Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: Best Pubs for Craft Beer

Outside Underdog at nightIt’s July, and that mean a happy birthday to Underdog – Dublin’s finest craft beer* bar. And while independent beer of all stripes is not nearly as ubiquitous here in Ireland as in many other countries, given that the majority of pubs are still generally ‘Guinness and Heineken‘ shops, there are some other standout spots; let’s dive in.

Porterhouse began as a brewpub, and their Temple Bar location still offers a range of their own beers, as well as a few guest taps. There is also sometimes a cask option, which is very much a rarity here, and that beer selection makes it the only spot in Temple Bar we’ll willingly visit. And while no longer Porterhouse-branded, Tapped – formerly Porterhouse Central – also has a wide range of local and European craft beers. There are Galway Bay pubs all over Dublin, and while they aren’t brewpubs in the brewed-on-site sense, they do offer a standard and rotating group of Galway Bay beers. Some of our favourite Galway Bay pubs include The Black Sheep (also the only other spot you might find a cask option), Molly’s Bar, The Beer Temple/The Oak and The Brew Dock. And while all offer food as well, each pub has its own vibe, so it’s worth trying a few to find your favourite.

A pint at BonoboDudley’s usually has a nice selection, as does The Belfry, and the Animal Collective spots are always reliable: Caribou, Kodiak and Bonobo have a nice mix of independent beers on tap and in cans and bottles. Bonobo is also Kinnegar’s local spot for Tap Room Only (TRO) beers in Dublin, so you don’t need to go all the way up to Donegal for some of their rarer offerings. And speaking of taprooms, they are very much an exception instead of a rule in Ireland, but O Brother has recently opened one down in Greystones, so just accessible via Dart.

Also somewhere in between ‘taproom’ and ‘brewpub’ is Rascals, which does offer the best of both worlds – a full production brewery, pilot brews and excellent pizza. Rascals beers are also available at some of the better ‘normal’ pubs around town like TP Smith’s, The Cat & Cage and The Bald Eagle (to name just a few). And there are two brewery tours that you can arrange with advance booking – both Hope and Rye River offer these options. We’d consider the Guinness Storehouse a ‘brand experience’ rather than a brewery tour, and arguably the same is true of the neighbouring Open Gate Brewery, but the Open Gate does have some seasonal specials, interesting test brews and excellent pretzels – it’s also more or less in the taproom category. The Four Provinces in Kimmage carries their own beer (they make an amazing mild that we can’t wait to have back in more regular service), but looks like a ‘typical’ pub in other respects, and there’s a bit of everything at The Circular.

Ballykilcavan Bambrick's Brown at Juno‘Foodie’ pubs with good craft beer options include L Mulligan. Grocer and Juno (which has some secret Ballykilcavan cans – something we especially love) – booking is highly recommended for both. Brickyard also offers a fantastic selection of food and beers that’s nearly unparalleled, semi-suburban location notwithstanding, while Urban Brewing has excellent food and beers from O’Hara’s, plus local specials. We have a few other favourite pubs that only offer one or two independent taps, like The Morris Bar, MeMa’s, Doyle’s Corner, Hynes’ Bar, The Palace Bar and The Barber’s Bar.

Finally, no list of craft beer in Dublin would be complete without a mention of Fidelity, Whiplash’s beautiful bar with its custom tap lines and sound system, and their smaller sister pub on Parnell Street, The Big Romance. Both offer fresh beers from Whiplash and their friends, as well as cocktails and music. There’s louder music in an enjoyably dive-y setting at Cassidy’s, but it’s got one of the best beer selections in the city – if you don’t mind shouting a bit.

And while we absolutely understand that everyone is going to have that pint of Guinness in town – we’d recommend The Hut or The Gravediggers – there’s a much wider range of independent Irish beer to enjoy; you just need to know where to go. We got you.

 

* yes, we all agree ‘craft beer’ means everything and nothing…and yet, everyone ‘knows’ what you mean…

author avatar
weirdodublinpubs
Your friendly neighbourhood guide to Dublin's best pubs, from a weirdo perspective - craft beer, food, family-friendliness & potential for ghosts.

1 thought on “Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: Best Pubs for Craft Beer”

  1. On a point of order, Madam Chair, The Porterhouse began as a standalone pub on Bray seafront seven years before they developed the Temple Bar premises into a brewpub. They sold off Porterhouse Bray in 2019 and it’s now The Palm, selling a token smattering of Wicklow Wolf and Larkin’s beers.

    Reply

Leave a comment