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The breweries we reference across the site, listed once with their location, founding year and current trading status. All entries independently verified against each brewery's own published information in April 2026.
The St James's Gate brewery has been operating in Dublin 8 since Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease in 1759. Guinness invented the nitro-stout dispensing format in 1959. Owned by Diageo since the 1997 GrandMet merger.
Founded by James J. Murphy in Cork in 1856 as the Lady's Well Brewery. Acquired by Heineken in 1983; the brewery now trades as Heineken Ireland and produces both Murphy's and (since 2009) Beamish at the same Cork site.
Beamish & Crawford was Cork's first major stout brewery, established by Richard Beamish and Richard Crawford in 1792. By 1805 it was the largest brewery in Ireland. The original South Main Street brewery closed in 2009 under Heineken; Beamish stout is now brewed at the former Murphy's Lady's Well site.
Founded by the O'Hara family in 1996 in Bagenalstown, Carlow. The first contemporary Irish craft brewery to break through internationally with its stouts. Still family-owned and independent. Leann Folláin (Irish for "wholesome ale") is the flagship stronger stout, launched in 2013.
Founded in 1996 in Bray, now brewing in Glasnevin, Dublin. Plain Porter has been winning international beer awards continuously since the late 1990s. Porterhouse contract-brews Forged Irish Stout for the McGregor brand.
Award-winning Dublin craft brewery known for sharp can design and a strong stout/porter range alongside their hop-forward beers. Slow Life is a proper nitro stout — pale and brown malt with a chocolate edge — and stands as a Dublin craft alternative to the Guinness/Forged nitro mainstream.
Founded in 2014 in Bray, Co. Wicklow; relocated to a state-of-the-art brewery and taproom in Newtownmountkennedy in late 2019. The full-bodied oatmeal stout uses flaked Irish oats and specialty chocolate and coffee malts; Truffle Shuffle is a milk-chocolate-truffle collab with Butlers Chocolate.
Founded in 2011 in Letterkenny by Rick LeVert and Libby Carton. Among the most respected modern Irish craft breweries; Yannaroddy coconut porter is one of the most distinctive porters made on the island. Named after the nearby Kinnegar Beach in Rathmullan.
Brand vehicle for Forged Irish Stout, owned by Conor McGregor. Stout developed in 2020 at the Black Forge Inn in Crumlin, Dublin; commercial launch August 2023 in the UK and Ireland; expanded to the United States in October 2023. Stout itself is contract-brewed at Porterhouse Brewery in Glasnevin. McGregor agreed in 2024 to acquire Porterhouse.
Founded in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork in 2010 by Cam Wallace and Scott Baigent. Acquired by C&C Group (parent of Bulmers/Magners and Tennent's) in 2018. Knockmealdown is a smooth, well-regarded Cork take on the Irish dry stout style.
Each brewery's status verified against their own current website in April 2026. Spot a missing or outdated entry? Email hello@forged.ie.