Beverage Travel: Check out iconic Irish dry stout and the best pubs in Dublin

Ireland has a history of brewing beer dating back 5,000 years. Legend has it that even St Patrick had his own brewery. In the Middle Ages, monks were the primary brewers, and they used their skills to create a wide variety of beers. However, it wasn’t until the 1700s that beer production in Ireland truly began to take off. And then, Arthur Guinness created the black stout in 1759 in Dublin, an ‘invention’ that changed the history of beer in Ireland.
If you are in Dublin, do a pub crawl, visit the Guinness and learn all about famous writers and politicians and their favourite drinks. Here’s a quick must-dos for the best pint in the Irish capital. (Also read: Fasting and flying during Ramadan? Here’s what airlines are offering )
The Brazen Head: Dating back to 1198, The Brazen Head is one of Ireland’s oldest pubs. Licensing laws only came into effect in 1635, yet this pub has been serving alcohol before official licensing laws were even introduced.
Man O’War: Established around 1595, Man O’War has nothing to do with battles but is a translation from the Irish mean bharr, or ‘middle height’ due to its elevated location on the old road between Dublin and Belfast.
The Hole in the Wall: Europe’s longest public house, with exactly 100 metres of pub hugging the exterior wall of the 1700-acre Phoenix Park, the Hole in the Wallstarted life in 1651 as a medieval coaching inn known as Ye Signe of Ye Blackhorse.
The Long Hall: Originally established in 1766, the Long Hall is the jewel of Dublin’s glittering collection of Victorian pubs.
The Stag’s Head: A traditional Irish pub with traditional Irish music and food in Dublin city centre. Here, you will cross into a landmark with enough history it could occupy a library.
Mulligans of Poolbeg Street: Describes itself as a ‘No-nonsense 18th century pub with a cast of regulars and a lack of modern pomposity’.
Johnnie Fox’s: Established in 1798, it is Ireland’s highest pub. Guinness pie is great but do not miss the slow-cooked lamb shank.
Kehoe’s: Kehoe’s is an award-winning traditional Irish pub in the heart of Dublin. Kehoe’s was first licensed in 1803 and is known for stained glass mahogany doors, old Irish snugs, and partitions.
Slattery’s: Loved by locals and frequented by some of Ireland’s music and movie legends a visit to Dublin isn’t complete without a visit to Slattery’s.
The Palace Bar: Irish poet and novelist Patrick Kavanagh once described the Palace Bar on Fleet Street in Dublin city centre as the ‘most wonderful temple of art’.
Guinness Tour: The story of Guinness goes back more than 250 years, when Arthur Guinness, from Celbridge in County Kildare, decided to set up a brewery. In 1759, he signed a 9,000-year lease at a site at St James’s Gate in Dublin city centre. He built the Guinness brewery up slowly, and ten years later, started exporting barrels of stout by ship to England. That’s how Guinness, the Irish dry stoutwas born. Over 100 million glasses of Guinness are enjoyed every single day around the world – that’s 1.8 billion pints sold every year.
Guinness Storehouse: If you want to learn what exactly goes into a pint of the ‘black stuff’ and the story of how this famous stout went from humble beginnings to being sold all around the world, then the Guinness Storehouse, the home of Guinness in St James’s Gate in Dublin and winner of the World’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2023, is the place to start.
Guinness Book of World Records: It all started in the 1950s when Sir Hugh Beaver, managing director of the Guinness Brewery, went to a shooting party by the River Slaney in County Wexford. Over a lavish dinner in Castlebridge House, the party couldn’t decide what the fastest game bird in Europe was. The argument persisted for a long time – everyone had different opinions, and nobody could provide a definitive answer. Years later, Hugh would reflect on this argument and wonder why all of this information wasn’t kept safe in one easy-to-access location – and thus, the idea for the Guinness Book of World Records was born.
Hilden Brewery, Lisburn: The oldest independent brewery in Ireland, Hilden’s doors were opened in 1981. Its 11 core beers include Belfast Blonde, Headless Dog, Twisted Hop and Barney’s Brew. Do not miss their Hilden Beer and Music Festival every August.
Dungarvan Brewing Company: Dungarvan Brewing Company makes four fabulous core beers: Black Rock Irish Stout (fantastic with a plate of local oysters), Copper Coast Irish Red Ale, Helvick Gold Irish Blonde Ale and Mine Head American Pale Ale.
Black’s Brewery: The husband-and-wife team produces KPA, Model T Stout, The Session IPA, 1601 Lager, Black IPA and High Viz Double IPA.
Wicklow Brewing: Known for their beers: Helles, St Kevin’s Red, Weiss, Black 16 Stout, Hopknut and Gingerknut.
Franciscan Well Brew Pub, Cork: Built on the site of a 13th century monastery – with a well of water said to have healing powers – Franciscan Well is a part of the fabric of Cork city. Its World Beer Award-winning brews are sold across the island, so look out for Rebel Red, Friar Weisse, Blarney Blonde and Shandon Stout.
Galway Bay Brewery: Their core beers – Full Sail, Bay Ale, Althea and Buried at Sea, a chocolate milk stout – are sold all over the island.
Whitewater Brewery: The brewery’s Maggie’s Leap IPA, Bee’s Endeavour pale ale, Ewe Rebel IPA, Belfast Black stout, and Hen, Cock & Pigeon Rock ale (named after three peaks in the nearby Mournes) have won fistfuls of awards.