production began when Guinness began brewing Harp beer at the Great Northern Brewery in Dundalk in the 1950s. Ireland is especially famous for one type of beer - stout. Modern stout is not at all the same as what was drunk before World War II. The gravity of classic porter and stout has decreased significantly over the years. Before the First World War, Irish stouts were made stronger and were denser than the beers produced in Great Britain. Over the past 40 years, stouts have been steadily losing their audience, but to this day this variety remains the most popular beer in Ireland. Ireland remains the only country in the world where the majority of beer produced is top-fermented beer (ale).

By the way, it was Guinness that first invented bottling beer under pressure from a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the 1960s. The system is ideal for serving stouts and ales. Previously, stout was bottled from two barrels. First, two-thirds of the old and stale stout from the bottom barrel was poured into the glass, and then one-third of the fresh sparkling stout from the top barrel was added.

Irish pub

Ordinary Irish people largely rely on farming, agriculture and fishing to make their living. Now, with a population of only 4.5 million people in Ireland, there are about 140 thousand family farms, 1,400 ships that produce up to 300 thousand tons of fish, and up to two million hectares are used for pasture. Well, now imagine that after a long voyage you finally find yourself in a port. Or got wet in the rain. Or somewhere in the fields they were chilled to the bone from the chilly wind. It is at such moments that you need friendly company, a warm room and a glass of whiskey or a pint of beer. And so the Irish pub was born. An Irish pub is neither a bar nor a tavern. Its difference from an ordinary drinking establishment is that it is a house of culture, a place of the latest news, a place of relaxation, and perhaps even a second home for a man. Especially in rural areas, where men simply have no other gathering places.

If you take the average pub somewhere in the Irish wilderness, which has been serving people for at least 50 years, most likely you will see the walls covered with photographs from the life of the village: here is the village's first football team, here is the bartender smoking the last cigarette in the pub (with 2004, smoking is prohibited in pubs in Ireland), here is independence, here is the owner’s great-grandfather with kegs of beer under a still new sign. The pub is furnished only with wooden furniture, the windows are decorated with frosted and smoky glass, so that the light and bustle of the street do not disturb visitors. The interior is decorated with multi-colored glass mosaics. The bar counter of the Irish pub is impressive and is made only of wood.

In the corner where the bar meets the wall (the best place in the pub), the main local drinker is on duty, knowing all the latest rumors and news. He will definitely confirm to you that coming to the pub “dry” is bad manners and, moreover, stupid. In addition to beer, the pub also has strong drinks, but why pay more for them when you can drink something strong on the way to the pub? Therefore, most often in the pub they enjoy the local stout or the usual, but familiar to every Irishman, Guinness. Guinness is, in fact, probably the best thing to happen to Ireland since the mid-18th century, a title that could only be surpassed by Jameson.

Guinness was the first to invent
bottling beer under pressure of a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen
in the 1960s. The system is perfect
for serving stouts and ales.

A real powerhouse of brewing in Ireland. For more than 50 years, Guinness has dominated the Irish beer market. Its last Dublin competitor, Findlaters, ceased to exist in 1949, and by the mid-1960s Guinness was rivaled by just a few small breweries. The only obstacles to full control were the breweries Murphy's and Beamish & Crawford, which had developed chains of branded pubs that were not going to give up. However, these companies also surrendered to transnational brewing corporations who wanted to sell the prestigious Irish Stout brand. Now these brands are sometimes easier to find abroad than in Ireland itself. Now Guinness can be found in every pub in Ireland, because it is produced annually in a volume of six million hectoliters (for comparison: other Irish brewing companies bottle 45 thousand hectoliters per year).

Pint of Guinness
must reach the client
from the moment of ordering in the canonical 119.5 seconds.

How to pour Guinness correctly

A pint of Guinness should reach the customer in a canonical 119.5 seconds from the moment of ordering. The stout is first poured at 45% just above the signature mark (about ¾ of the pint) and allowed to rest so that it can take on its exceptionally black color as the foam rises. The resting process takes up most of the time. Guinness was given a break when it got a "bishop's collar" (a cream-colored foam cap). After this, the pint is topped up to the edge so that the foam rises slightly above the edge of the mug. Proper Guinness is served six degrees.

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Interesting facts about Guinness

Guinness is brewed in more than 150 countries.
Although the Irish love their stout, 40% of all Guinness is drunk in Africa.
Guinness is quite a diet drink. A pint of the signature stout contains only 198 calories. That's less than most light beers, wines, orange juice, or even skim milk.
Guinness is made from roasted malted barley, hops, yeast and water. Plus, it's not completely black. It is actually the color of a deep red ruby.

In the 18th century, pubs were equipped with another hall where visitors could play music, dance and hold sports competitions. For example, some pubs had their own cage clubs, where shooters could compete in pigeon shooting. Later, pubs began to be equipped with entertaining games: darts, billiards, kicker, cards. In the second half of the 20th century, live broadcasts of football, rugby, motor racing and equestrian sports began to be shown, which greatly influenced the football and football-related cheering culture that originated in Britain.

Traditionally, there is no food in real Irish pubs. The Irish eat at home and love home-cooked food, preferring it to restaurant food. An Irish pub is for drinking and having fun, drinking and nostalgia, but not eating. The maximum you can order is snacks to go with your drink. Now in many metropolitan pubs the situation has changed and the owners have become more flexible towards visitors and tourists and offer breakfast and lunch. The food is served very masculine and simple. Colcannon is a mixture of cabbage, onions, and potatoes, which is served with sausages or bacon. Mixed coddle - sausages boiled with bacon.

If you want to visit a real Irish pub, you don’t even need to go to Dublin, but somewhere closer to the villages, where there are still many truly authentic pubs. In 1991, the Irish Pub Company was founded, a company whose mission was to flood the world with authentic Irish bars. Since its inception, Dublin-based IPCo and its franchise competitors have designed and built more than two thousand drinking establishments in more than 50 countries. Guinness gave weight to the movement, and the entire industry was built around recreating "Irishness" on every continent and even in Ireland itself. There was even a guide on how to make an Irish pub. Can't think of a name? The answer is simple: “To create the illusion of history, you can add “& Sons” to the surname.” Therefore, the branding of most current Irish bars owes more to cultural stereotypes and the modern global economy than to Celtic heritage.

4 classic pubs

Officially the oldest pub in Dublin. If you want to feel the atmosphere of a good old Irish pub without leaving the capital, this is the place for you.

This is a modernized but still proper Irish pub. The owners provide live music every night, and if you want something livelier, DJs play in the basement of the pub from Thursday to Sunday. Also, if you learn to understand the Irish dialect, you will be able to appreciate the shows from local and visiting stand-up comedians who often perform here. And, of course, mass singing of songs.

Moran's Oyster Cottage

Suburb of Galway

The pub dates back to the 1800s and has been run by the Moran family for seven generations. The pub serves fresh oysters and often hosts speed-eating competitions.

Grace Neill's Bar

Donahadi

The Guinness Book of Records calls this pub the oldest in Ireland. It was opened in 1611. The pub has received all sorts of awards from quality of service to prizes for the best interior. It’s hard to imagine how many thousands of fishermen, sailors, soldiers, revolutionaries, businessmen and ordinary workers drank a pint or two here.

In an effort to understand the variety of intoxicating incarnations that today envelops the modern consumer in the alcohol arena, you will definitely pay attention to Irish beer. This is a separate type of alcoholic assemblage, which has long won the favor of a multimillion-dollar audience of consumers around the world. Among the drinks given segment you can easily find your own example of a standard that will delight you both at large parties and during individual relaxation in a relaxed atmosphere.

Did you know? Ireland has received the unspoken nickname “Irish pub”.

High-quality Irish alcohol is an aromatic drink made from a mixture of malt and roasted barley. Often this is a dark stout, with a velvety nature and a unique aromatic component. Moreover, one of the main features of this alcohol is its composition, which is based exclusively on natural high-quality ingredients and purified water.

Color

The visual design is predominantly dark in color with a delicate red, golden or caramel tint.

Aroma

The aromatic bouquet is built around bright hop nuances, complemented by trails of fruit, chocolate or roasted barley.

Taste

The gastronomic superiority of the assemblies emerges around a balanced hop base, which envelops the consumer already in the first minute of tasting.

How to buy an original drink

Nowadays, choosing alcohol is a rather complicated procedure, since the alcohol market is oversaturated with a large number of fakes. Even when purchasing expensive Irish ale, you cannot completely insure yourself against encountering a counterfeit. The only way to protect yourself from counterfeit goods is to pay attention to the fundamental signs of quality alcohol, as well as to the places where you purchase it. That is, having set yourself the task of buying dark Irish beer, you must take into account following moments:

A store. Buy alcohol only from large supermarket chains or specialized alcohol markets, where they can provide you with certificates of conformity if necessary.
Consistency. If you notice cloudiness, sediment or other new growths in the beer, return it to the shelf. A high-quality product has a perfectly pure structure without impurities.
Bottle. Before buying a branded product, go to the manufacturer’s website and get acquainted with what a branded bottle of the assemblage should look like. Each company on the market strives to produce alcohol in its own authentic, recognizable container.
Design quality. Modern companies take a responsible approach to each production stage, which is why on high-quality alcohol the consumer will not encounter asymmetrically located labels, uneven seams, deformed lids, chipped glass and other signs of manufacturing defects.

How to serve

To fully to uncover all coloring paints, with which Irish beer envelops the consumer, try to serve the product in accordance with generally accepted classical canons. Like, these drinks are poured into tall glasses at an angle of 45 degrees. Moreover, the spill occurs slowly and evenly, since the product can release a high foam cap.

It is also important to consider the supply temperature. The optimal temperature for this beer is 7-12 degrees. Do not overheat or overcool store-bought assemblies. From the negative effects of tasting temperatures indicators alcohol are distorted.

What products does it combine with?

By choosing dark beer for your personal leisure and giving preference to Irish options, you surround yourself with practicality in terms of choosing gastronomic accompaniment. Drinks in this segment are not particularly whimsical in terms of snacks. They can be served with salted fish, hot dishes, salads, as well as cheese and sausage slices. Individual ideal a couple is possible for every consumer to choose.

Other uses

When making a detailed acquaintance with Irish hop products, be sure to pay attention to the versatility of the assemblages. These drinks can be mixed with a wide variety of ingredients, achieving original taste characteristics. The most interesting mixes based on the alcoholic products in question include Bishop, Royal Purple, Devil's, White Cocktail and Green Dragon. Each of them will give you new vivid impressions of consuming a particular branded product.

Did you know? Sales of draft beer in Ireland account for 84% of total sales of alcoholic beverages.

Irish beer brands

Having set yourself the goal of enjoying the exquisite beer assemblages of Ireland, today you will get acquainted with an impressive array of products that can give a lot of colorful impressions. The most popular brands producing this intoxicating drink include Biddy Early Brewery, The Dublin Brewing Company, Harp, Carlow, Guinness, Beamish & Crawford and Murphy Brewery Ireland.

At the same time, if you do not want to make a bad choice when you first meet representatives of the segment, we recommend paying attention to products that are quite easy to find in any specialized supermarket, namely:

Historical reference

The origins of brewing in Ireland began around the beginning of the 18th century. Moreover, it came to the country thanks to the British, who at that time were already sophisticated admirers of intoxicating assemblages. The first hop product in Ireland was made in Dublin.

He quickly gained popularity among the local population, but it took a long time to enter the international arena. It was only in the 20th century that Irish assemblages left their homeland. Darty Brewing Co. is considered the first brewing company in the region. It was founded in 1892. Before this, beer was not produced on a large scale, but each beerhouse had its own small factory on production intoxicating drink.

Did you know? Guinness is not only the most famous alcohol in Ireland, but also a drink that has become a kind of symbol of St. Patrick's Day, the loudest and most important event for all residents of the country.

Drinks that delight every moment of tasting

Irish beer has unsurpassed colors that every drink lover should appreciate. Among the products of famous Irish brands, you are sure to find assemblages that have received numerous awards for high quality and taste. At the same time, their price deserves special attention. Indulge yourself in exquisite intoxicating pleasure today Maybe every average consumer.

Visit the nearest alcohol market in your city today and replenish your refrigerator with several bottles of the bright Irish drink.

Irish stouts, ales and lagers became the basis of celebrations on the occasion St. Patrick's Day worldwide. Thanks to such brands as Harp, Murphy’s, Guinness, everyone can find Irish beer to their taste. the site has selected the 10 best Irish beers that you can enjoy on the occasion of the holiday.

Photo: Chris O'Brien

Guinness Draft and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

Guinness beer is one of the symbols of St. Patrick's Day. Largely thanks to this brand, the holiday has become popular all over the world. Guinness Draft is considered the most popular dry Irish stout in the world, the most famous example of its style and the first commercial stout from Ireland. Guinness Foreign Extra Stout is much denser and stronger and has a noticeable bitterness in the taste and burntness in the aftertaste.

Murphy's Irish Stout

Murphy's Irish Stout is one of the main competitors of Guinness, which is becoming more and more popular every year. This is a classic dry Irish stout, drinkable and quite light, with a bright coffee aroma and chocolate taste with subtle woody notes.

Smithwick's Irish Red Ale

This red ale has a distinctive aroma that combines the aroma of noble hops with sweet fruity notes, deep maltiness, and roasted notes of coffee and barley.

O'Hara's Curim Gold

This golden wheat ale combines the flavors of bananas, peaches and plums with the aroma of traditional hops, making it smooth and thirst-quenching. Although this is not the most typical Irish beer, it is ideal for those who prefer lighter, more drinkable beers.

Photo: Ryan Edwardson

O'Hara's Irish Stout

A rich, dry Irish stout that combines the taste of coffee with milk, caramel, burnt sugar and dark chocolate. The Irish Times once noted that “This full-bodied and fantastically smooth dry Irish stout takes us back to what a stout should really taste like.”.

Beamish Irish Stout

Beamish Irish Stout's smooth, malty aroma is achieved by fermenting the wort with Beamish's original yeast, which has been used virtually unchanged since the brewery's founding in 1792. By the way, it is believed that the taste of this beer, more than others, was influenced by English porter, which was brought to Ireland in the 18th century.

The Porterhouse Brewing Co. Oyster Stout

Porterhouse's Oyster Stout is a beloved Dublin dark beer with an interesting combination of grain, hop and fresh oyster aromas. The brewery adds shellfish when producing this beer. Of course, you won't find them floating in the mug, but you will be able to taste a hint of their presence in the taste of the beer.

Murphy's Irish Red. Photo: miguelno

A red, hoppy Irish beer, crisp and dry, with notes of fruit and caramel, known since 1856. The ruby-amber color of Murphy's Irish Red is achieved thanks to special roasted malt, which gives the beer its bright character.

Harp Lager

Harp Lager is one of Ireland's leading beer brands, created in 1959 by Guinness to celebrate its 200th anniversary. To produce Harp beer, we use water from Cooley Mountains mountain springs, Irish barley, hops from the Hallertau region of Germany and special Bavarian yeast.

Kilkenny Irish Ale

The popular Kilkenny Irish Ale has a bitter, dense taste with notes of roasted malt. This beer is said to be similar to the previously mentioned Smithwick's Irish Red Ale, but has a smoother, creamier finish that gives the beer a unique character.

In the mass public consciousness of Russians, the main beer-producing countries in Europe are Germany, the Czech Republic, and Belgium. To a lesser extent, Austria and England. In this chain, few people remember Ireland or what it was called in ancient times, the Emerald Isle. But in vain.

They rarely even remember about (Guinness). Of course, this is one of the best representatives of stouts in the world, but the Emerald Isle does not end there.

In addition, it should be remembered that Ireland is the birthplace of pubs. Yes, yes, these authentic drinking establishments appeared here, and not in prim England.

Thus, we can say that Irish beer is a true global phenomenon. Quite comparable in importance to Spanish sherry or French cognac.

Irish brewing today

The brewing industry is now one of Ireland's main economic pillars. According to statistics from various sources, from 90,000 to 110,000 Irish are employed in this area. Every year, tax revenues from beer producers and sellers replenish the national budget by more than 2 billion Euros.

This strong performance continues in this area of the economy even as Emerald Isle residents themselves begin to visit pubs less frequently than previous generations. The Irish have not become less fond of the foamy drink. It’s just that many of them increasingly prefer to drink it at home.

I'm only talking about a certain emerging trend. Today, local pubs continue to be some of the best in all of Europe.

For the last half century, the undisputed leader in the national beer market has been Diageo, which produces Guinness beer. However, you can read about it by following the link above. I want to dedicate this article entirely to other brewing companies that produce truly legendary brands of Irish beer. However, before that, I consider it my duty to tell you about the most popular local varieties.

Popular varieties

Any Irishman will tell you that local beer has many faces and variety. The main beer varieties of Ireland are:

porters;
stouts;

For a long time, dark, dense beer - porter - reigned on the Emerald Isle. His homeland was London. But despite this, this variety really took root here. Since the 19th century, Dublin has become the unofficial world capital of porters.

Stouts appeared a little later. Many modern beer connoisseurs still call it just one of the varieties of porter. However, in terms of popularity, the child has long surpassed the elderly parents. At least for this reason, stout should be considered a self-sufficient separate beer variety. This foamy drink has a milder taste.

Historically, the history of world brewing began with ale or top-fermented beer. This continued until special bottom-fermenting yeast was discovered. Despite this, ales have become popular in Ireland relatively recently. They began to crowd out stouts and porters only in the second half of the last century.

We should also mention the local red beer. Its prominent representative is the Kilkenny brand. This semi-dark ale, which has a reddish tint, has admirers all over the world.

Main manufacturers

In Ireland, there are a couple of dozen old, worthy breweries that produce excellent products. I won’t bore you; I’ll tell you about all the enterprises. Let's get acquainted with the largest and most iconic of them.

The Dublin Brewing Company

If you see these words on a beer bottle, you can buy it with confidence. It’s hard to think of a better sign of quality. The Irish beer that is brewed at this brewery is without a doubt one of the highest quality on planet Earth. For its production, exclusively natural selected ingredients are used. There is absolutely nothing superfluous in it.

All brands produced by this brewery are the real pride of the Irish. For connoisseurs of the foamy drink, their names sound like a beautiful classical symphony:

Beckett’s Gold – this beer has a beautiful amber hue and a balanced, pleasant taste;
D’Arcy’s Dublin Stout is a wonderful dark stout that has repeatedly won first prizes at major brewing competitions;
Revolution Ale is a unique dark red beer with woody and spicy notes on the palate;
Maeve's Crystal Wheat is a refreshing, unfiltered wheat ale.

Beamish & Crawford

This brewery has more than two hundred years of tradition. It was created by two bosom friends, whose surnames were forever preserved in its name. This brewery has an incredibly wide range of products. Today the main products of the enterprise can be considered:

Beamish Irish Stout - despite its name, this foamy drink is practically indistinguishable from classic examples of Irish porter;
Beamish Red Irish Ale is a traditional top-fermented beer that boasts a beautiful reddish hue and amazing taste.

Carlow Brewing Company

This very young brewery quickly gained popularity among the Irish consumer. But it’s hard to find people who know better about beer. Its founders were the O'Hara brothers. The main varieties of the enterprise are:

O'hara's Celtic Stout - currently called one of the best stouts in the world and this is with Guinness beer still alive;
Curim Gold Celtic Wheat Beer is an incredibly carbonated, foamy drink made from unmalted wheat and caramelized dark barley malt;
Molings Traditional Red Ale is a wonderful reddish ale that incorporates all the best traditions of British brewing.

Irish beer lovers claim that simply trying all types of this wonderful foamy drink can sometimes not even be enough in a lifetime. I wish you have enough time for this! Write in the comments your impressions of foamy drinks made in Ireland.

Irish stouts, ales and lagers have become a staple of St. Patrick's Day celebrations around the world. Thanks to such brands as Harp, Murphy’s, Guinness, everyone can find Irish beer to their taste. Pivo.by has selected the 10 best Irish beers that you can enjoy on the occasion of the holiday.

Guinness Draft and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

Murphy's Irish Stout

Smithwick's Irish Red Ale

This red ale has a distinctive aroma that combines the aroma of noble hops with sweet fruity notes, deep maltiness, and roasted notes of coffee and barley.

O'Hara's Curim Gold

Photo: Ryan Edwardson

O'Hara's Irish Stout

A rich, dry Irish stout that combines the taste of coffee with milk, caramel, burnt sugar and dark chocolate. The Irish Times noted that "this full-bodied and fantastically smooth dry Irish stout takes us back to what a stout should really taste like."

Beamish Irish Stout

The Porterhouse Brewing Co. Oyster Stout

Murphy's Irish Red. Photo: miguelno

Murphy's Irish Red

Harp Lager

Kilkenny Irish Ale

pivo.by

Irish beer

Alcohol › Beer › Stamps ›

Ireland has always been famous for its intoxicating drink. And for good reason. Although we generally consider Germany and the Czech Republic to be the best brewers, for some reason Irish beer is not so popular on the domestic market. And it's a shame. Because the country, although not small in size, has a very long and fun beer history.

By tradition, all Irish rulers had to get their subordinates drunk every weekend. And the king from whom sober guests left was considered bad. Moreover, Ireland is considered a country of pubs and revolutions. And what is a revolution without a glass of good, good ale?

Peculiarities
Beer varieties
Beer brands
What can you buy in Russia

Peculiarities

Irish beer is considered the epicenter of this country's culture. The rebellious nature of its inhabitants is fully reflected in this foamy drink. After all, even an Irish pub is different from other pubs and is almost the eighth wonder of the world.

It is not for nothing that the character of his people is reflected in history and legends. For example, one Irish ruler, Conor Mac Nessa, developed an ideal regime for those people who should not strain anything. For the first half of the day he watched his subordinates compete in sports games, the other half of the day he amused himself with board games, and spent his free time drinking beer.

In ancient writings, Irish ale is called "coirm" and is translated as a musical concert.

Basically, for an Irishman, drinking beer is like playing at a concert. Since even the lyre, the national symbol of the country, is still depicted on many labels and beer glasses. Even the first bishop of Ireland had a personal brewer who pampered the apostle with unique varieties of beer every day.

Stout is a popular beer in Ireland. It is deeply entrenched in the heart of every citizen, and even tourists are happy to buy the rich dark drink with creamy foam. But, despite the many breweries that are located in the country, some companies have been taken over by large British corporations. And the most persistent brand turned out to be “Guinness”. This brand has long been a leader in the world market and mercilessly crushed all competitors. And his position is still as strong as ever.

Beer varieties

Stouts

The name characterizes the dark beer. This drink is much stronger than light beer. In Ireland you may hear two different words that mean the same thing. Porter, like Stout, characterizes the same dark, thick beer with a characteristic bitter taste. But only porter came from London porters, who loved to have a glass after a hard day. (i.e. porter - loader, or doorman).

But the word Stout has more noble and ancient roots, and is translated as “strong”, “persistent”, “brave”. And over time, these two words got mixed up and began to mean the same drink. The famous Irish stout is Guinness, which moved the brewing capital of stout from London to Dublin. And when Ireland gained independence, the amount of exported beer increased many times over.

The drink itself has a high density and is much stronger than all other varieties. Dark, almost black color with creamy foam and a characteristic tart taste.

Lager

It is a bottom-fermented beer, and the first mention of the drink dates back to 1892. The first brewery, Darty Brewing Co, appeared in Dublin, which brewed beer in this way. But five years later, unable to withstand the competition, it closed. And in 1937, Regal Lager Brewery Ltd took the reins. But this company also could not maintain its position. And only Guinness was able to overcome the beer race and still holds its position. And the whole point rested on the fact that the Irish are wary of anything new, preferring to pay tribute to traditions. And even cask ales have given way to light, mild lagers.

El

Ale gained popularity only in the 90s. Top-fermented beer, although it was discovered earlier, found its niche relatively recently. Irish ales also include red beer, which has gained recognition among local fans of the intoxicating drink.

Beer brands

Biddy Early Brewery

Black biddy is a powerful competitor to Guinness. A dark, dense beer with a bright fruity taste and a roasted caramel aftertaste. As ingredients, the company uses roasted barley, two types of malt and a special component - Irish Carrageen moss, which is used to filter dark beer.
Blonde biddy is a light lager brewed according to classic European pilsner recipes. For this, the company uses traditional malt, specially brought from Germany Hallertau. This beer copes well with the heat. Brewers allow this drink to fully mature, as all lagers should.
Red biddy is an Irish red ale with a rich chocolate-colored foam. To prepare this drink, three different malts are used (light, chocolate and crystal). Brewers pay special attention to the waxweed plant. This herb gives beer a special fragrant aroma. This herb, by the way, was also used by the ancient Celts and Romans.
Real Biddy - prepared like red ale, but it is aged in special wooden barrels. Which gives the beer a more intense and rich taste. But most importantly, beer is pumped out of barrels only by hand, without the use of carbon dioxide.

Carlow Brewing Company

O'hara's Celtic Stout was recognized as the best beer in 2000, for which it received a gold medal. This classic dark stout, which is considered light and does not have the same strength as the famous Guinness. But in taste and aftertaste it is much softer than its older brother.
Curim Gold Celtic Wheat Beer - a recipe restored after being forgotten centuries ago. This rich wheat beer was once brewed by the ancient Celts from roasted wheat malt and caramel wheat. There are much fewer hops compared to other varieties, and it gives the beer a unique fruity taste.
Molings Traditional Red Ale is a fruity beer with an aroma somewhat reminiscent of roasted coffee beans. Thus, this beer successfully combines two completely different tastes - sweet and bitter.

Arthur Guinness Son & Co

Guinness draft is the most popular dark beer in the country. Its popularity is so high that local residents for a long time did not want to drink another type of beer. Real Guiness should have a dense, almost black color, with a high, cream-colored head and a mild, bitter taste.
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout is a strong version of the classic Guiness. It has a very rich and rich taste. Initially it was brewed only in Dublin, but then it began to be brewed under license in other countries of the world.
Guinness Mid-strength is a mild beer with low alcohol content (2.8%). Sold in Ireland only. Something like non-alcoholic beer.

The most important feature of Irish Guinness is that it must be poured correctly and drunk correctly. And for this you need a branded glass with a picture of a harp. As you know, this musical instrument is a symbol of the country. But on a glass, the harp also has a practical meaning. When the glass is brought to the tap, you need to accurately aim it at the harp at an angle of 45°. In this case, the drink itself should flow down the wall of the glass and when the glass is a quarter full, the tap is opened more, but the glass is not filled to the brim. You need to leave a few centimeters, wait until the foam settles and top up the beer completely.

And you need to drink Guinness like this: take the first sip as large as possible so that a large amount of foam gets into your mouth, and then drink it like regular beer.

Kinsale Brewery

Kinsale Irish Lager is a craft beer brewed to all international standards. Soft, golden in color, the lager tastes like sunny malt, a hop aftertaste and artesian spring water. This is natural beer without chemical additives.
Landers Ale is an Irish red ale. But, unlike other brands, coriander seeds are added to it.
Williams Wheat is a light unfiltered beer brewed with wheat malt. But the authors also add coriander and orange zest, which has a characteristic effect on the aftertaste.
Kinsale Cream Stout is a natural stout with a long-lasting creamy head and the taste of a regular stout.

The Porterhouse Brewing Co

Brainblasta is a honey-colored beer with a darkish tint. To make this beer, a triple portion of hops is added to it. And this makes the taste so rich, as if fruity notes and floral aroma are constantly pairing with delicate bitterness.
Chiller, contrary to all traditions, is an American lager. And cook according to all overseas traditions. This beer also uses real American malt.
Temple Brau is a pilsner flavor that comes from German hops and Irish malt. This nuclear mixture gave birth to a new drink that appealed to true connoisseurs of this drink.
Oyster was made according to the “add something like that” principle. And they made an excellent stout with a persistent and rather strange aftertaste. This is due to the fact that oysters were added there.
Plain Porter is a light stout with a rich flavor and a natural, clean, nutty aftertaste.
TSB is a hop-heavy stout that has a bright roasted barley aroma and a bitter finish.
Hersbrucker is a European pilsner with a rich barley flavor. Hersbooker hops have a classic German quality and give the beer a special taste and aroma.
Haus Weiss is a fruity beer with rich flavors of a wide variety of flavors against a background of wheat malt. It is very difficult to prepare and is considered a premium beer.
Porterhouse Red is an Irish red ale with sweet notes of yeast and a caramel malt flavor.
Wrasslers is a dark and rich stout with a pronounced hop aftertaste.

Nowadays, the Irish have overcome themselves and the traditional stout has been diversified with other intoxicating drinks. Lagers, ales, pilsners. All this can now also be considered their culture. But they also do not forget traditional recipes and try to combine their traditional beer with innovative ideas.

What can you buy in Russia

The renowned Irish beer Guinness is popular not only in the Emerald Country. It is exported to many countries around the world, including the Russian Federation.

Beer is supplied to Russia in plastic disposable eco-kegs, which allow the taste characteristics to be fully preserved.

In addition to export, beer is also brewed in Russia under license. This is done at the Heineken brewery in St. Petersburg.

In addition to Guinness, in Russia you can buy other good Irish beer, for example, bottled Carlow “O’Hara’s” and “Curim”, Harp lager, beer in a can “Murphy’s” and even Harp in 30l kegs.

Irish beer lovers claim that simply trying all types of this wonderful foamy drink can sometimes not even be enough in a lifetime. We wish you to have enough time for this!

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10 craft beers from Ireland

Millions of glasses of Guinness stout are drunk around the world on St. Patrick's Day. Other Irish brands such as Murphy's, Caffrey's and Harp have tried to dethrone the favorite but have so far failed. Maybe young craft breweries, which are opening more and more in Ireland, will be able to displace Guinness?

The Independent has compiled a selection of ten craft beers from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland - and it's not just stouts (or even anything green)!

Galway Bay Buried at Sea, 4.3%

If you're looking for something soothing to drink, try this milk stout: pour into your favorite glass and sip. Dark, with a thin beige foam, the stout is rich in malt aroma and silky texture. The chocolatey creamy sweetness dries down to light notes of smoke and nuts on the finish.

The White Hag Little Fawn, 4.2%

White Hag Brewery, named after a creature from Irish mythology, has entered the craft beer market with a whole line of great beers. Little Fawn is a session IPA with clean malt and American hops. The grapefruit flavor leads the way, followed by tropical mango notes and herbaceous bitterness. Brewers who love mythology may well become legends of Irish brewing themselves.

Boundary, D'etre, Raspberry/Blackberry, 4.9%

Belfast's Boundary Brewery is at the forefront of the Irish craft beer scene. Her portfolio includes four basic varieties: two IPAs, an APA and a stout. They are complemented by a rotating line of experimental and collaboration varieties. The D'etre series are fruity saisons. This variety combines raspberry and blackberry notes with a refreshing spice.

Mescan Westport Red Tripel, 8.5%

The Mescan brewery was opened by two veterinarians, one from Dublin, the other from Genk, Belgium. They brew Belgian-style beer on a farm at the foot of Croagh Patrick Mountain. This is a strong malty tripel with berry notes and tart spice.

Eight Degrees The Full Irish, 6%

This great American IPA is truly international, brewed by an Australian and a New Zealander using Irish malt. Open it up and you'll immediately notice bright, piney hop notes. On the palate, grapefruit is in the foreground, supported by lime and lychee. There are also sweet floral notes, and the finish is dry, herbaceous and long-lasting.

Brehon Brewhouse Brehon Blonde, 4.3%

Brehon Brewhouse, based in County Monaghan, wanted to brew the most refreshing drink possible - and this blonde ale delivered. The result is a clean, golden beer with a soft foam head and a fresh aroma of lemon and light bready malt. The taste is simple and elegant: a little citrus zest, a pinch of spices and a slight bitterness. Do you want to take a break from strong and powerful beer? This strain will reboot your receptors.

Mourne Mountains Brewery Red Trail, 5.5%

Mourne Mountain is a relatively new brewery located in Warrenpoint. Their beers are inspired by the granite peaks of the mountains south of the brewery. The beer is made from mountain water from the Spelga reservoir, which makes the beer distinctly soft. The red IPA, hopped with a combination of New Zealand and American varieties, was seductive - aromatic, with notes of sweet toasty malt in the long finish.

Northbound 08.5%

German-style Kölsch is quickly gaining popularity, and Derry-based brewery Northbound is among its fans. The light honey-colored beer uses peppery German hops and ale yeast. Soft bready malt is emphasized by light effervescence and the dryish, spicy character of the yeast.

Whitewater Brewing Maggie's Leap, 4.7%

Whitewater, located near the Morne Mountains, is another shining star of the Northern Irish beer scene. They have a variety of traditional ales, but Maggie's Leap is one of the best. This is a clean and bright IPA with American and New World hops and yeast from an old Belfast brewery. A pleasant and drinkable beer that leaves you wanting more.

Metalman Brewing Co Heatsink, 5%

A dash of chilli, a dash of smoke – Waterford-based brewer Metalman has added a little heat to this porter. This is a slightly fruity dark ale with a pleasant dry finish and a slight coffee bitterness. If you find the smoky peppery beer too delicate at first, wait and you'll feel the warming effect by the end of the can.

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TOP 10 best varieties of Irish beer - PoPivy.ru - share your beer. Portal about beer.

It is a dark beer produced since 1792 by the Beamish & Crawford brewery in County Cork, Ireland. It has a smooth flavor and is a dense stout with toasty hops, malt and chocolate flavor notes.

2. Guinness Draft

It is the main variety of the famous Guinness brand. Over time, in order to increase sales, this variety began to be produced in cans and bottles. It has a pronounced bready taste and wateriness. Alcohol content – 4.8%. Black color.

3. Guinness Foreign Extra Stout

Irish stout especially for foreign countries. This variety has a high alcohol content - up to 7.5%. At the same time, there are several variants of this beer that are produced outside of Ireland and have significant differences from the original. The licensed variants are produced using unfermented beer wort extract, which is imported from Ireland and to which local ingredients are added.

4. Murphy's Irish Stout

Murphy's Irish Stout 1.bp.blogspot.com

A true Irish stout. This is a dark beer with a creamy foam created by mixed gases. When Murphy's is bottled, the drink is forced under high pressure through a foam head, which creates the smooth, creamy head associated with Murphy's Stout.

5. Ohara's Celtic Stout

This is a dense, superbly smooth drink. The combination of traditional stout hops, a little more roasted barley and crystal clear Irish water gives O'hara's Celtic Stout such a rich taste, in which malty sweetness balances with the taste of roasted barley. In 2000, at the International Brewing Industry Awards, O'hara's Celtic Stout beer was recognized as the best stout in the world, beating 74 competitors.

6. Oyster Stout

Dense beer with dark foam. The crisp, pleasant taste of a classic stout. In the aftertaste you can feel the ghost of an oyster, which, naturally, was not added to the drink. This means that no oysters were harmed in the production of this beer.

7. Harp Lager

Famous for its refreshing taste and pure golden color. Alcohol - 5.0%. Harp beer has a mild taste and malt aroma. It is somewhat reminiscent of the best German lager varieties, but the taste is less bitter. The recipe uses the best varieties of Irish malt, Czech hops and the purest water of the lake, filled with mountain springs. Harp lager was created by Guinness in the early 1960s. This is the first lager beer in Ireland. Produced in Dundalk.

8. Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale

This ale has a rich red color. Absolutely unique and aromatic taste. Irish red ale is served as a full glass of foam in bars, and then the foam smoothly turns into beer, leaving a dense, thick head of foam in the glass.

9. Murphy's Irish Red

An easy-drinking red beer that successfully combines the freshness of light beer and the originality of a truly Irish taste. The ruby-amber color of Murphy’s Irish Red is achieved thanks to special roasted malt, which gives the drink a unique taste.

10. Smithwick's Irish Ale

A very famous type of Irish red ale and the second most popular (after Guinness) type of beer in Ireland. Typical ABV is just 3.8% in Ireland, and 5% in North America. Compared to another type of Irish red ale - Kilkenny - it is much less bitter (you can even feel some sweetness). Just like other ales and stouts, Smithwick's is characterized by a dense and long-lasting foam head, although smaller than that of Kilkenny. Initially produced only at the St. Francis Abbey Brewery, where the monks are said to have begun production beer back in the 14th century.