Tour Ireland’s Breweries and Taste Great Irish Beer
Irish beer can be traced back 5,000 years and thanks to a strong craft brewing movement, the island is home to fine breweries. Legend has it that Ireland’s patron saint, St Patrick, had his own personal brewer, a priest named Mescan who was his close friend.
We craft brewery tours to suit all groups, tastes, and regions, combining it seamlessly with other experiences, but here we are sharing a five-star taster to help you start your planning!
Starting and finishing in Dublin, your personable Driver Guide will bring you through Dublin, Tipperary, Cork, Kerry, Clare and Galway.
Historical highlights include the majestic Rock of Cashel, the rugged Wild Atlantic Way coastline, music-filled evenings in Cork and Kerry, the awe-inspiring Cliffs of Moher, colourful villages and, of course, the Guinness Storehouse.
We ensure our clients are treated to tailored, unique experiences by visiting local breweries and engaging with the stories of brewers over excellent tastings. Each day can be tailored to your interests, ensuring a rich experience, and having your own Driver Guide means you do not have to worry about any driving!
Each day, starting from your five-star accommodation, you can visit the best craft brewers. They will include the home of Irish brewing at St James’s Gate and the Guinness Brewery & Storehouse in Dublin. You will also visit Cuilan Loughnane at the Whitefield Brewery in Templemore before an evening of storytelling at the Franciscan Well Brewery in Cork, which is built on the site of an old Franciscan monastery and well, dating back to the year 1219. In the colourful village of Dingle, visit award-winning pub and brewery. On the beautiful Slea Head in Kerry, you will experience West Kerry Brewery. Close to Galway and in the heart of the Wild Atlantic Way, you’ll find the Burren Brewery, named after the unique landscape by founder Peter Curtin.
Please note tours are subject to availability.
You will also have the opportunity to get behind the scenes with artisan food producers and taste their local products. Alongside this, you will visit unmissable popular attractions, such as the Cliffs of Moher, as well as hidden gem sites, beaches and local shops and pubs.
This tour has the perfect mix of the best in brewing, dramatic coastlines, cultural sites, evenings of entertainment and craic, fine dining and luxury accommodation.
Map
Dublin
DublinCashel
Cork
Kinsale
Killarney
The Burren
Galway
Dublin
ACCOMMODATION
Merrion Hotel, Dublin
5 Star Hotels Ireland
Hayfield Manor Hotel, Cork
5 Star Hotels Ireland
Killarney Park Hotel, Kerry
5 Star Hotels Ireland
Glenlo Abbey Hotel
5 Star Hotels Ireland
Great taste of Ireland’s breweries
From the ancients to the artisans
Experiences
Why not enhance your tour with some of these recommended Experiences along the way. These can be arranged with your Travel Advisor when customizing your itinerary to ensure a rich, memorable tour.
Guinness Storehouse
Wander through the seven floors that make up the Home of the Black Stuff, and learn about its rich heritage and see how our famous drink is actually brewed. Once you reach the top you’ll get to sit back and enjoy a pint of perfection as well as an unequaled panoramic view of the city.
Old English Market, Cork
Cork’s Old English Market is the most celebrated food market in Ireland. The unique covered food and artisan market dates back to the Middle Ages. The center is populated with some of Ireland’s finest gourmet restaurants and a trip to the English Market the heart of the city is a must.
Charles Fort & James Fort, Kinsale
Perhaps the best-known historical attraction in Kinsale, Charles Fort, is on the road just beyond Summercove. It is open all year, and regular guided tours are available. Charles Fort is one of the finest surviving examples of a 17th Century star-shaped fort, and much of the construction begun in 1678 remains. The fort has two enormous bastions overlooking the estuary, and three facing inland. Within its walls were all the barracks and ancillary facilities to support the fort’s garrison. The fort continued in military use until 1922.
The West Cork Coastal Drive
The southernmost stretch of the Wild Atlantic Way zigzags gently, past gardens lush with sub-tropical plants. Between hedgerows thick with fuschia and monbretia. By hundreds of inlets, tiny coves, safe harbours and Blue Flag beaches, just right for long days spent in the salty air - beachcombing, island-hopping, whale-watching, learning to sail, kayaking on a saltwater lake in the moonlight, or simply enjoying a pint on the quayside while the fishing boats land their catch. Your Driver Guide will arrange it all!
Fireside Storytelling
Ireland is the land folklore, legends and storytelling. At Ireland Chauffeur Travel, we adore Ireland’s famed fireside storytelling sessions and we want to share that with you. We will arrange an authentic, engaging and private storytelling and music session with one of our favourite famed storytellers … and all in the comfort of your hotel or local pub
Muckross House & Gardens
Muckross House and Gardens is the finest Victorian Mansion and Estate in Ireland. Its position overlooking the Lakes of Killarney becomes impossibly romantic when the Rhododendrons are in full bloom. The House documents the history of all the influential families who dominated local life and politics for centuries. The estate can be walked on foot or admired from the many jaunting cars which are about.
Farm Friends
Ask anyone in Ireland if they are related to a farmer and they’ll surely say yes! We have built great relationships with some of the extra fun people whose live and breath agriculture and they’ll be happy to welcome you onto their working farm. Depending on the season, meet new-born lambs, watch sheepdogs at work, clamber over freshly baled hay or see traditional ploughing in action.
Burren Smoke House
The Burren Smokehouse is a family-run business that was set up in 1989 by Birgitta & Peter Curtin. They researched the smoking traditions in Ireland and in Sweden and the idea of the Smokehouse was born. For over a century now, the Curtin family have owned the 'Roadside Tavern' nearby which was the first place where their own smoked salmon was served. Its quality became known very soon, and pubs, hotels and restaurants in the Lisdoonvarna area started to order salmon from the Smokehouse. At that time three people were working in the Smokehouse, today there is a team of almost 20. Orders started to come in from all over Ireland, followed by those from hotels and restaurants in the UK. Nowadays, the Burren Smokehouse supplies smoked salmon all over the world, within 48 hours.
About Burren Smoke House
The Burren Smokehouse is a family-run business that was set up in 1989 by Birgitta & Peter Curtin. They researched the smoking traditions in Ireland and in Sweden and the idea of the Smokehouse was born. For over a century now, the Curtin family have owned the 'Roadside Tavern' nearby which was the first place where their ownsmoked salmon was served. Its quality became known very soon, and pubs, hotels and restaurants in the Lisdoonvarna area started to order salmon from the Smokehouse.
At that time three people were working in the Smokehouse, today there is a team of almost 20. Orders started to come in from all over Ireland, followed by those from hotels and restaurants in the UK. Nowadays, the Burren Smokehouse supplies smoked salmon all over the world, within 48 hours.
Visitor Centre
In 1995, we opened our visitor centre to showcase the traditional way of smoking, our products and those of other food producers in the area. Visitors can get a tasting of our Burren smoked Irish salmon and watch a DVD presentation about the smoking process. They can discover mosaics inside and outside our shop that are telling the story of the "Salmon of Knowledge".
We carefully source our quality raw materials for the Burren Smoked Salmon, Trout and Mackerel.
“We believe in Finest Quality Food Products, good customer care and a good group of team workers to ensure that we keep up our standards.”
Foraging on Land and Sea
Foraging is a great way of gathering tasty and natural ingredients from hedgerows, fields, woods, country lanes and pathways of Ireland, not to mention the seaweed on the coast! If you would like to spend a few hours outdoors and slowly exploring the countryside and beaches, let us introduce you to one of our foraging friends!
Clonmacnoise
From Dublin there are a number of historical stops en route to the west of Ireland.We will stop in the quaint village of Glasson on the banks of Irelands inland lakes for lunch.We may visit Clonmacnoise on the banks of the River Shannon an ancient and mystical monastery that has survived millennia of plundering by Vikings and Norman invaders.In the evening we will travel to the west of Ireland, famed for its wonderful colourful culture.
Killarney Craic & Ceol
The town of Killarney is famous for its excellent array of restaurants, pubs and evening entertainment, see attached dining recommendations. Bars such as Danny Mann, The Failte and Laurel's Singing Pub have regular sessions. The NEC has quality live shows during the summer, including Celtic Steps The Show. Nearby Siamsa Tire in Tralee can be booked on request. Time your trip well and catch horse racing just outside of town.
Whiskey Experience Killarney
The Irish Whiskey Experience is an interactive and sensory experience that will guide you through the history of Irish Whiskey, from distilling to tasting. Private bookings on request.
