The 10 Irish Craft Breweries Every Beer Lover Should Try

A dream brought to life by a few beer enthusiasts, Metalman Brewing Company has put Waterford on the craft beer map in Ireland. Frustrated by the lack of authentic and flavorful Irish craft beers on the market, Grainne Walsh and Tim Barber decided to put their plan into action, and in 2011, their first beer, Metalman Pale Ale, was launched. Since then, Metalman has created a number of seasonal beers such as Equinox and Heatsink. The name of the brewery comes from the navigational aid located on the Waterford coastline. The Metalman statue was erected in 1823 following the running aground of the Sea Horse. The Metalman therefore became a safety beacon and an iconic feature on the Waterford coast. With the success of the brewery so far, Metalman Brewing Company is set to become an icon in Waterford, too.

Founded by an Australian chartered accountant and a New Zealand water engineer, Eight Degrees Brewing is the brainchild of Cam and Scott, who both wanted to create a great tasting beer. After studying brewing techniques at the Versuchs und Lehranstalt fur Braurei (VLB) institute in Berlin, the duo set about forging their own identity on the craft beer market. Thus, Eight Degrees Brewing was born. The name comes from Ireland’s location at eight degrees west longitude. It is also the ideal temperature to serve their beers. The beers are handcrafted in Ballyhoura in County Cork from water, malt, hops and yeast. Must-try beers include their Barefoot Bohemian Pilsner Lager, Howling Gale Irish Pale Ale, Sunburnt Irish Red Ale, Knockmealdown Irish Stout, and their World Beer Cup medal winner, Amber Ella American Amber Ale.

Owned by craft beer loving Emma Devlin and Cathal O’Donoghue, Rascals Brewing Company is quickly becoming a household name in Dublin and Ireland for their charismatic beers. Their love of beer began in Wellington, New Zealand, where the couple lived in 2009. They began creating their own brews, and following the success of winning two brewing competitions in 2013, the pair decided to open their own 950 liter microbrewery. Exciting beers produced by the company include their Ginger Porter brewed with fresh root ginger, which won a bronze medal at the Alltech International Beer Convention 2014, their Big Hop Red ale which won the Fan Favorite Award in the Red/Amber/Brown Category at the All-Ireland Irish Craft Beer Festival 2014, and their seasonal lemon saison Kim Jong Lem-Un which was the National Homebrew Club Summer Session Competition Winner. With so many awards for their beer creations, Rascals Brewing Company is a place to watch.

Founding the first brewery in Sligo in fifty years, James Ward opened The White Hag, taking the name from Irish Mythology. According to legend, The White Hag was a witch and a spiritual force of nature, who was one of three hags who lived in a cave in the side of Keash Corann. Working in craft beer distribution in America, James Ward decided to develop an authentic Irish beer to satisfy the demand in the US market. Returning to Sligo, James opened his brewery and is quickly establishing himself as an innovative and intriguing beer producer in Ireland as well as the US. The beers are created by Master Brewer Joe Kearns, and have revived the brewing tradition in Sligo, with must-taste beers such as their Black Boar stout, Ireland’s only Heather Ale, their Irish Bog Ale made from peat and their Imperial Oatmeal Stout that packs a punch at 10.2%.