Top Beers of 2025
(Now including October additions)
A personal selection
October 2025 included. Updated monthly.
The Top Twenty
Whitefield Irish Stout 7.5% ABV, 330 ml bottle, Bradley’s
Toasted flavours, surprisingly light, and balanced with the finish of a top wine.
Cuilan, the brewer: “It represents everything we think here about traditional brewing .."
Rating: 95.5
Mescan Spéartha Dorcha Oyster Stout 4.7% ABV, 330 ml bottle Bradleys
Black as night sky over nearby Ballycroy national park this Mescan oyster-infused stout looks great. It smells pretty good, too, and, most importantly, tastes amazing with malty notes of chocolate and coffee and a mineral hint of the sea, thanks to Clew Bay oysters!
Rating: 95
Elbow Lane Angel Stout 4.4% ABV
Rating: 95
O’Hara’s Irish Stout Nitro 4.3% ABV, Tesco Midleton
The roasted aromas invoke a familiar feeling. Am I back in the bar? The magic continues on the palate, full bodied and impressively smooth and all the while that superb roast flavour. And then that traditional dry finish. VHR
Rating: 94
Whitefield Eastwood Irish Pale Ale 5.8% ABV, 500 ml bottle Bradleys
Whitefield are happy with Eastwood: “This pale ale brings out the best of our philosophy. Tradition, terroir and time.” I’m happy too. It’s a really beautiful beer, full of character.
Rating: 94
Dungarvan Black Rock Stout 4.3% ABV, 500 ml bottle #21 Coburg St
Debuted in 010, it is classically dry, full-flavoured and smooth, the finish long and satisfying. Stout the way it was meant to be.
Rating: 93.5
Sullivan’s Black Marble Stout 5.1% ABV, 500 ml bottle, Supervalu Mayfield
A generous stout with extra depth of flavour and a lip smacking finish. The hops are Admiral, Magnum, and Goldings. Once again, brewer Ian Hamilton has worked his black magic.
Rating: 93.5
Kinnegar Crossroads West Coast IPA 6.2% ABV, 440 ml can Carry Out St Luke’s
Tropical fruit flavours carry through the palate and into the very satisfying finish, a hoppy tribute to the men and women of Donegal’s diaspora
Rating: 93.5
Whiplash Hybrid Moments American Wheat 5.5% ABV
440 ml can Carry Out St Luke’s
Obeying and breaking the rules, as Whiplash are known to do, yields a superb result.
Rating: 93.5
Eight Degrees Sunburnt Irish Red Ale 5% ABV, 440 ml can Aldi
Rating: 93.5
Mescan Gold /Óir Ale 5.7% ABV
Rating: 93.5
O’Hara’s Leann Folláin Extra Irish Stout 6% ABV, Tesco Midleton
The award-winning Leann Folláin is full bodied, purrs on the palate, a Rolls Royce of stout, and a terrific example of how craft brewers can banish the bland to the bars of yesterday. Very Highly Recommended.
Rating: 93
Kinnegar Scraggy Bay IPA 5.3% ABV (Lidl)
A hoppy uppercut makes those taste buds stand up and take notice. Looks good as well, all those bubbles in the gold. Hoppy but balanced IPA from the friendly Donegal brewers.
Rating: 93
Dungarvan (with Brewers Guild) West Coast IPA Limited Edition 6.4% ABV, 500 ml bottle, Bradley’s
Our limited edition West Coast IPA, a collaboration between Dungarvan and Brewers Guild, is crisp and golden. This winning combination from Na Déise and San Diego is Very Highly Recommended
Rating: 93
Original 7 Revolution IPA, 5.4% ABV, (draught at O'Mahony's, Watergrasshill)
Rating: 93
Elbow Lane Jawbone Pale Ale, 5.0% ABV (draught at ORSO)
Rating: 93
Mescan Seven Virtues Lager, 4.8% ABV
Rating: 93
Kinnegar Black Rabbit Black Lager, 4.5% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys
The black body and soft coffee coloured head suggests stout. .The roasted malts deliver stout-like notes of coffee and cocoa. Only slowly do you twig you have a black lager. It finishes light and refreshing. A mould breaker.
Rating: 93
Rye River Nocturne Export Stout 6% ABV, Tesco Midleton
In the dark of the night, a nocturne worthy of an encore.
Rye River's Nocturne Export Stout is a midnight-hued masterpiece that blends the rich intensity of espresso and dark chocolate, laced with wisps of smoke that engage the nose. The flavours are equally intense, with rich roast caramel gently blanketing the palate and lingering long after the final sip. This smooth stout is Very Highly Recommended.
Rating: 92.5
Galway Bay Figo Italian Pilsner 4.5% ABV, 330 ml can Bradleys
During summer festivals in Italy Galway Bay were lucky to have a few chances to drink the original, fresh Italian pilsner and “this is our tribute to that beer”. Crisp, clean, easy-drinking, and smooth to the end, you gotta love this Italian style lager. Ideal for a session, summer or winter! .
Rating: 92.5
White Hag “Dagda” Extra Pale Ale 4.8%, 440 ml can Dunnes
Very pale and very hazy, with tropical and citrus aromas, this tart and refreshing beer (brewed with oats) is loaded with big hop flavour and another good one from the accomplished White Hag. It is named after Dagda, the great god of Irish mythology. The Sligo brewery’s name also comes from misty myth as do many of its beers.
Rating: 92.5
Kinnegar Rust Bucket Rye IPA 5.1% ABV, 500 ml bottle #21 Coburg St., Cork
This is an excellent beer with a soft white head over a reddish body. Fresh and hoppy and full of flavour. One of their core beers and Very Highly Recommended.
Rating: 92.5
Sullivan’s Irish Gold Ale 5.2% ABV, 500 ml bottle, Supervalu Mayfield
Bandon educated Ian Hamilton regularly walked past Beamish in Cork in his youth and enjoyed the brewery smells. Now highly experienced, he has produced this superb ale, rich with roasted flavour that shows a modern beer doesn’t have to be an IPA of either coast to hit the spot.
Rating: 92.5
Dungarvan Seaweed Saison 6.5% ABV, 500 ml bottle, Bradley’s.
Rating: 92.5
Blarney Pale Irish Ale 5.0% ABV, 440 ml can, Bradleys
Rating: 92.5
Tom Crean’s Family Six Magpies Stout, 4.2% ABV
Rating: 92.5
Wicklow Wolf Hideaway Helles Lager, 4.0% ABV
Rating: 92.5
Eight Degrees Howling Gale Irish Pale Ale, 4.5% ABV
Rating: 92.5
Whiplash Blue Ghosts Pils 5.2%
Rating: 92.5
Whiplash Bone Machine IPA, 6.2%
Rating: 92.5
*************
Galway Hooker “Galway Girl” Hazy IPA 5.2% ABV, Dunnes.
Irish Lager malt combined with hops Idaho 7, Mosaic and Strata to yield an intense and refreshing beer. Very Highly Recommended. Artwork: Cathy Hughes.
Rating: 92
Eight Degrees Bojanter Irish Stout 4.3%
I had a work colleague from Waterford whose call at the bar was inevitably “a large bottle” and that became his nick-name.
This Bojanter (an old Irish term for large bottle) is a relatively new stout by Eight Degrees, robust and rich and good enough to satisty the old-timers.
Rating: 92
Mescan Westport Blond 4.8% ABV, 330 ml bottle Bradleys
Rating: 92
West Kerry Béal Bán Golden Ale 5.0% ABV, 500ml bottle Bradleys
Rating: 92
Sullivan’s Red Ale 5.0% ABV, Draught At Revolution Waterford
Rating: 92
9 White Deer Stag Kölsch Lager, 4.2% ABV
Rating 92
The White Hag Heidrun Bock Beer 6.5% ABV, 440 ml can Carry Out St Luke’s
A rich and satisfying brew that perfectly captures the essence of a traditional bockRating: 91.5
Third Barrel Waterloo Sunset NZ Pilsner 4.8% ABV 400ml can (Bradleys)
Rating: 91.5
Blacks Ace of Haze Hazy Session Cryo IPA, 4.2% ABV, 440 ml can No 21 Cork
Rating: 91.5
Rye River Retro IPA, 5.6% ABV
Rating: 91.5
Black’s Kinsale Pale Ale 5.0% ABV
Rating: 91.5
Dungarvan Black Rock Irish Stout, 4.3% ABV
Rating: 91.5
Brehon Red Right Hand Barley Wine 11.0% ABV
Rating: 91.5
Kinnegar Flying Saucer Foreign Export Stout 6.5%
Kinnegar’s Flying Saucer is back in orbit and landing at an off licence near you! A full bodied roasty stout, with chocolate and coffee, it originated in 2015 and has travelled well since then.
Rating: 91
Galway Hooker Organic Pilsner 4.4% ABV (SuperValu Mayfield)
Rating: 91
9 White Deer Stag IPA, 5.00% ABV, 500ml bottle O’Donovan’s
“Vast quantities of new age hops" mean this gluten-free IPA is crammed with flavour and aroma.
Rating: 91
Rascals Yankee White IPA, 5.0%
Rating: 91
Dew Drop No Fury Helles Lager, 4.2% ABV
Rating: 91
Brehon Stand Still Cold IPA
Rating: 91
Wicklow Wolf Arcadia GF Lager
Rating: 91
Wicklow Wolf Apex Oatmeal Stout
Intense stuff (coffee and chocolate) on the palate, with a creamy smoothness. Full-flavoured from start to finish, one of the best stouts.
Rating: 90.5
Dot Cold IPA 4.0% ABV, 440 ml can Aldi
The cold refers not to the drinking temperature but to the temperature while it is fermenting.
Rating: 90.5
Third Barrel “𝗘𝗮𝘁, 𝗦𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽, 𝗣𝗔𝗟𝗘, 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁!”Juicy Pale Ale 4.5% ABV, 40 ml can Bradleys
Rating: 90.5
Tom Crean’s Expedition Ale Irish Red, 4.2% ABC, 500 ml bottle, O’Donovan’s
Rating: 90.5
Whitefield Oldtown Czech Style Pilsner, 5.4% ABV
Rating: 90.5
Dungarvan Mine Head American PA
Rating: 90.5
Kinnegar Black Bucket Black Rye IPA, 6.5% ABV
Rating: 90.5
White Hag Little Fawn IPA 4.2%
Rating: 90.5
Eight Degrees Full Irish IPA, 6.0% ABV
Rating: 90.5
Tom Crean’s Killowen Kölsch, 4.2% ABC, 500 ml bottle, O’Donovan’s
Rating: 90
Boundary The Right Amount of Approachable Porter 4.5% ABV. 440 ml can Bradleys.
Rating: 90
Third Barrel Hello Yes Czech Pale Lager, 4.1% ABV
Rating: 90
O’Hara’s IPA 5.2% ABV Draught at Granville Hotel, Waterford
Rating: 90
Dungarvan Copper Coast Irish Red Ale, 4.3% ABV
Rating: 90
Tom Crean Family St Brigid’s Lager, 4.5% ABV
Rating: 90
Mescan Westport Saison 5.8% ABV
Rating: 90
Kinnegar Devil’s Backbone, Amber Ale
Rating: 90
9 White Deer Stag Stout 4.2% ABV
Rating: 90
Sullivan’s Na Boii Pilsner
Rating: 90
Kinnegar Limeburner Kölsch-style Pale Ale
Rating: 90
Whiplash Reckoner Strata IPA, 6.3% ABV
Rating: 90
Galway Hooker Sixty Knots IPA, 5.5% ABV, O’Donovan’s
A pioneer of the modern craft beer movement, famous for its innovation and quality.
Rating: 89.5
Galway Hooker Irish Pale Ale, 4.3% ABV, 500 ml bottle, O’Donovan’s
Rating: 89.5
Blacks Black IPA, 5.0% ABV, 440 ml can, O’Donovan’s
Rating: 89.5
The White Hag Hopstravaganza Hazy IPA, 5.5% ABV, 440 ml can Carry Out St Luke’s
With hops from Yakima Chief, this Sligo IPA is well named, well made too.
Rating: 89
Blarney Hydro Lager 4.3% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys
Rating: 89
Elbow Lane Elbow Lager
Rating: 89
Whiplash Body Riddle Pale Ale 4.5% ABV
Rating: 89
Western Herd Blue Jumper IPA, 6.2% ABV
Rating: 89.0
O Brother Eachtra Stout 4.2% ABV, 440 ml can Aldi (exclusive)
Rating: 88.5
Whiplash (with Chimac) Rise Crispy Rice Lager, 4.5% ABV
Rating: 88.5
Dungarvan Helvick Head Irish Blonde Ale, 4.9% ABV
Rating: 88.5
Kinnegar Farmhouse Pale with Lemon Verbena 4.5% ABV, 400 ml can (Bradleys)
Rating: 88
Wicklow Wolf Wildfire Hoppy Red Ale, 4.6% ABV
Rating: 88
Wide Street House Saison 5.5% ABV
Rating: 88
Blarney Muskerry Citra IPA 4.5% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys (happily hoppy!)
Rating: 87
Dungarvan Comeragh Challenger Session PA
Rating 87
Dew Drop Zither Vienna Lager 4.7% ABV (Bradleys)
Rating: 86.5
Brehon Bech Bretha Braggot 9.0% ABV
Rating: 86
Wicklow Wolf Elevation Pale Ale 4.8% ABV
Rating: 86
West Kerry Cúl Dorcha Dark Ale, 5.0% ABV
Rating: 86
Third Barrel Texture Like Sun American Brown Ale, 5.5%
Rating: 85.5
Kinnegar Smoked Maple Porter, 4.2%
Rating: 85
Whiplash Northern Lights Micro IPA
Rating: 84.5
Lough Gill Shaka
Rating: 84
Hopfully Legswap Raspberry & Lime Sour, 5.0%
Rating: 83.0
Western Herd Loop Head Pilsner, 4.5% ABV
Rating: 81.5
Lineman Reflector Pils 4.2% ABV
Rating: 81
Granville Hotel Session Ale 3.8% ABV, draught at the hotel
Rating: 79
Wicklow Wolf West Coast Pils, 5.6% ABV
Rating: 77
Lough Gill Cutback IPA
Rating: 75
Rascals (with ToØl) Holy Molé Stout
Rating: 74
Cider
Legacy Cider Dry, 5.0% ABV
Stonewell Sting Cider 2023 5.5% ABV
Both recommended
Non Alcoholic
Wicklow Wolf 0.5% ABV IPA
Fierce Mild Extra Pale Ale 0.5%
Stonewell zero cider
Guinness Zero stout (draught, at The Lodge, Myrtleville)
All Highly Recommended
Low Alcoholic
Kinnegar “Low Tide” Pale Ale 1.0%
Recommended
Week by Week (January to December)
W/e 27.01.24 Blacks Kinsale Pale Ale 5.0% ABV
W/e 03/02/24 Rye River Nocturne Export Stout
w/e 10/02/24 9 White Deer Stag Stout, 4.2%
W/e 17/02/24 Western Herd Forge IPA, 6.5%
w/e 24/02/24 Sullivan's Maltings Irish Ale, 5.0%
w/e 02/03/24 The White Hag's Silver Branch
w/e 09/03/24 Whitefield The Banker Wheat Beer, 5.2% ABV
w/e 16.03.24 Hopfully Shine Bright IPA, 5.5% ABV
W/e 23.03.24 9 White Deer Stag Kolsch, 4.2% ABV
w/e 30.03.24 Galway Bay Lush Extra Pale Ale, 4.3% ABV
w/e 06.04.24 Outer Place Silent Orbit American Brown Ale, 6.2% ABV
W/e 13.04.24 Wicklow Wolf Locavore BA Farmhouse Ale with Brettanomyces
W/e 20.04.24 Mescan Westport Saison, 5.8% ABV
W/e 27.04.24 Whitefield Bock 7.0% ABV
W/e 04.05.24 Killarney Bourbon Barrel Aged Export Stout
W/e 11.05.24 Wide Street Plush Pale Ale 4.3% ABV
W/e 18.05.24 Eight Degrees Howling Gale Ale 4.5% ABV
W/e 25.05.24 Rye River Jigsaw DDH IPL 5.0%
W/e 01.06.24 Wide Street Sidechain Brettanomyces IPA 5.7% ABV
W/e 08.06.24 Hopburgh Schwarzbier (Black Lager) 5.2% ABV
W/e 15.06.24 Hopfully with Bradleys Leeside NEIPA 6.5% ABV
W/e 22.06.24 Guinness with Timmermans Lambic & Stout 6% ABV
W/e 29.06.24 Lineman Organised Fun Hopfenweisse 5.6% ABV
W/e 06.07.24 Kinnegar Maddyroe American Red, 5.8%
W/e 20.07.24 Wicklow Wolf 10th Anniversary American Amber 4.8% ABV,
W/e 27.07.24 Rascals Empire Haze NEIPA, 6.0% ABV
W/e 03.08.24 Sullivans Black Marble Stout
W/e 10.08.24 O'Hara's Irish Red Nitro 4.3%
W/e 17.08.24 Wicklow Wolf Locavore Summer 2024 Wheat Beer
W/e 24.08.24 Heaney Irish Stout, 4.3% ABV
W/e 31.08.24 West Cork Cape Haze West Coast IPA
W/e 07.09.24 Lough Gill Rising Wind CGX IPA
W/e 14.09.24 Wide Street Mill Pils Farmhouse Pilsner.
W/e 2109.24 O'Hara's Irish Pale Ale
W/e 28.09.24 Connemara Lager
W/e 26.10.24 Kinnegar Limeburner Pale Ale
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