Irish Ale

What is Irish Ale?

Irish ale (also known as Irish red ale or simply Irish red) is a pale ale made from a combination of kilned malts and roasted barley, which gives the beer its characteristic red hue.

Its flavour profile is quite malty, imparting a sweet caramel and/or toffee taste. Irish ales tend to have a low hop content and a dry finish. 

This style may contain adjuncts such as corn, rice, and sugar, which help dry out the beer’s finish and lessen the body.

Origin Story

As in the rest of Europe, beer has been brewed in Ireland for centuries. It is believed that Irish red ale originated in the town of Kilkenny in the early 18th century, influenced by English pale ale. The birth of Irish red ale is associated with Smithwick’s Brewery and a beer called Smithwick draught ale. It was a red beer with a strong malt flavour, where hops took a backseat.

Thus, the Irish adapted the English pale ale to their taste: fewer hops were used and roasted malts were added, resulting in a softer, rounder, maltier Irish ale compared to the English bitter.

Initially, the Irish themselves did not call this beer Irish ale — this name actually originated in the United States in the 1980s, where it was used to describe red beers with Irish roots. Later, this term was adopted in Ireland as well.

Until the 1960s, Irish ale was only available in Ireland. In 1965, Smithwick’s was acquired by Guinness and so Smithwick’s began to reach foreign markets. In 1987, Guinness introduced a new export Irish red ale called Kilkenny.

Today, Irish ale is a more popular beer style in America than in Ireland.