Irish Breweries |
styles - history - beers |
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This page lists all the breweries currently
active in Ireland and all the beers they brew. I have created a single page for the whole of Ireland, both the Republic and the North, for no other reason than the small number of breweries. And, of course, the common brewing tradition. |
Index Irish brewing industry Irish beer statistics Irish beer styles Irish Breweries |
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The
Irish brewing industry Unless you've spent the last 50 years in a sealed concrete bunker, you'll be aware of Guinness's dominance of the Irish brewing scene. Their last Dublin rival (Findlaters) closed in 1949 and by the mid-1960's they had rounded up the last few stray ale breweries. The only challenge to total control was in Cork, where the tied house system of Murphy's and Beamish & Crawford kept Guinness at bay, at least for a while. Under pressure from their own landlords (who wanted to sell Guinness), the Cork brewers gave up their tied houses in the 1970's. They soon ran into trouble and were snapped up by foreign globalists, eager to own an "Irish stout" brand. Their stouts are now often easier to find abroad than in their native country. The micro revolution Ireland is one of the last of the traditional brewing nations of Europe to undergo a microbrewery boom. The stranglehold of Guinness on the licensed trade has surely played a role in suppressing new brewery startups. In 2005 progressive beer duty was due to be introduced. It should proivide a boost to the fledgling micro industry. There was a brief flirtation with Dublin-brewed real ale in the early 1980's (Dempsey's and Harty's), but neither lasted very long. It wasn't until the 1990's with the Biddy Early brewpub that anyone dared try again. A steady trickle of new brewpubs and micros has continued since, though they are still of minor significance in terms of volume (45,000 hl to Guinness's 5.2 million hl). The lack of a sliding scale of duty is seen as a major obstacle to new breweries entering the market. The story in Northern Ireland has been much the same, where Bass and Guinness have long enjoyed a duopoly. Hilden, Ireland's oldest microbrewery (founded 1981) has survived rather than prospered. The long absence of cask-conditioned beer and the lack of proper cellars in many bars has not helped their cause. Whitewater joined them in 1996. A couple of other micros and a brewpub came and quickly disappeared again in the 1980's. All the new brewereies have produced cask-conditioned beer on a regular basis. Ireland now has more breweries than at any time since the early 1920's. This is how the 19 active breweries (16 in the Irish Republic, 3 in Northern Ireland) and two contract brewers (one either side of the border) can be classified:
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Irish
beer styles Ireland is famous for one style of beer: stout. Originating in 18th century London, porter became immensely popular in Ireland around 1800. Eventually Dublin ousted London as porter capital and by 1900 Irish brewers were exporting huge quantities to England. The extent of this trade can be deduced from the statistics for UK beer imports: with the independence of the Irish Republic these increased from around 50,000 barrels (82,000 hl) a year to 1,500,000 barrels (2,455,000 hl). Guinness pioneered mixed-gas dispense (carbon dioxide and nitrogen) in the early 1960's. Today it's widely used for serving both draught stout and ale. The older system of serving draught stout involved two barrels behind the bar. Each glass was first filled about two-thirds with old, relatively flat beer from the lower cask ("low stout"). It was topped up with lively, young beer from a smaller cask on a high shelf ("high stout"). Modern stout is a mere shadow of its pre-WW I self. The classic porter strength - from the early 18th century up until 1900 - was around 1056º. Stout was a minimum of 1060º. If you want to get an idea of old-fashioned Irish stout, try Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. It's the closest approximation you'll find today. You'll notice that in 1840 Guinness Extra Stout was stronger than the current FES.
In the years 1900 - 1916 a high proportion of beer brewed in Ireland must have been the stronger stouts. The average Original Gravity hovered around 1065º. As a comparison, in England and Wales it was 1051 - 1052º and in Scotland only 1047 - 1049º. You can find the full details here. Irish beer styles today Stout Stout has steadily lost popularity with drinkers over the last 40 years, but is still the most popular style. Ireland is the last country in the world where the majority of beer is still top-fermented. Lager The first lager brewery (Darty Brewing Co.) was established in Dublin in 1892, but only lasted a five years. A second attempt was made with the wonderfully named Regal Lager Brewery Ltd. (in Kelis, county Meath) in 1937. It lasted slightly longer, closing in 1954. Serious lager brewing began when Guinness converted the Great Northern Brewery in Dundalk to produce Harp in the 1950's. Murphy and Beamish followed Guinness into the lager market, brewing a variety of foreign brands under licence. The names have come and gone with the changes of ownership, but the product has remained largely the same. They have been surprisingly successful in this section of the market, the only one where Guinness has punched below its weight. Their market share of only around 50% - in what is an expanding sector - must be a worry. This is the only area where a British brewery (the former Bass subsidiary Tennents) has made any lasting impact on the Irish market. Ale For decades the three large breweries (Guinness, Murphy, Beamish) were happy to brew nothing but porter-style beers. There was a parallel world of quite small ale breweries which struggled along until the 1950's. The remaining half dozen or so merged to form the imaginatively-named Irish Ale Brewers, which Guinness bought in 1965. Keg ales made big inroads in stout's market share during the 1960's and 1970's, before being overtaken by lager as the drink of the moment. Their fortunes have been revived in the last 15 years by sales outside their native country. Keg Kilkenny is a "must have" beer for fake Irish pubs across Europe. Caffrey's started the fad for "smoothflow" ales in Britain. Both Murphy and Beamish now brew "Red Ales", but their impact inside Ireland has been minimal, where Guinness brands still dominate.
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Brewers' Trade Organisations The Irish Brewers' Association 84/86 Lower Baggot Street Dublin 2 Tel. : (353) 1 660 10 11 Fax : (353) 1 660 17 17 Director : Paddy Jordan Email: paddy.jordan@ibec.ie The big boys' club. |
Brewers and Malsters Guild of Ireland Founded (or refounded) in 1996. An organisation representing the interests of micros and brewpubs. Irish Craft Brewer A website devoted to Irish craft beer. http://www.irishcraftbrewer.com/ |
Statistics
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Beer production (barrels) | ||||||||||||||
Year | 1857 | 1860 | 1865 | 1871 | 1875 | 1880 | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1890 | 1895 | |
production | 926,000 | 1,213,307 | 1,242,671 | 1,616,654 | 2,025,614 | 2,066,269 | 1,919,992 | 2,044,413 | 2,143,899 | 2,114,488 | 2,229,997 | 2,460,645 | 2,670,803 | |
Year | 1900 | 1905 | 1910 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | |
production | 2,669,225 | 2,799,960 | 3,059,210 | 4,115,000 | 3,532,902 | 3,412,520 | 3,279,032 | 2,850,170 | 1,603,679 | 1,806,096 | 2,969,498 | 3,481,312 | 2,939,893 | |
Average O.G. | - | 1063.49 | 1064.78 | - | 1065.93 | 1065.93 | 1066.43 | 1065.69 | 1057.89 | 1044.43 | 1048.35 | 1050.18 | 1049.44 | |
Year | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | |
production | 2,004,109 | 1,908,761 | 1,755,761 | 1,472,678 | 1,494,036 | 1,465,569 | 1,750,140 | 1,631,009 | 1,534,040 | 1,798,450 | 2.063,093 | 1,952,583 | 1,988,580 | |
Average O.G. | 1051.76 | 1051.88 | 1051.78 | 1051.12 | 1051.58 | 1050.11 | 1045.62 | 1043.63 | 1044.97 | 1044.60 | 1044.41 | 1041.71 | 1041.51 | |
Year | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | |
production | 2,119,583 | 2,304,668 | 2,279,655 | 2,339,224 | 2,145,110 | 2,233,346 | 2,257,251 | 2,374,460 | 2,417,097 | 2,314,967 | 2,283,000 | |||
Average O.G. | 1041.76 | 1042.36 | 1043.86 | 1044.45 | 1045.21 | 1045.09 | 1045.36 | 1045.63 | 1046.16 | 1046.12 | 1046.33 | |||
Sources: 1857-1922 Reports of Commissioners of Inland Revenue and of Customs and Excise, and Trade and Navigation. (via "The Brewers' Almanack 1928") 1936-1953 Brewers' Almanack 1955, p.107-110 1954-1959 Brewers' Almanack 1962, p.107-108 Notes: up to 1881, calculated according to the Quantities of Malt and Sugar used 1884 - 1895, 1913 Standard Barrels Charged with Beer Duty 1900 - 1922 the Number of bulk barrels upon which duty was paid during the year. 1 barrel = 163.656 litres. |
Number of breweries | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1850 | 1900 | 1901 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1911 | 1914 | 1915 | 1920 | 1923 | 1925 | 1926 | 1930 | 1937 | 1940 | 1946 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | |
Breweries | 95@ | 36 | 35 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 8 |
Sources: my own calculation 1954-1959 Brewers' Almanack 1955, p.107-108 @ Weekly Dispatch, April 13th 1851 Notes: up to 1922 all Ireland, 1923 onwards Irish Republic only |
Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1961 | 1974 | 1976 | 1980 | 1983 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
Consumption (1,000 hl) | 4,174# | 4,072f | 4,182f | 4,412f | 4,632f | 4,632f | 4,840f | 4,700f | 4,792f | 4,932# | 5,196# | 5,406# | 5,592# | 5,699# | 5,595# | 5,625# | ||||||||||
Consumption per head (litres) | 58.1f | 130f | 126c | 121.7# | 108d | 106.4f | 112.7b | 118 | 123.7@ | 150.5e | 126 | 125a | 125& | |||||||||||||
Production (1,000 hl) | 6,000# | 4,479g | 4,360g | 4,624g | 5,094g | 5,236g | 6,680 | 6,910 | 7,186 | 7,402# | 7,764# | 8,152# | 8,478# | 8,648# | 8,710# | 8,712# | 9,157h | |||||||||
Imports | 513# | 559# | 570# | 741# | 645i | |||||||||||||||||||||
Exports (1,000 hl) | 3,300# | 3,445# | 3,519# | 2,142# | 2,442# | |||||||||||||||||||||
No. breweries (Irish Republic) | 8* | 7* | 7* | 7* | 9* | 8* | 7* | 7* | 7* | 7* | 7* | 7* | 7* | 7* | 9* | 11* | 12* | 16* | 17* | 17* | 18* | 20* | 19* | 17* | 19* | 17* |
No. breweries (N. Ireland) | 1* | 1* | 1* | 1* | 4* | 4* | 4* | 4* | 3* | 2* | 2* | 2* | 2* | 2* | 2* | 3* | 3* | 3* | 3* | 3* | 3* | 3* | 3* | 4* | 3* | 4* |
Sources: # The Brewers of Europe (2003) & Bryggeriforeningen (Norway) a Brauwelt 31-32/2002 b Economics Department, German Brewers' Association. c World Guide to Beer, Michael Jackson d Bier in Belgie, Geert van Lierde, 1986 @ Brauwelt Brevier 2000 e Brauwelt Brevier 2001 f Competition Authority Decision of 17 June 1998, relating to a proceeding under Section 4 of the Competition Act. Notification No. CA/17/97 - Guinness Ireland Group Limited/United Beverages Holdings Limited. Decision No. 512 g United Nations Statistics Department h Brauwelt Brevier i Centraal Brouwerij Kantoor * my own calculation Notes: |
Beer sales by type | |||
1967 | 1975 | 1996 | |
Stout | 80%a | 58%a | 47%b |
Ale | 15%a | 31%a | |
Lager | 5%* | 14%* | |
Sources: a "The Murphy's Story" Diarmuid Ó Drisceoil & Donal Ó Drisceoil, p.132 b Competition Authority Decision of 17 June 1998, relating to a proceeding under Section 4 of the Competition Act. Notification No. CA/17/97 - Guinness Ireland Group Limited/United Beverages Holdings Limited. Decision No. 512 * calculated from the other figures |
Market share by brewery (1996) | ||||
Percentage Share | Guinness | Murphy | Beamish & Crawford | Others |
Draught | ||||
- Stout | 88.4% | 5.1% | 6.2% | 0.3% |
- Ale | 96.4% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3.6% |
- Lager | 52.4% | 38.6% | 6.3% | 2.7% |
Packaged | 60% | 17% | 12% | 11% |
- Stout | 89.2% | 5.0% | 5.5% | 0.3% |
- Ale | 87.2% | 0.0% | 2.7% | 10.1% |
- Lager | 49.6% | 18.4% | 12.3% | 19.7% |
Total | 73.7% | 16.3% | 6.5% | 3.5% | Source: Competition Authority Decision of 17 June 1998, relating to a proceeding under Section 4 of the Competition Act. Notification No. CA/17/97 - Guinness Ireland Group Limited/United Beverages Holdings Limited. Decision No. 512 |
What do my scores mean? | |
< 20 | cut out the middleman and pour straight down the sink |
21 - 30 | pretty nasty, gulp down quickly or hold your nose |
31 - 40 | chill heavily and pray |
41 - 50 | can be drunk unchilled without evoking nausea |
51 - 60 | safe to drink |
61 - 70 | you might actually enjoy this |
71 - 80 | can survive a serious examination |
81 - 90 | don't swallow too quickly |
91 - 100 | treat like 50 year-old Islay |
Listings
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Acton's
Country Pub and Microbrewery The Brooklodge Hotel, Macreddin, Co. Wicklow. Tel: 0402 - 36444 Fax: 0402 - 36580 Email: brooklodge@macreddin.ie Homepage: http://www.brooklodge.com/ Founded: Annual production: Microbrewery in a leisure complex. Its beers are currently brewed at Messrs Maguire. |
Árainn Mhór Brewing Company Árainn Mhór Island, Burtonport, County Donegal. Tel: 087 630 6856 email info@ambrewco.com http://www.ambrewco.com Founded: 2006 Annual production:
Contract brewer on an island in county Donegal. The beers are brewed in Belgium. |
Beamish
& Crawford Brewery South Main Street, Cork. Tel: 021 - 4911100 Fax: 021 - 4911111 Email: info@beamish.ie Homepage: http://www.beamish.ie/ Founded: 1792 ***** Closed 2009 **** Annual production: 574,000 hl (2002)
Owned by Scottish & Newcastle. Beamish stout is far harder to find than its main Irish rivals, despite being under globalist control. Alfred Barnard, wrote in his 1889 book 'Noted Breweries of Great Britain & Ireland': "The business of Beamish & Crawford in Cork is a very old one dating as far back as the seventeenth century and it is said to be the most ancient porter brewery in Ireland.***** Closed 2009 **** As part of the deal wherby Carlsberg and Heineken dismembered the twitching corpse of Scottish & Newcastle, Heineken got their hands on both of the Cork breweries. Unsurprisingly, they immediately decided to close Beamish. Their Stout is, for the moment, being brewed at the Murphy's brewery. I don't expect it to last long. Why would Heineken promote two brands of Irish Stout? |
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The brewery has been traded between globalists (more accurately, would-be
globalists) in the past four decades. Here are the details:
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Beoir
Chorca Duibhne c/o Tig Bhric, nr. Ballyferriter, Co. Kerry. Tel: +353 66 9156325 Email: info@tigbhric.com http://www.tigbhric.com Founded: 2008 Annual production: brewlength 400l
Microrewery adjacent to Tig Bhric pub. Beers are available during the summer season only, at Tig Bhric in Riasc, nr. Ballyferriter and Tigh Uí Chatháin in Ballyferriter itself. |
Biddy
Early Brewery Inagh, Co. Clare Tel: +353 65 683 6742 Fax: +353 65 683 6742 Email: info@beb.ie Homepage: http://www.beb.ie/ Founded: 1995 **** Closed 2009 **** Annual production: 850 hl
Brewpub. Sold in 2009 and currently not brewing. |
Carlow
Brewing Co. "The Goods Store", Station Road, Carlow, Co. Carlow. Tel: +353 (0)503 34356 Fax: +353 (0)503 40038 Email: info@carlowbrewing.com Homepage: http://www.carlowbrewing.com/ Founded: 1998 Annual production:
Microbrewery. Next to the railway station in Carlow town. |
The Celtic Brewing Co. Enfield Industrial Estate, Enfield, Co. Meath Tel: (0405) 41558 Fax: Email: Homepage: http://www. Founded: 1997 Annual production: Microbrewery. No longer markets its one beers, but does do some contract brewing. It operates mostly as a beer importer. |
Clanconnel Brewing Company PO Box 316, Craigavon, N. Ireland, BT65 9AZ Telephone: +44 (0) 7711 626770 Email: info@clanconnelbrewing.com http://www.clanconnelbrewing.com Founded: 2008 Annual production:
Microbrewery. Based in Waringstown, Co. Down, though beers are brewed at Loughrea Agricultural College in Co. Tyrone. Beers Brewed: Weavers Gold. Mainly available in specialist beer retailers in Northern Ireland. |
The
Dublin Brewing Co. 141-146 North King Street, Smithfield, Dublin 7, Co. Dublin. Tel: 01 - 872 8622 Fax: 01 - 872 8653 Email: info@dublinbrewing.com Homepage: http://www.dublinbrewing.com/ Founded: 1996 *** CLOSED in 2005 *** Annual production: 6,240 barrels (10,200 hl) (2003)
Microbrewery. |
Dwan - Tipperary Brewing Co. Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Tel: (0504) 26007 Fax: Email: Homepage: http://www. Founded: 1998 CLOSED 2003 Annual production: Microbrewery. |
Emerald Brewery Business Centre, Racecourse Rd., Roscommon, Co Roscommon. Tel: 0903 - 25737 Fax: 0903 - 25455 Email: Homepage: http://www. Founded: 1999*** CLOSED in 2006 *** Annual production:
Microbrewery. The premises and equipment were taken over by Galway Hooker. |
Franciscan
Well Brewery 14 North Mall, Cork, Co. Cork. Tel: (021) 210130 Fax: Email: Homepage: http://www.franciscanwellbrewery.com/ Founded: 1998 Annual production: 2,500 hl
Microbrewery. |
Galway
Hooker Business Centre, Racecourse Rd., Roscommon, Co Roscommon. Tel: http://www.nameyourbeer.net/ Founded: 2006 Annual production:
Microbrewery. Their single beer is sold in around many pubs in Galway and a few elsewhere in Ireland. |
Great Northern Brewery Carrick Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth. Tel: 042 - 34793 Fax: Email: Homepage: http://www. Founded: 1897 Annual production: 1,000,000 hl
Owned by Diageo (Guinness). It was bought by Guinness in 1959 to brew their lager. |
Arthur
Guinness Son & Co. Saint James's Gate, Dublin 8. Tel: Fax: Email: Homepage: http://www.guinness.com/ Founded: 1749 Annual production: 4,000,000 hl (2003, capacity)
Owned by Diageo. Excuse me if I have omitted some of the many variations Guinness produce of their 3 basic products - bottled Guinness, draught Guinness and Foreign Extra Stout. The company seems perversely determined to destroy a product and a business developed over more than two centuries. As their London brewery (capacity 2.6 million hl) is closing (Summer 2005), all the Guinness in Europe will soon come from Dublin. The capacity of St.James's Gate will be expanded to 6,000,000 hl to cope. An interesting article about the boats Guinness used to own for exporting their beer. |
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Guinness brands over timeIn 1796 Guinness brewed two beers: ale and porter. In 1799 the ale was dropped. In 1801 they introduced Keeping Porter and in 1803 Country Porter.Superior Porter was brewed from 1806 on an occasional basis, After 1840 it was known as Single Stout. In 1896 it was renamed Porter. It was last brewed in the early 1970's. Extra Superior Porter was occasuionally brewed from 1806 onwards. After 1821 it was brewed regularly and became the mainstay of exports to England. Around 1840 the name was changed to Double Stout. In 1896 in was renamed Extra Stout. This is the forerunner of today's Guinness Extra Stout. In the early days a "Keeping" version was brewed, which was matured longer and blended with fresh beer in the Summer to maintain quality during warm weather. West Indies Porter, was also brewed occasionally in the early 1800’s. By 1840 it was a regular product and was called Triple Stout. After 1896 it was called Foreign Export Double Stout This is the direct ancestor of today’s Foreign Extra Stout. In the 1800's, it was the same gravity as the domestic Double Stout/Extra Stout but hopped more heavily and matured longer, which meant it was stronger too. Around 1900, both had an OG of 1074 but the export stout was 7.8% ABV, the domestic stout only 7%. Sources: "Guinness’s Brewery in the Irish Economy 1759-1876", Patrick Lynch and John Vaizey, pages 150-151. "Guinness 1886-1939", by Dennison & McDonagh, p. 2, 153, 159 "American Handy Book of Brewing , Malting and Auxiliary Trades", by Wahl & Henius, Chicago 1902, page 825.
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Hilden Brewery Hilden House, Grand Street, Lisburn, Co. Antrim BT27 4TY. Tel: (028) 9266 3863 Fax: (028) 9260 3511 Email: hilden.brewery@uk.gateway.net Homepage: http://www. Founded: 1981 Annual production:
Microbrewery. The oldest independent brewery in Ireland. |
Irish Brewing Co. Unit 3, Newbridge Industrial Estate, Newbridge, Co. Kildare. Tel: 045-435540 Fax: 045-435541 Email: ibcpure@indigo.ie Homepage: http://www. Founded: 1995 ***** CLOSED 200? ***** Annual production:
Microbrewery. |
Kinsale
Brewery Kinsale, Co Kerry. Tel: Fax: Email: Homepage: http://www.kinsalebrewing.com/ Founded: 2001***** CLOSED 2007 ***** Annual production: 17,000 hl (2003)
Microbrewery. |
Macardle, Moore & Co. Ltd Cambrickville Brewery, Ardee Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth. Tel: 042 - 35441 Fax: Email: Homepage: http://www. Founded: 1850 CLOSED 2003 Annual production:
Owned by Diageo (Guinness). Macardle's is now brewed elsewhere. |
Messrs Maguire 1 & 2 Burgh Quay, Dublin, Co. Dublin. Tel: (01) 670 5777 Fax: Email: Homepage: http://www. Founded: 1998 Annual production:
Brewpub. The beers are sold in both nitrokeg and cask-conditioned forms. The latter seem mostly intended for the UK's guest ale market. |
College
Green Brewery Molly’s Yard, 1 College Green Mews, Botanic Avenue, Belfast BT7 1LW. Tel: 028 9032 2600 Founded: 2006 Annual production:
Contract brewery. The beers are brewed at Hilden.. |
Murphy
Brewery Ireland Ltd. Lady's Well, Leitrim St., Cork. Tel: 021 - 503371 Fax: 021 - 503926 Email: Homepage: http://www.murphys.com Founded: 1856 Annual production: 1,010,000 hl (2001) 1,030,000 hl (2002) (Source: Heineken website)
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Owned by Heineken. Murphy's has led a difficult life in the last 40 years. After teetering on the edge of extinction, it appears now to have a fairly secure life as a Heineken niche market brewery. Then again, that's what I said about Ridder of Maastricht a year or two before Heineken closed them down. (Left: poster from 1919, courtesy The Lordprice Collection)
In the dark days of the early 1970's, output dropped below 15,000 barrels (25,000 hl). Very sad, compared to the 140,000 barrels (230,000 hl) brewed in 1900. Here's an overview of the brewery' output from its founding until the 1970's:
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The
Porterhouse Brewing Co. Brewery: Unit 6D, Rosemount Park Road, Ballycoolin, Blanchardstown Tel 01 822 7415 Pub: 16 Parliament Street, Dublin 2, Co. Dublin Tel: (01) 679 8847 Fax: Email: Homepage: http://www.porterhousebrewco.com/ Founded: 1996 Annual production: 2,500 hl
Microbrewery. All the beer comes from a standalone brewery in the suburb of Blanchardstown. According to their website "The Porterhouse uses a traditional true top fermentation Bi strain Yorkshire stone square yeast or, alternatively, your eyes may start to glaze over at this point. It's highly flocculent and comes from the Old Romsey brewery in Kent by way of the East Riding Brewery." |
E. Smithwick and Sons Ltd. St. Francis Abbey Brewery, Parliament St, Kilkenny. Tel: 056 - 21014 Fax: 056 - 62101 Email: Homepage: http://www. Founded: 1710 Annual production: 1,200,000 hl
Owned by Guinness (now Diageo) since 1965. Usually sold under the name Kilkenny outside Ireland. The brewery is in the grounds of St Francis's Abbey. Also brews Budweiser under licence. |
Strangford Lough Brewing Company Ltd Braidleigh Lodge, 22 Shore Road, Killyleagh, County Down, BT30 9UE, Northern Ireland phone: +44 (0)28 4482 1461 fax: +44 (0)28 4482 1273 email: office@slbc.ie http://www.slbc.ie/ Founded: 2004 Annual production:
Contract brewery. The beers are brewed at various locations. |
Ulster
Brewery Glen Road, Belfast, BT11 8BY. Tel: 028 9030 1301 Fax: 028 9062 4884 Email: Homepage: http://www.caffreys.ie Founded: 1897 **** CLOSED 2005 **** Annual production: 1,227,000 hl
Owned by Interbrew. Formerly Thomas Caffrey & Son. Acquired by Charringtons (later Bass Charrington) 1964 & by Interbrew 2000. Keg only. Summer 2004 Interbrew announced that they wanted to sell the brewery. They had no takers and it closed in 2005. |
Waterford Brewery Mary Street, Waterford. Tel: Fax: Email: Homepage: http://www. Founded: 1792 CLOSED 2003 Annual production: Owned by Diageo (Guinness). Formerly Cherry's Breweries Limited. Ceased brewing Smithwicks in 2003. Now makes the special concentrate used in Guinness breweries across the world. |
White Gypsy 14 Priory Place, Templemore, Co. Tipperary. http://www.whitegypsy.ie Founded: 2009 Annual production:
Microbrewery. Founded 2009 by Cuilan Loughnane, brewer in Messrs Maguire and former brewer at Dwan's. White Gypsy is the brand of his Shelta Beer Company. St Cuilan's Red Ale is available at Finn's Bar in Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary. The other beers have, up until now, only appeared as festival specials. |
Whitewater
Brewing Co. 40 Tullyframe Road, Kilkeel, Co. Down BT34 4RZ. Tel: (028) 41769449 Fax: (028) 41769449 Email: kerrysloan@hotmail.co.uk Homepage: http://www.whitewaterbrewing.co.uk Founded: 1996 Annual production: 4,500 hl (2003, capacity)
Microbrewery. Owns one pub. |