Ireland's unofficial national drink is Guinness, the famous dark, creamy dry stout, deeply ingrained in Irish culture and recognized globally as a symbol of the country, although Irish whiskey is the national spirit and Irish breakfast tea is a popular non-alcoholic choice.
Guinness: The Iconic Stout
Guinness is undeniably the most famous drink associated with Ireland. This dark, creamy stout, first brewed in 1759 by Arthur Guinness in Dublin, has become synonymous with Irish culture.
The Trojan horse is also called a Guinness and Coke, a name which tells you everything you need to mix it up. A popular summertime drink in the United Kingdom, it's a very simple recipe and a brilliant way to liven up the dark stout beer.
The Guinness Brewery and Storehouse are the most visited attraction in Dublin. With a rich roasted aroma and a hue of midnight ruby, Guinness, an Irish dry stout, has been an emblem of Ireland for over two centuries, and a pint is a must-taste for visitors to Ireland.
The drink is known by other names, including: "Irish slammer", "Dublin drop", or simply the "Irish bomb" to avoid offending patrons.
For those who imbibe, it's also quite the drinking holiday, as well. From green beer to Irish slammers, everyone's got a recipe that will put a jig in your step. However, when it comes to said Irish Slammer, a drink also commonly known as the "Irish Car Bomb," you might want to think twice before placing an order.
The main serious warning about Baileys is not to pour it down the sink, as its high fat content (Fats, Oils, and Greases or FOG) solidifies in pipes, causing stubborn blockages and costly plumber callouts, especially after holidays when it's commonly finished. Instead, seal leftover Baileys in a container and put it in the general waste bin to avoid creating "fatbergs" in sewers. Other warnings involve drinking in moderation due to alcohol content, similar to other spirits, and being mindful of its relatively short shelf life once opened (around six months).
A good chunk of those featured are the most popular beers in Ireland while some tend to be more popular in the States!
The Guinnesses were Protestant, and Guinness was brewed in Ireland, but bottled in England. “Benjamin, the patriarch, was a Tory MP for Dublin, and he was consistently voting in favor of Ireland being part of Britain,” says Steven Knight, creator of House of Guinness and Peaky Blinders.
Gen Z's obsession with Guinness stems from its viral social media presence (like "Splitting the G" challenges), its aesthetic appeal and ritualistic "perfect pour," strong ties to a broader Irish cultural wave, and its perceived authenticity and heritage, transforming it from a traditional pint into a trendy, status-symbol drink for the younger generation.
There's no single "number one" unhealthiest soda, as different ones rank poorly for different reasons (sugar, acidity, dyes), but Mountain Dew, Fanta Grape, and orange sodas often top lists due to high sugar, potent citric acid for enamel erosion, and potentially carcinogenic artificial dyes (like Red 40), making them particularly damaging for teeth and overall health, notes this article from Eat This, Not That! and this article from Fowler Orthodontics. Dark sodas (like Coke/Pepsi) are also very unhealthy due to sugar, caffeine, and caramel coloring, while clear sodas (Sprite/7Up) are generally less harmful but still packed with sugar, says this article from MEL Magazine.
'Black stuff' is the most loved Irish slang phrase of all
Taking the crown for the most loved Irish slang phrase is 'black stuff', receiving 100% of positive responses. The term refers to Guinness, the world-famous stout originating in Dublin in the 1700s.
So, when you pour pint you end up with this beautiful cascading effect so the reason why bartenders stop part way is to allow that cascading effect literally the gas coming out of solution settling and forming that lovely creamy head allowing that to settle now once upon a time there was genuine reason for Guinness to ...
In an Irish pub, avoid drinks with offensive names like "Irish Car Bomb" or "Black and Tan," which have negative historical connotations, and steer clear of Americanized St. Patrick's Day gimmicks like green beer or shamrocks in your Guinness, as locals prefer authentic experiences, opting instead for a proper pint of stout or whiskey.
An ABC News article published in 2018 described lemon, lime, and bitters (LLB) as "Australia's national drink". Lemon, lime, and bitters is a mixed drink made with (clear) lemonade, lime cordial, and Angostura bitters. The lemonade is sometimes substituted with soda water or lemon squash.
Top 10 Drinks In Ireland
Guinness products are brewed in Dublin and then transported to Belfast and England for packaging. The pay row comes after the company refused to match the wages received by workers in the north with those of their counterparts at the company's factory in Runcorn, England.
The Guinness family still stands among Ireland's wealthiest dynasties, with an estimated net worth of £856 million ($1.15 billion), according to the Times of London's Rich List, tallying the 1,000 wealthiest people or families residing in the United Kingdom ranked by net wealth.
Great Britain
The Brits are the biggest drinkers of Guinness in the world. In fact, it's said that one in every 10 pints sold in London is a Guinness.
Beer remains Ireland's most popular alcohol beverage, with a 43.3% share of the beer market in 2024 – a gain of nearly 1% compared to 2023. Overall, beer production levels also increased by 10.7%, driven by exports; Total beer sales in Ireland declined by 1.6% in 2024 – the second consecutive year of decline.
My explanation is simple: they know how to pull a pint in Ireland, and if you don't, your pub will be empty. And Guinness is obviously very popular in Ireland, so it never sits in the Barrell or pipes, therefore it's always fresh. Interestingly, even in Ireland some pubs in a town will have a better pint than others.
10 local drinks to try when visiting Northern Ireland
It's not essential to store cream liqueurs like Baileys the fridge if you haven't got any room, but it's preferable. However, the most important thing is to avoid higher temperatures and sunlight so anywhere cool and dark will do the job.
The price for a 1-liter bottle of Baileys Irish Cream varies significantly by location and retailer, but expect roughly AUD $43-$73 in Australia, £17 in the UK (or even less for non-Baileys brands), and potentially higher in other regions like Nigeria where a 70cl bottle is around ₦25000. Duty-free shops often offer competitive prices, while multi-packs or store brands can offer savings.
Today, more than 80 million bottles of Baileys are produced and packaged annually at the brand's Dublin facility and exported to 180 countries worldwide. America is its biggest international customer, importing more Baileys than any other country.