Day 1 – Dublin City to Kilkenny city

We depart Dublin and visit the Rock of Dunamase – a completely off the beaten track heritage site. Despite the castle’s ruined state, we get a sense of its former grandeur as home to Strongbow. The stunning views of the surrounding countryside make it well worth the stop.

Our first brewery visit is a terroir tour – join brewery owner and 13th generation farmer, David on a guided walk around the barley field and hop garden, where he grows the ingredients used to make the award-winning Ballykilcavan beers. Then, follow David through the historic stone farmyard and into the on-site working brewery to hear his family stories and learn the artful process behind crafting beer. Finish up with a tutored tasting of four different Ballykilcavan beers within a restored 19th century mill house.

Travel further into Ireland’s Ancient East which also happens to be the best barley growing region in Ireland. Set in the picturesque Irish countryside, Ballykeefe Distillery is an entirely independent, artisan, family-owned Single Estate Whiskey Distillery, which was built in 2016 to diversify a working family farm for successor generations. It produces a range of premium spirits on an  eco-friendly  farm distillery. For centuries there were thousands of small family farm distilleries dotted across Ireland, a tradition that was lost for well over 200 years. Ballykeefe Distillery is the first to revive that historical legacy of Irish Whiskey being produced on a working family farm, beginning operation in August 2017.

Overnight in the beautiful medieval city of Kilkenny, stroll the castle gardens beside the River with some excellent photo opportunities. There are plenty of excellent pubs and restaurants to enjoy in this lively city.

Day 2 – Kilkenny to Kinsale

Start the day with a visit to the Rock of Cashel, one of the oldest and most impressive heritage sites in Ireland. Caiseal na Rí meaning the fortress of the kings. Take a guided tour or wander the site at leisure.

Time for a visit to Ireland’s most famous distillery in Midleton, Co. Cork where John Jameson started triple distilling whiskey in 1780 and thought it was, “So smooth I would drink it even if my name were not on it”. This iconic building is where all Jameson products are made, enjoy a tour and tasting at the home of Irish whiskey.

Whilst in Midleton, we pay a visit to the beautiful Choctaw famine monument which is a fitting tribute to the American Indians who sent financial aid to the Irish people during famine times.

Drive to Kinsale to visit Kinsale Mead. Denis will give us an entertaining experience at Ireland’s first Meadery in 200 years. Overnight in the quaint and colourful town of Kinsale which is full of great restaurants, pubs and live traditional music.

Day 3 –  Kinsale to Killarney

Follow the Wild Atlantic Way to Timoleague, Co Cork to visit the ruins of Timoleague Abbey, the first monastic settlement dating back to the 7th century on this site. The friary was founded approximately 600 years later and is steeped in history.

For nearly forty years Ummera Smokehouse has built up an enviable reputation for producing some of the finest smoked meats and salmon available. Taste the natural flavour and texture, blended by careful curing, and gentle smoking over smouldering oak fires.

Visit one of Ireland’s newest craft distilleries, Clonakilty Distillery in the historic town of the same name. The barley for this whiskey is grown near the local Galley lighthouse.

Visit Tom Crean brewery in the beautiful town of Kenmare. A family run business, Tom Crean’s grand-daughter Aileen runs the restaurant and B&B, while her husband Bill brews the beer and regales the history of this famous man.

Overnight in Kenmare, a very popular travel destination and a vibrant town, the incredibly beautiful surrounding mountains makes Kenmare a little nest in Irish. This evening you’ll be free to enjoy the many restaurants and pubs of Kenmare with live traditional music. 

Day 4 – Kenmare to Dingle

On the short journey from Kenmare to Dingle, we will make a stop at Killarney National Park to see Torc waterfall and take a traditional horse and carriage ride to Muckross Abbey. Visit Inch Beach, a long flat stretch of beautiful sands and shallow waters perfect for swimming. 

Dingle is one of those charming towns that is a highlight for many. It’s a bright and colourful town packed with local arts and crafts shops and a pub thrown in at every glance. We will take the stunning scenery on the Slea Head Drive to the far most Westerly point of Ireland. There are several archaeological sites on the route as well as Ireland’s most Westerly brewpub called Tig Bhric or West Kerry Brewery. This is a real hidden gem, brewing beer in very small batches – some in cask and serving them in the adjoining pub. Adrienne, the Brewster is a passionate artist and takes pride in her garden using botanicals in the brewing process as much as possible.

Dingle Distillery are growing and under construction so we get to do a behind the scenes tour and tasting at their maturation warehouse instead.  Overnight in Dingle, a haven of great restaurants, pubs and live music.

Day 5 – Dingle to Lisdoonvarna

A trip to Clare would not be complete without a visit to the Cliffs of Moher. Standing 214m (702 feet) high, the cliffs stretch for 5 miles along the Atlantic coast. O Brien’s Tower has served as a viewing point for hundreds of years. Travel through the unique Burren region, a limestone karst landscape which was formed 350 million years ago. This protected landscape is the only example of it’s kind in Western Europe and is of great interest to geologists and botanists alike as its unique soil and climate allow Alpine, Arctic and Mediterranean plants to grow side by side.

Travel to Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare where it’s a requirement to learn Christy Moore’s famous song of the same name and sing it loudly on your approach into town. Visit well known local character Peter Curtin’s Roadside Tavern & Brewery. This traditional pub has been run by several generations of the same family since 1893 and Peter recently started brewing their own range of beer in the same room above the pub in which he was born! Lisdoonvarna which also happens to be the match-making capital of Ireland and hosts an annual Match-making festival every September.

Overnight in Ballinsheen House in  Lisdoonvarna so you can return to the Roadside Tavern for good pub-grub, pints of Peter’s craft beers and live traditional music.

Day 6 – Lisdoonvarna to Dublin

On our last day, we will travel through the Burren region stopping off at Burren National Park to take a gentle stroll through the extensive limestone region.

The last stop on the Irish brewery tour trail is always a highlight. Cuilan Loughnane, the owner & brewer at White Gypsy is one of the early pioneers of Irish brewing and has built up a great reputation for his quality beers served locally and bottled for the restaurant trade. He will talk us through his unique style on a tour of his state of the art brewery. White Gypsy pride themselves on sourcing as many ingredients as possible for their delicious craft beers locally, even testing the Irish climate by trying to grow their own hops. It is at the forefront of the country’s brewing renaissance and has a great story to tell.

BBQ lunch on site with beer tastings before our return to Dublin.

• Cancellation of your booking must be in writing or by email to Brewery Hops of Ireland.
• Deposits of 10% are non-refundable but are transferable to another date free of charge.
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• If the client wishes to change to an alternative departure date, this must be done with a minimum of 30 days notice.