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Irish Beer

We tasted seven beers which claim an Irish pedigree to determine if Guinness, the most famous, is also the best. The answer was both yes and no.

Published Apr. 1, 2005.
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Best Lager/Light AleSmithwicks

Smithwicks claims to be "Ireland's oldest ale," as it was originally made at the St. Francis Abbey in Kilkenny, Ireland; it is now owned and brewed by Guinness. Very popular in Canada, this light ale is just now being introduced in the United States. Many of our tasters like at least a touch of bitterness in their beer, and the slight bite in this beer's finish made it number one in the lighter category. Tasters also noticed the hop flavor here, one calling it "almost meaty."

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Best StoutGuinness Draught

Made in Dublin, this is a bottled stout (it also comes in cans) that is advertised as tasting just like beer drawn directly from the tap owing to a little contraption called a widget. Fans of Guinness Draught considered this the most well-balanced of the stouts, combining full body with an attractive, nutty flavor—"a meal in a glass." Some, however, found it a little grainy and felt that the bitterness left an astringent aftertaste.

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See Everything We Tested

What You Need to Know

America's Test Kitchen is located in Brookline, Mass., just outside of Boston. With that Irish connection, how could we not choose to honor St. Patrick's Day with a special tasting? We surveyed our staff and received an enthusiastic vote to celebrate the day with a tasting of Irish beers.

To select our tasting lineup, we narrowed our choices not only to beers with an Irish heritage but to readily available beers—those sold in cans or bottles at the liquor store. Once we acquired our seven candidates, we needed to make certain that we were comparing similar types. There are a large variety of beers, but most fall into one of two general categories—lagers and ales.

Lager differs from ale in both fermentation technique and aging. Lager is bottom fermented—the yeasts are in the bottom of the barrel. It is a moderately hopped beer that is aged under refrigeration for six weeks to six months. Most lagers are fairly light in color, are highly carbonated, and have a light to medium hop flavor. Worldwide, lagers are far more popular than ales. In the United States, most of the beers consumed are lagers such as Budweiser, Coors, and Miller.

Ale, by contrast, is top fermented—the yeasts are floated on top of the liquid—and it is aged at room temperature for only a short while. Since they can be made easily and quickly, ales became especially popular in the British Isles, where pubs historically made their own proprietary ale on site. Ales generally have a stronger hop flavor than lagers, but there are numerous types of ale, ranging in taste and body from quite light, with a taste similar to that of lager, to quite dark, with a heavy, strong, and roasted flavor. Stouts are the strongest of the ales, very dark to black, with the color coming from roasted barley.

Test Results

We brought 16 tasters around a table, supplied them with glasses of water, and asked them to first sample the beers in the lager/light ale category and then the stouts. We asked them to rate each beer, identify characteristic aromas and flavors, and to pick a favorite from each group as well as an overall favorite.

We found only moderate differences in the ratings for each beer. Each one had both strong proponents and a few detractors. Overall, our tasters had a preference for the stouts; but, as several said, stouts are almost a meal in themselves, and lagers are easier to drink with food.

Everything We Tested

Highly Recommended

Best Lager/Light AleSmithwicks

Smithwicks claims to be "Ireland's oldest ale," as it was originally made at the St. Francis Abbey in Kilkenny, Ireland; it is now owned and brewed by Guinness. Very popular in Canada, this light ale is just now being introduced in the United States. Many of our tasters like at least a touch of bitterness in their beer, and the slight bite in this beer's finish made it number one in the lighter category. Tasters also noticed the hop flavor here, one calling it "almost meaty."
Price at Time of Testing: $9.49 for six bottles
Smithwicks claims to be "Ireland's oldest ale," as it was originally made at the St. Francis Abbey in Kilkenny, Ireland; it is now owned and brewed by Guinness. Very popular in Canada, this light ale is just now being introduced in the United States. Many of our tasters like at least a touch of bitterness in their beer, and the slight bite in this beer's finish made it number one in the lighter category. Tasters also noticed the hop flavor here, one calling it "almost meaty."
Price at Time of Testing: $9.49 for six bottles

Recommended

Best StoutGuinness Draught

Made in Dublin, this is a bottled stout (it also comes in cans) that is advertised as tasting just like beer drawn directly from the tap owing to a little contraption called a widget. Fans of Guinness Draught considered this the most well-balanced of the stouts, combining full body with an attractive, nutty flavor—"a meal in a glass." Some, however, found it a little grainy and felt that the bitterness left an astringent aftertaste.
Price at Time of Testing: $8.49 for six bottles
Made in Dublin, this is a bottled stout (it also comes in cans) that is advertised as tasting just like beer drawn directly from the tap owing to a little contraption called a widget. Fans of Guinness Draught considered this the most well-balanced of the stouts, combining full body with an attractive, nutty flavor—"a meal in a glass." Some, however, found it a little grainy and felt that the bitterness left an astringent aftertaste.
Price at Time of Testing: $8.49 for six bottles

Killian's Irish Red

Made in the United States by Coor's, this amber lager beer advertises itself as made "in the tradition of George Killian Lett's brewery in Enniscarthy, Ireland." Tasters who liked Killian's cited its creaminess and slight nuttiness; one taster likened it to "an alcoholic cream soda." Of all the beers, this one was the most middle of the road, few really disliked it and few really raved about it.
Price at Time of Testing: $5.99 for six bottles
Made in the United States by Coor's, this amber lager beer advertises itself as made "in the tradition of George Killian Lett's brewery in Enniscarthy, Ireland." Tasters who liked Killian's cited its creaminess and slight nuttiness; one taster likened it to "an alcoholic cream soda." Of all the beers, this one was the most middle of the road, few really disliked it and few really raved about it.
Price at Time of Testing: $5.99 for six bottles

Guinness Extra Stout

Guinness describes its Extra Stout as the "strongest tasting Guinness." Originally developed to survive long journeys overseas to export markets such as Africa, it has a higher alcohol and carbonation level than Guinness Draught as well as a more "hoppy" flavor. Tasters agreed that this was the sweetest stout, with caramel and molasses tones. One taster said it tasted like "like bitter, fermented cola." Even so, several found it overly heavy and bitter.
Price at Time of Testing: $8.75 for six bottles
Guinness describes its Extra Stout as the "strongest tasting Guinness." Originally developed to survive long journeys overseas to export markets such as Africa, it has a higher alcohol and carbonation level than Guinness Draught as well as a more "hoppy" flavor. Tasters agreed that this was the sweetest stout, with caramel and molasses tones. One taster said it tasted like "like bitter, fermented cola." Even so, several found it overly heavy and bitter.
Price at Time of Testing: $8.75 for six bottles

Murphy's Stout

Whereas Heineken brews Murphy's Red (see above) in Ireland, its Murphy's Stout is made in the United Kingdom. Like Guinness Draught, the can contains a device intended to make the beer taste just like tap-drawn beer. Most tasters picked up on a strong coffee and chocolaty flavor, with one describing "a perfect bitter aftertaste." We recommend it to anyone with a passion for black coffee with a hint of mocha. Some tasters, though, felt that it left a smoky and burnt alcoholic flavor in their mouths.
Whereas Heineken brews Murphy's Red (see above) in Ireland, its Murphy's Stout is made in the United Kingdom. Like Guinness Draught, the can contains a device intended to make the beer taste just like tap-drawn beer. Most tasters picked up on a strong coffee and chocolaty flavor, with one describing "a perfect bitter aftertaste." We recommend it to anyone with a passion for black coffee with a hint of mocha. Some tasters, though, felt that it left a smoky and burnt alcoholic flavor in their mouths.

Recommended with reservations

Murphy's Red

Murphy's is made by Heineken but "under the supervision of Murphy Brewery in Cork, Ireland," according to the label. Murphy's Red, an amber lager, struck our tasters as the mellowest beer in the sampling. Some called it "easy drinking," while others described its light flavor as "thin and one-dimensional."
Murphy's is made by Heineken but "under the supervision of Murphy Brewery in Cork, Ireland," according to the label. Murphy's Red, an amber lager, struck our tasters as the mellowest beer in the sampling. Some called it "easy drinking," while others described its light flavor as "thin and one-dimensional."

Harp

Harp, a lager, is made by Guinness, although the Harp sold in the United States is brewed in Canada. Many tasters likened it to American beers, one noting, "I didn't know the Irish brewed American lagers." Those who liked it called it "sweet and balanced," but several tasters found it too light and watery. More than one mentioned its saltiness, one saying it tasted "like a saltine."
Price at Time of Testing: $8.99 for six bottles
Harp, a lager, is made by Guinness, although the Harp sold in the United States is brewed in Canada. Many tasters likened it to American beers, one noting, "I didn't know the Irish brewed American lagers." Those who liked it called it "sweet and balanced," but several tasters found it too light and watery. More than one mentioned its saltiness, one saying it tasted "like a saltine."
Price at Time of Testing: $8.99 for six bottles

*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.

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The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. Have a question or suggestion? Send us an email at atkreviews@americastestkitchen.com. We appreciate your feedback!

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