Irish Craft Breweries

The brews which you will find in wine shops and off-licences include the Carlow Brewing Company’s brilliant trio, also the excellent No.1 Brew, brewed in Kildare, which is actually in many supermarkets. (The Goods Store, Station Rd, Tel: (0503) 34356, Fax: 40038, carlowbrewing.com)

The Biddy Early brews, from County Clare, are increasingly widely distributed – look out for Red and Black Biddy. (Inagh, Tel: (065) 36742 beb.ie)

You will also be able to find the quartet of brews from the Celtic Brewing Co of County Meath. (Enfield, Tel: (0405) 41558)

The fantastic beers of the Dublin Brewing Co can be found in good wine shops in Dublin and abroad, and none of these should be missed: the Maeve’s Crystal Wheat is an astonishing drink, the other three brews from the company almost as exciting as this liquid icon. (Nth King St, D7, Tel: (01) 8728622, dublinbrewing.com)

In Northern Ireland, look out for the fine Hilden beers from the Hilden Brewing Co (Hilden House, Grand Street, Lisburn, Tel: (028) 9266 3863) and be adventurous and try to track down the brews of the Whitewater Brewery (40 Tullyframe Rd, Kilkeel, Co Down, Tel: (028) 4372 6370)