On the eighth day of St. Patrick, my true love gave to me 8 Beamish stouts, 7 Jamesons, 6 Honeyed Meads, 5 Guinness pints, 4 Harp lagers, 3 Magners Ciders, 2 shots of Paddy, and a pint of Kilkenny. . .
Our exploration of Irish beverages continues with the only Irish stout brewed exclusively in Ireland – Beamish. Beamish is a very delicious stout that was first brewed in the Beamish and Crawford brewery in Cork in 1792. Like Roebuck of the famous Sears Roebuck duo, somehow Crawford got the screw somewhere and the product was named Beamish. In the early nineteenth century it was the largest brewery in all of Ireland.
You may have noticed that numerous posts in this celebration of great Irish beverages involve the city of Cork. There is no doubt that Cork is the epicenter of the Irish beverage industry with the major exception of Guinness which is brewed in Dublin. Although it would be wonderful to believe that a city pumping out great alcoholic beverages was named Cork on purpose, it is actually a name taken from the Gaelic name for the city: Corcaigh. Nevertheless, as the city that supplies Ireland with most of its whiskey and Viagra – it plays a vital role in keeping the Republic of Ireland “lucky”.
As an avid lover of Guinness, I can attest that Beamish provides an excellent alternative with an equally beautiful pour and flavor profile. Beautiful notes of the chocolate malt come through and blend perfectly with the creamy head. It is a very delicious beer.
Sadly, Beamish stopped being carried in the United States in 2009. It has followed the sad road that Caffrey’s ale has and numerous other great beer brands have before. This is the result of major conglomerates purchasing brands and changing their distributions at a whim. The current owner of Beamish is Heineken, but it had been owned by Scottish & Newcastle and the Canadian company Carling before then. It is a shame that consumers are left wanting for great beers as a result of corporate tactics. If you have the chance to try a Beamish abroad, I highly recommend it.
Slainte!
