Happy #BrewsdayTuesday everyone, and thank you for checking out my most recent version of my blog!
Wanting to get out of Dublin for the day, a few friends and I took a 90-minute train ride south to the city of Kilkenny. As it turns out, Kilkenny is home to the Smithwick’s Experience brewery tour and beer tasting. Smithwick’s, in my opinion, is the second most popular brand of Irish beer behind, of course, Guinness. The Irish people have a different pronunciation of Smithwick’s than what others may have. The Irish pronounce it “Smith-icks” (the w is silent). The brewery has three types of beer: a blonde, red, and pale ale. The blonde is not yet sold in the States.
During the tour, we learned about the history of the Smithwick family. When the brewery was first founded, Catholics were not allowed to own a business. So, Catholic founder John Smithwick got a non-Catholic friend to open the business for him. The brewery was started in 1710 and was passed down to future generations of Smithwick men.
We watched videos explaining all of the ingredients that go into brewing a batch of Smithwick’s. It was interesting to see the passion these brew masters have when explaining how hot they roast barley, or where they source their water, or the type of hops they use. By learning this process and understanding the work that goes into brewing so that I can enjoy a pint, I can better appreciate how a beer tastes.
After the tour of the brewery was over, the beer tasting began! When you purchase your ticket at the beginning of the tour, you have the option of having a pint of one of their ales; or for an additional €3,. you can have a flight of all their ales. To gain the full experience, I happily paid the extra €3. Below is a photo of our flights from the tasting – you’ll notice that my friends also paid a little extra:
The tour at Smithwick’s was very entertaining and informative. It makes you appreciate what goes into brewing beer. Getting out of Dublin for the day was nice, and it was fun to learn about another popular Irish beer.
Next week, students both in Emmitsburg and Dublin are on Fall Break, so check back on October 15th to see what new pub experiences I have over the break. Also, please do not forget to like the pictures on Instagram – @msmutravels.
