Smithwick’s reddish ale was born in Kilkenny… and thanks to the boys at Dublin Square has been my favorite Irish beer since I was old enough to know the difference. Founded in 1710, it is older than Guinness (but now owned by the same parent company). No longer a working brewery, the building now houses a visitors center.
Tours – which last an hour and include a pint at the end – focus on the historic origins of the tasty ale, first brewed by the monks of St. Francis Abbey (the 14th-century ruins of the abbey lie adjacent to the site).
In the days of the monks, beer was a safer and healthier alternative to local water sources that were often contaminated. I’ll drink to that.
