Drinking the “Irish way” in the U.S. often just means... drinking. A lot. From the insensitively named Irish Car Bomb beer-and-shot combo to stumbling St. Patrick's Day celebrations, Ireland has earned a stateside reputation as a country of hard drinking party animals.
Famous Irish drinks
Guinness, Jameson and Baileys are arguably three of the most popular Irish drinks. However, there are many other Irish alcohol brands, like Murphy's, Drumshambo, Dingle, Powers and much more that are well-known in Ireland and abroad.
The most reliable rule if you want to drink like an Irishman is to stick to stout — Guinness, preferably, and draft if you can manage. Bottles are fine, but there's nary an Irish watering hole without a Guinness tap. Other Irish stouts are okay — Murphy's, particularly — but American microbrews are unacceptable.
Ireland is dominated by a single type of whiskey, pot still Irish whiskey. Often referred to as “Pure Pot Still” or simply “Pot Still,” pot still whiskey is unique to Ireland.
Ireland may be famous for Irish whiskey and Guinness. That's not all the locals drink, though. You'll find plenty of popular adult beverages during your trip to Ireland.
Poitín (Irish pronunciation: [ˈpˠɛtʲiːnʲ]), anglicized as poteen (/pəˈt(ʃ)iːn, pɒˈtiːn/) or potcheen, is a traditional Irish distilled beverage (40–90% ABV). Former common names for Poitín were "Irish moonshine" and "mountain dew".
Guinness is synonymous with Ireland. Deeply woven into the very fabric of Irish society, Guinness is more than just an alcoholic beverage; it is a national icon full of history and heritage. First brewed in St. James's Gate in Dublin in the mid-18th century, Guinness represents the Irish nation.
If you're in England or Scotland and order a whiskey you'll most probably get a Scotch. If you're in Ireland, you'll get an Irish whiskey. And if you're anywhere else in the world, you'll get asked what you want. The other big difference between whiskey and Scotch is not in the taste but in the spelling.
People in Ireland are among the most prolific drinkers in the world, according to a report released by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“With Irish whiskey, the ageing process in wood is not limited to oak,” says Collins. “Unlike Scotch, this really opens up a world of playful experimentation. As such, Irish whiskey is hugely exciting because it lends itself to more subtle and sophisticated flavours — it can really add that unique feel to a cocktail.”
Sláinte means "health" in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It is commonly used as a drinking toast in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.
The whiskey that is drunk in Peaky Blinders is the Gallglennie Whiskey. However, this whiskey does not really exist but it was invented by the makers of the series. By the way, the actors do not drink real whiskey during the filming. Instead of whiskey they use tea.
Guinness Draught: The Iconic Irish Stout | Guinness®
As in other parts of the world, the Irish enjoy a version of coffee all their own — but theirs involves whiskey. On the whole, Ireland is more of a nation of tea-drinkers than coffee.
If you exclude the 20% of the population aged 15+ who do not drink alcohol, our per capita alcohol consumption rises to 13.75 litres of pure alcohol for every Irish person aged 15 and over.
Most Irish people will drink tea or coffee first thing in the morning. While tea is the more traditional choice, coffee has become more popular in recent years.
Russia and Australia have the highest prevalence of alcoholism dependence overall, with 2.61 per cent and 2.58 per cent, respectively. According to the World Health Organization, US has the lowest rate of alcohol dependence with only 1.93 per cent.
BRITISH people are the biggest drinkers in the world, outranking the Irish, according to a new study. Following the Brits is the USA, Canada, Australia, Denmark and India, while Mexico, Czech Republic and Finland complete the top ten.
In Ireland, the overall alcohol consumption among adults in 2021 was 9.5 litres of alcohol. This is a decrease from 10.1 litres in 2020, 10.8 litres in 2019 and 11 litres in 2018. The OECD average recorded per capita consumption in Europe is 9.8 litres per adult.
To simplify things for you: the name of the spirit is based on factors such as the type of cereal grain used in the distilling process as well as how and where it was produced. And about that e, 'whiskey' is used in the US and in Ireland, whereas it's plain, ol' whisky in Scotland, Canada and other parts of the world.
Whiskey contains more alcohol than vodka, which has an average alcohol content of about 35%. Whiskey is made of grains (barley, rye, and corn).
In terms of flavor, Irish whiskey is generally smoother and more approachable, while Scotch whisky has a stronger, smokier flavor. Both are versatile spirits that can be enjoyed on their own or in cocktails, but they are each unique in their own way.
Guinness brewed in Australia has never been more faithful to that produced in Ireland, the brewer says, but not everyone is convinced. The common refrain that Guinness is at its best in Ireland is an “old wive's tale”, Guinness ambassador Domhnall Marnell told Brews News.
It's essentially a small, white nitrogen filled ball that sits inside the can, and the second the can is opened, the widget does what it has so patiently been waiting to do. It releases the magic surge of bubbles, replicating the draught experience in a can.
Guinness contains “antioxidant compounds” similar to those found in fruits and vegetables that slow down the deposit of cholesterol on artery walls. This can help reduce blood clots and ultimately the risk of heart attacks.