The Dublin pubs pouring craft beer that locals discovered before the tourists did

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The Porterhouse opened its first Dublin door in 1996, and almost nobody noticed. Today, the queues at craft beer bars across the city tell a very different story.

Dublin has quietly become one of the best cities in Europe to drink craft beer. Not because of flashy branding or Instagram moments — but because a handful of passionate brewers and bar owners simply got on with it, one excellent pint at a time. Here is where to find them.

How Dublin caught the craft beer bug

For decades, Irish drinkers had two choices: Guinness or something that tasted like Guinness. Then, in the 1990s, a small revolution began in Temple Bar.

Home brewers started sharing their experiments. Tiny taprooms opened above shops and behind restaurant kitchens. Imported craft beers appeared on menus across the city. And gradually, Dublin drinkers realised they had been settling for less.

Today the craft beer scene spans everything from hoppy IPAs brewed on-site to sour ales aged in whiskey barrels. Irish brewers are winning international awards. And the pubs pouring their work are some of the most interesting places to spend an evening in the city.

The Porterhouse — where it all began

The Porterhouse in Temple Bar is the granddaddy of the Irish craft movement. Founded in 1996, it was the first brewpub in Dublin — and possibly all of Ireland.

The menu changes constantly, but you will always find their Oyster Stout (brewed with actual oysters), the Plain Porter, and a rotating cast of seasonal specials. Three floors, exposed pipes, and the warm hum of a pub that has been doing this long before it was fashionable.

Ask the bar staff what is new. They always know.

L. Mulligan Grocer — Stoneybatter’s finest

Tucked into a Victorian shopfront in Stoneybatter, L. Mulligan Grocer is the kind of place you stumble upon and then tell everyone about for a month.

The beer list is curated with care, changed regularly, and always features something from an Irish microbrewery you have probably not heard of yet. The food matches it: Irish farmhouse cheeses, charcuterie, and dishes that pair deliberately with the drinks menu.

This is not a tourist pub. The regulars are Irish craft beer enthusiasts, and they are delighted to tell you everything about what is on tap.

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Against the Grain — the beer drinker’s paradise

Against the Grain on Wexford Street is the serious option. Twenty taps. A bottle list that runs to hundreds. Staff who can talk you through every single one.

The atmosphere is relaxed and unfussy — mismatched furniture, good lighting, no television screens drowning out conversation. This is a pub built for drinking and talking, not for background noise.

If you want to try something genuinely unusual — a Scandinavian saison, a Dublin-brewed sour, a barrel-aged imperial stout — this is where to come.

J.W. Sweetman — pints brewed on the premises

J.W. Sweetman on Burgh Quay is one of the few places in Dublin where you can watch your beer being brewed while you drink it. The copper brewing tanks are visible from the bar.

Their house lager is clean and crisp. Their wheat beer is exactly what you want on a warm Dublin afternoon. The riverside location means you can watch the Liffey roll past through large windows as you sip.

It gets busy at weekends. Go early, or stay late — by closing time, it thins out again.

The Black Sheep — independent and proud

The Black Sheep on Capel Street stocks craft beers from across Ireland and beyond, with a focus on independent producers. The ethos is simple: no mass-produced lager, no multinational brands, just interesting beer from people who care.

The vibe is relaxed and unpretentious. It draws a mixed crowd — office workers, students, locals — united by a preference for flavour over familiarity.

What to order if you are new to Irish craft

Not sure where to start? Ask for something from Wicklow Wolf, Whiplash Beer, or Dot Brew — three Dublin-area breweries producing consistently excellent work. A pale ale or session IPA is the safest first pint if you want something approachable.

If you are already a craft beer drinker, push yourself to try an Irish-brewed stout that is not Guinness. Several Dublin breweries have taken the classic style and added something genuinely unexpected.

And whatever you drink, take your time. The best pubs in Dublin are not rushing you. That has always been the point.

Dublin’s pub culture runs deeper than most visitors realise. Start with the snugs hidden inside Dublin’s oldest pubs, and the city’s traditional music sessions — together, they tell a story that no guidebook captures. For more on exploring Ireland beyond the capital, Love to Visit Ireland covers the whole island.

Is craft beer expensive in Dublin?

Craft beer in Dublin typically costs €6–€8 per pint, slightly more than a mainstream lager. Bottle options at specialist bars can range from €4 to €12 depending on size and rarity. Most pubs offer tasting notes and staff recommendations, so you are unlikely to waste money on something you do not enjoy.

What is the best area in Dublin for craft beer?

The Liberties, Stoneybatter, and the south city centre around Wexford Street and Camden Street have the highest concentration of craft beer bars. Temple Bar has The Porterhouse, but the real craft scene sits slightly off the main tourist path — which is part of the appeal.

Are Dublin craft beer pubs suitable for non-beer drinkers?

Yes. Most Dublin craft beer bars stock natural wines, ciders, cocktails, and soft drinks. L. Mulligan Grocer and Against the Grain both have strong wine selections. Nobody will make you feel unwelcome for ordering something different.

Dublin’s craft beer scene did not happen overnight. It grew slowly, built by people who cared more about flavour than profit, in pubs that valued conversation over television. That is the real Dublin pub story — and it is still being written, one excellent pint at a time.

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