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Brewing is an important part of Irish culture. Foamy drink accounts for almost half of all alcohol consumed in the country, 60% of beer production is lager, 34% is stout and 6% is Irish ale. Ireland ranks fifth in the world in terms of beer consumption, behind only the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany and Estonia.
History
The Irish preferred unhopped ale, but in the XNUMXth century the British brought hops into the country, and from that moment the production of modern beer began. In addition, England actively imported its own beer to Ireland, mainly porter.
In the 1760th century, the Irish Parliament passed a law that reduced taxes on brewers by raising taxes on whiskey producers, and in XNUMX the Royal Dublin Society introduced special awards for the best examples of Irish beer.
By 1814 Ireland was exporting more beer than it was importing. By the beginning of the 200th century, there were more than 55 breweries in the country, 2007 of them in Dublin. By the middle of the century, their number had halved, and in 12 only 19 microbreweries produced beer in Ireland (since then, several more microbreweries have opened and their number has reached XNUMX).
This trend is due to the fact that, firstly, by the XNUMXth century, Guinness had firmly established itself in the market, displacing most of the competitors. Secondly, small breweries eventually merged into larger productions.
Irish beer varieties
Stout
In 1756, Arthur Guinness founded a brewery, which today only a person who is very far from the world of alcoholic beverages has not heard of. In 1759, production moved to Dublin. Initially, Guinness brewed ale, but eventually switched to London porter, and then to stout.
Beer Guinness (Guinness) has long been the leader in sales in the local market, it is distinguished by a dense “creamy” structure, rich taste and bright aftertaste.
Guinness is the most famous, but not the only manufacturer of stout. This dark Irish beer is found in the range of craft breweries such as Franciscan Well, Carlow Brewing Company, Dungarvan Brewing Company, Galway Hooker Brewery.
Red ale
Most of the ales produced in Ireland are of this style. The drink has a reddish tint and has a strength of 3.8-4.4%, although export versions may be stronger. The most famous brand is Smithwick’s from the Diageo brewery. Other popular brands: Rebel Red, O’Hara’s Irish Red, Messrs Maguire Rusty, Copper Coast.
Lager
The first brewery specializing in this style appeared in Dublin in 1891, but did not last long. Then the lager entered the Regal Brewery line, and since 1968 – Guinness.
Today, the lion’s share of the Irish market is occupied by imported brands such as Heineken and Amstel.
craft beer
Craft brewing has been developing in Ireland since the 1990s. Notable brewers include Porterhouse, Hilden Brewery, Carlow Brewing Company, Beoir Chorca Dhuibhne, Galway Hooker, Dungarvan Brewing Company, and more. Many of them receive government grants and funding as the country actively supports the beer industry.
Perspectives on Irish Brewing
Despite the common expression in England “drinks like an Irishman”, alcohol production in the country is declining. First of all, this is due to the fashion for a healthy lifestyle, and secondly, it is not yet clear how the exit of Britain from the European Union will affect the beer market.
At the same time, the quality of beer is improving: the Irish drink less, but increasingly prefer products of the premium segment. The leader of the domestic market is the Diageo brewery.
How to drink Irish beer
Like neighboring England, Ireland has a strong pub culture. Beer establishments are real centers of social life, they celebrate any significant events here, spend time with friends and family, gather before and after work, support their favorite sports teams.
Pubs have their own rules of conduct, different from ours.
- “Circles”. If in our country everyone pays for their own drinks, then in Ireland it is customary to take beer for the whole company at once. Then the next one is “affixed”, then another one. And so on in turn, until everyone treats everyone else. It is impossible to leave without waiting for your “circle”, respectively, the larger the company, the drunker the participants at the end of the party.
A couple in love is considered to be two separate people, and not a single whole, they must be affixed two circles.
- Tips. In pubs, this is very rare, and only if the visitor orders food, and his table is served by a waiter. The tip does not exceed 5% of the bill.
- Children. Again, unlike in Russia and most European countries, both in Ireland and the UK you can come to pubs with children and pets.
- Working hours. The vast majority of Irish pubs close at 23.30 on weekdays, at 00.30 on Friday and Saturday, and at 23.00 on Sunday. Some licensed pubs and nightclubs close at 2.30, but nothing is open all night long. However, many pub owners allow regular patrons to stay after closing – behind closed doors, with the lights off and the curtains drawn, so that the establishment seems empty from the street.
In 1920, Attorney General Kevin O’Higgins introduced the so-called “holy hour” on Sundays – a break from 14.00 to 16.00, when pubs were forbidden to let visitors in. So Mr. O’Higgins fought against the drunkenness of the working class and sought to make the Irish drink at least not in the morning. The law was repealed in 2000 after the introduction of the Intoxicating Liquor Act. However, the Irish observed the “holy hour” rather formally – they simply closed the doors of the establishments, and the guests who managed to enter before the break could stay and continue to drink.
- Intoxication. Drinking is not forbidden in Ireland, but being drunk in a public place – yes, you face a fine for this, so inexperienced tasters should carefully calculate their strength.