Beyond Guinness: 10 Underrated Irish Beers You Should Try

Irish history is loaded with many traditions and customs, one of which is the ancient art of brewing beer. Evidence of Irish-brewed beoir, the Gaelic term for beer, dates to the Bronze Age, with brewers often using local herbs and spices to flavor their creations. Many of those practices and traditions remain, creating distinctively flavored brews unique to the Emerald Isle.

When most folks think of Irish beer, their thoughts immediately turn to Guinness. This iconic beer, founded in Dublin in 1759, has been the go-to brew of its homeland ever since, eventually becoming one of the most recognizable beer brand names in the world. Today it's the bestselling beer in Ireland, consumed daily on draught and in bottles and cans. It's brewed in over 50 countries and can be purchased in over 100 more.

But then, Guinness isn't the only Irish option on a beer aficionado's wish list. We've cultivated and sampled some of the best Irish lagers, ales, and stouts on the planet for your enjoyment. So, as the Irish would say, grab a pint and ... sláinte!

Like industry-leader Guinness, Murphy's Irish Stout is considered a classic Irish stout, consisting of both roasted and flaked barley for flavor and color, pale malt for fermentation, and crystal malt for a touch of sweetness. Founded by James J. Murphy in 1856 in Cork, Ireland, Murphy's beers caught on quickly and soon became famous throughout the country. This encouraged him to expand throughout the world, with his forward-thinking approach boosted by the practice of shipping his beer on refrigerated boats, a method that was ahead of its time.

A taste of Murphy's Irish Stout is a taste of Ireland itself. Beer drinkers tend to note that it's smoother and creamier than a Guinness Stout, likely satisfying a different crowd than the traditional Guinness pint. Fruity notes are a part of its balanced flavor, and it has a lighter and more bubbly texture. And while Guinness comes in at a relatively low 4.2% alcohol by volume (ABV), Murphy's Irish Stout checks in at a more typical 5.0%.

In addition to Ireland, Murphy's is enjoyed in over 40 countries around the world, with Canada and the United States making up most of those sales. In fact, it is estimated that around 1 million pints of Murphy's beer are consumed worldwide every day. While most Murphy's Irish Stout is consumed in draught beer form, there has been a recent rise in the popularity of its 14.9 ounce widget can product, which can be found regularly throughout the U.S.

Like Murphy's, Beamish Stout was born in the city of Cork, founded in 1792 by merchants William Beamish and William Crawford, who purchased a brewery that had been producing beer since 1641. It grew significantly in the ensuing years, eventually becoming the largest brewery in Ireland until it was surpassed by Guinness in the early 1800s. A rocky history of ownership changes plagued the brand in the late 20^th century, but the making of Beamish Stout never stopped. Today, over 3 million pints of this delicious brew are produced every year.

Most Irish stouts have a silky texture due to a draught dispensing system that combines 75% nitrogen with 25% carbon dioxide to propel the beer out of the tap. This unique concoction, often called alley gas, keeps the beer head steady and the bubbles in it small. This process differs greatly from the typical set-up of 100% carbon dioxide gas normally used to pour beers, an approach which produces beers with a large, frothy, bubbly head.

Beamish is a classic example of Cork-style Irish stout, with chocolate malt flavor more dominant than the roasted barley style favored by Guinness and other Dublin brewers. Drinkers like this medium-bodied brew for its dark chestnut color, its roasted coffee aroma, and its flavor note of dark chocolate. It pairs well with traditional Irish food such as roast meats, Irish stews, and sharp cheeses.

At the relatively late date of 1960, the Guinness brewery saw an opportunity to produce a lighter beer that didn't directly compete with its workhorse brand, and Harp Lager was born. Originally brewed at the Great Northern Brewery in Dundalk, Ireland, this new concept caught on with fans of lighter beer, often selling in bottles rather than on draught, and by 1967 Harp had fully 23% of the lager beer market in the United Kingdom.

So, if Harp Lager was made by the Guinness brewery, why not call it Guinness Lager instead? The marketing team decided that they wanted the Guinness name to stand on its own, not to be diluted by any other brand or beer type. To that end, they named their new product Harp Lager and noted the Guinness heritage by using a picture of the Brian Boru harp — the signature Guinness trademark — as the featured logo on the Harp bottle. It remains a part of the Harp image to this day.

Guinness originally marketed Harp Lager in Ireland with the slogan "The cool blonde lager," looking to reach the younger crowd that was embracing lighter, imported lager beers. Its taste profile is as simple as the four ingredients used to brew it — pure water, malted barley, barley, and hops. It features a floral hoppy nose, a crisp malty taste, and a clean smooth finish. You may have to look hard for this once-classic Irish beer, but it can still be found throughout the U.S. today.

O'Hara's Irish Pale Ale is a uniquely Irish beer brewed at the Carlow Brewery in Bagenalstown County Carlow. Founded by an Irish family in 1996 and also known also as the O'Hara's Brewery, it sits in the heart of Ireland's historic malt-growing Barrow Valley region and puts those natural resources to good use in its beers.

Initially released as The Goods Store IPA in 2009, this refreshing pale ale was immediately voted Beer of the Year by the members of IrishCraftBrewers.com in 2010. Calling O'Hara's Irish Pale Ale "a contemporary-style IPA with an Irish twist," Carlow Brewery prides itself in balancing the taste of a traditional European IPA with the generous dry-hopping of American pale ales, using such tasty and unique hops as Amarillo and Cascade. This produces a hops-forward, bright flavor.

The ale's copper-toned body is topped with a lightly carbonated foamy head, and the dry hopping brings a fruity, floral aroma. Zesty and refreshingly bitter, the finish is long and satisfying. Beer styles such as this pair amazingly well with tangy meals such as barbecue and hold up well with spicy food and shellfish. O'Hara's Irish Pale Ale can be found regularly in many western states in the U.S.

The Smithwick's brewery is steeped in Irish tradition. John Smithwick founded the brewery in 1710 on the site of a former Franciscan abbey, then moved it to the city of Kilkenny when he found a water source that produced a tastier ale product. Smithwick's eventually merged with Guinness in 1966, which was excited to add a rich Irish Ale to their already successful product line. The addition of Guinness' huge international sales and marketing force vaulted Smithwick's Irish Ale into worldwide attention and distribution.

Much like Guinness Stout, Smithwick's Irish Ale is often considered to be the inspiration for an entire style of beer, as many of the local brews in the 1700s were of stout, lager, or porter style. Ales — and Irish red ales in particular — are traditionally a much lighter and drinkable style, and Smithwick's became the most famous of them for over a century.

Smithwick's Irish Ale is a clear red ale-style beer. It's creamy and sweet with a rich dark color and an extremely balanced taste. Its nose has multiple strong flavors, including hints of biscuits and caramel. The aroma hops that are added near the end of the brewing process give the brew a sharp beginning that is eased by a sweet, malty finish. It pairs well with the corned beef and cabbage that is found in many traditional Irish households, restaurants, and pubs. And remember, if you want to sound like a native when you order up a Smithwick's at the bar, the name is pronounced with the W silent, so be sure to ask for a "Smitticks!"

If you're looking for another Irish red ale to sip and enjoy, Sullivan's Maltings Red Ale is a great alternative. This mildly hoppy entry is known for the balanced sweetness and subtle hop flavor that are produced by using locally grown Kilkenny malt and cask ale yeast during the brewing process. It's famous for being awarded a World Champion Keg trophy at the International Brewing Awards in 2017, the first of its kind for an Irish brewery. Known as the "Oscars of the beer world," the competition for this trophy is fierce and a win is impressive, as there are more than 1,200 entries from over 50 countries each year.

Founded in the heart of Kilkenny in 1702, originator Daniel Sullivan built his new brewery to be larger and handle more volume than the dozens of smaller ones in the area, ultimately resulting in a product consistency that won over the town. He specialized in using the best local ingredients and brewing methods to ensure that every barrel of Sullivan's Red Ale tasted the same. Unfortunately for the Sullivan family, bad business decisions in the early 1900s were made, and the brewery was forced to close. It wasn't until 2016 that Sullivan's Brewing Company was reestablished in a partnership with the famous Smithwick's family, and Sullivan's Maltings Red Ale was born.

Sullivan's Maltings Red Ale is a classic ruby-red Irish ale with prominent malt flavors of rich biscuit and a touch of caramel, traditionally brewed using three special darker Kilkenny-grown malts and three hop varieties. It can be found in beer stores and pubs throughout the Western United States.

Based on a traditional Irish recipe from County Wexford that dates to 1810, Wexford Irish Crème Ale has been satisfying thirsts on the Emerald Isle for over two centuries. Labeled a crème ale because of its use of alley gas rather than pure carbon dioxide when served on draught, it's simply a lighter-style beer that pours with a thick creamy head and contains up to 50% less carbonation than a traditional ale. Beer connoisseurs often say that this style of delivery produces a less filling pint.

First brewed in 1996, Wexford Irish Crème Ale is owned by Greene King, an Irish company that maintains breweries, pubs, farmhouses, hotels, and more. It's brewed at their Morland Brewery in Abingdon-on-Thames, where there has been a brewery on site since the 1700s. In fact, brewing in the town can be traced back as far as 1086, when the country's Doomsday book, a record of land ownership and use, shows a brewery on the site.

Like many Irish ales, Wexford Irish Crème Ale is a burgundy-amber color, but the similarities stop there. Rather than a reddish head, the alley gas produces a cream-colored, soft topping of light foam for the drinker to enjoy. And the differences don't end there. The toasted bread undertones in the body of the drink give way to a cake-like sweet finish. Overall, the beer pairs well with fried foods such as fish and chips and chicken, along with traditional favorites such as shepherd's pie.

Not all beer has to be serious. For example, Lough Gill Chuckee Larmz Imperial Stout is a silky-smooth milk stout that is brewed with ... Lucky Charms cereal and marshmallows. Weighing in at a 9.1% ABV, it's brewed by the innovative Lough Gill Brewery, a family run company in County Sligo, Ireland. Known for pushing the boundaries of brewing, they are constantly experimenting with new styles and flavors to create one-of-a-kind beers, ales, and stouts. They certainly succeeded with Chuckee Larmz.

The base of this unique brew is milk stout. Also known as sweet or cream stout, it's black in color and sweeter than a traditional, or dry stout. It has a low bitterness factor and is made with lactose, the sugar found in milk. As with Chuckee Larmz, the flavor profiles and aromas of milk stouts are sweet, chocolaty, and strong.

Chuckee Larmz gets its dominant sweetness from the marshmallows used in the brewing process, giving it a sugary cereal-like quality. And despite its high alcohol content, it's a smooth easy drink, as the sugars and cereal mitigate the bitterness that comes with many high alcohol drinks. It truly is "magically delicious" and available throughout the Northeast.

Kilkenny is an Irish cream ale that originated in Kilkenny, Ireland and was said to have been first brewed in 1710 by none other than John Smithwick, the creator of Smithwick's Irish Ale mentioned above. Looking to produce a different, noncompetitive product to go along with his Smithwick's brands, he created a beer that had a stronger and more bitter taste than Smithwick's while having a creamier head more similar to Guinness. The distinction worked, as both beers have been around for over 200 years and are enjoyed by a different clientele.

The marketing of Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale leaned into the spirit of home and hearth in Ireland as well as Irish pride. Local pubs and family played key roles in their radio and television ads. They strove to position Kilkenny's as a full, creamy, welcoming beverage that makes you feel a connection to the homeland. This approach was reflected in their highly popular slogan "the spirit of Ireland in a glass."

In the late 20^th century, the Kilkenny name was originally used to market a stronger version of Smithwick's for the European and Canadian markets, causing some confusion with beer drinkers. But many have settled in as Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale lovers, noting the unusual notes of raisin and plum in its nose, its clear brown color, and its lighter carbonation than most of its fellow beers.

Kinnegar Brewery in County Donegal is home to Scraggy Bay IPA, one of the dozens of unique styles of beer that the brewery produces. Named for the bay that abuts the brewery and known as Yellowcap to the locals, this American-styled pale ale won first place the New Style IPA category at the 2022 European Beer Star awards. Its hop-heavy approach has been exciting to the many traditional Irish palates that are used to a more malty, roasted taste to their beer.

The name Scraggy Bay leans into the history of the IPA style. Legend has it that IPA became popular in the British Isles following a shipwreck in 1827, when an India-bound cargo ship sunk and cases of beer washed ashore. The brewery was established in 2011 by Rick LeVert and Libby Carton, and within a decade they were producing award-winning brews.

Kinnegar Scraggy Bay IPA is a light gold color in the glass, with a fluffy white head of foam. On the palate, it's clean and crisp with plenty of hops and a light citrus bite. Many drinkers note a hint of pine needles and even tree sap at the start, with a finish of maritime saltiness to match the beer's name.