In the United States, we’re blessed with the craft beer industry. Every week, craft breweries release new beers that push the boundaries of what we think beer is, and new craft breweries are opening all the time.
The result? A society where beer is constantly innovated and changed, never looking back at the past.
But that’s not how the whole world is. Probably because some places have mastered specific brews so perfectly that there’s no reason to change it. Ever.
Guinness is a good example, as is Dublin as a whole. You can’t have a conversation about Ireland and beer without mentioning the Black Stuff. The beer is so interwoven with the city that it essentially dominates the entire beer market. There’s essentially no room left for any semblance of a craft beer scene.
This isn’t a bad thing, though. Guinness is incredible. Disclaimer: I don’t mean the Guinness you buy at the grocery store. Guinness in Ireland is different entirely – different brewers, different equipment, different scale, even different ingredients used (to an extent). There’s no Guinness better than a Dublin Guinness.
Of course, when you go to Ireland, you’ll get tired of Guinness pretty quickly, especially if you don’t like stouts to begin with. You can only have so many nitro beers before you decide it’s time to taste something again.
4 Dublin Beers That Aren’t Guinness
Here’s the good news, folks: non-Guinness beer does exist in Ireland, and it’s good.
Also good news: Irish beer is much lower in ABV, typically in the mid-4% range. So, when checking out the city, you’re able to have more than two beers without feeling like you’re completely losing your grip on reality, sliding into a blurry, hazy haze.
Here are four beers to drink in Dublin that aren’t Guinness:
Hop House 13 Lager
Ok, I’m cheating right off the bat – yes, Hop House 13 is technically owned by Guinness. But man, this beer is tasty, and it was my favorite thing to drink in Dublin.
Hop House 13 Lager is such a crisp, delicious lager that I wish they served it stateside. If they do, please please please tell me where I can find it!
Five Lamps Lager
Yup, another lager! For those that have never been to Ireland, I’ll spoil it now – they have tons of lagers. The good news is they’re great, and Five Lamps is no exception.
Five Lamps also makes other beer, and I highly recommend trying them all out. Within a day’s reason, of course.
Porterhouse IPA
Here’s some very, very good news: Porterhouse Brew Co. has a Temple Bar location that’s absolutely bitchin. They also have tons of their own beer on tap, including the IPA.
I loved that their IPA was a low ABV while still bringing a decent IPA flavor (for Europe, of course). Like pretty much every other place you can get beer in Dublin, it’s worth checking out their other beers as well.
Urban Brewing Mystery Beer
No, the beer isn’t called mystery beer. I wrote Mystery Beer because…well…I don’t remember what it was. HOWEVER, I do remember that Urban Brewing made a beer that I really, really enjoyed.
I really wish I could say more about this beer, but I can say that I was having a great night when I ordered it.
Final Thoughts: Beer in Dublin
So there you have it – four beers to drink in Dublin that are not Guinness Stout Draught. Someone out there will be reading this and say out loud, “they missed ______ beer.” Yup, I did. If I missed a beer that deserves to be on this list, let the world know by adding it in the comments!
Peace and love, y’all.
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