To most beer drinkers, Ireland and stout are pretty much synonymous. After all, for what is Eire better known than Guinness, the world's most famous and popular stout? But stout is on the wane in Ireland, and in fact, may be eclipsed in popularity by lager within a couple of years!
This is but one of the interesting, intriguing and surprising facts that I discovered during a week spent on the Emerald Isle in October. Some other Irish beer notes:
- Since Guinness brought Budweiser to Ireland several years back, it has been joined by two other U.S. lagers, Miller Genuine Draught (brewed under licence by Beamish) and Coors Light (imported by Murphy's). Together with the Beamish-brewed Heineken and a handful of other lagers, these beers account for 41% of the Irish beer market.
- According to Bob Kennefik, the export director for Murphy's, an astounding 92% of all the beer consumed in Ireland is supped in pubs. I can't think of any other country in the world that could boast such numbers.
- In the 1999 edition of The Bridgestone Irish Food Guide, a well-respected and much-lauded book, the only brewery to receive Icon status, the guide's highest honour, was the Dublin Brewing Company.
- MIA is Harp Lager, a Guinness brand that is scarcely to be seen in Ireland these days. One Dubliner told me that the story of the brand's demise could be termed "a disaster."
- Guinness owns at least 70% of the Irish beer market.
- Back with Bob Kennefick, he told me that Murphy's now sells four times as much beer in England as they do in Ireland.
- There is a rumour floating around Dublin that Guinness is considering the discontinuation of bottled Guinness Extra Stout. Apparently this possibility has the brewers up in arm, and rightly so.
- Guinness is selling stout through a special, super-chilled tap that delivers Guinness Extra Cold as a tongue-numbing 1-3 degrees Celsius (about 33-35 degrees Fahrenheit). At that temperature, I thought that my teeth might crack.
- The Porter House in Dublin still brews what I think is Ireland's best pint of black, their Oyster Stout. Their Wrasslers XXXX and Plain Porter are pretty stunning, too.
- Dublin's newest brewpub is Messrs. Maguire, located at O'Connell Street and the River Liffy. Their Extra stout impressed with a wallop of roast and a suggestion of leafy hop, while the Plain stout had a rougher edge to it and light coffee notes.
- And finally, Guinness has brought out a new white beer called Breó. My impression was of a sugary Belgian-style white beer without the refreshing, invigorating qualities that make good whites taste so good. Apparently, Guinness is giving publicans impressive incentives to carry the beer.
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