Kilkenny has a rich brewing history, most famously known as the home of Ireland’s oldest beer… no, not Guinness… Smithwick’s! The Smithwick’s brewery was founded here in 1710 – acquired by Guinness in 1965, production finally ceased in Kilkenny in 2013. The old brewery is now the home of the Smithwick’s Experience, a tourist attraction.
There’s more to beer in Kilkenny than Smithwick’s though – and as one of our favourite places in Ireland, we’ve listed the best beer spots below…
