Beamish: Boston Gets Another Irish Stout

Joseph Flynn

Just about one year ago, Beamish and Crawford of Cork City, Ireland, introduced its stout to the United States. Fortunately for Boston stout lovers, the Hub, along with Atlanta, became the brew's sole American test markets. Today, you can find Beamish on draught in 40 Boston pubs.

Described by noted beer expert Michael Jackson as "creamy, medium dry, with some chocolate notes," the arrival of Beamish completes the troika of Irish stouts in Boston, joining fellow Cork brewer Murphy's brew, and of course Guinness of Dublin.

Founded in 1792, Beamish and Crawford grew to be the largest brewery in Ireland during the first half of the 19th century. In 1962 Carling O'Keeffe of Canada purchased the brewery, which was subsequently bought by Elders IXL of Australia in 1987.

In a conversation in one of Boston's well-known Irish pubs, The Green Briar in Brighton, Beamish sales representative Patrick Bourke stated that sales are going quite well. "Beamish is presently in 40 pubs in Boston, and 30 in Atlanta," he explained. "Our Atlanta representative, Joe Danaher, has been quite successful in getting a foothold for Beamish in a city where people would not be that familiar with stout."

Bourke also related that even though Boston has a large Irish population, American mainstream beers such as Bud and Miller are very popular. "I've found Beamish to be popular with Boston's large student and young professional population," he noted. "They aren't afraid to try something new. That's how I try to market Beamish; I don't knock the competition. I try," he concluded, "to let people know that Beamish has a taste different from other stouts, and that they should give it a try."

Beamish Stout is distributed by United Liquors. Listed below are some of the Boston pubs where you can find it on draught:

Cornwall's - 510 Commonwealth Ave., Boston

Crossroads Lounge - 405 Beacon St., Boston

Mr. Dooley's Boston Tavern - 77 Broad St., Boston

Brendan Behan's Pub - 378A Centre St., Jamaica Plain

The Sunset Grill & Tap - 130 Brighton Ave., Allston

Silhouette Lounge - 200 Brighton Ave., Allston

The Green Briar - 304 Washington St., Brighton

Corrib Pub - 396 Market St., Brighton

Blackthorne Pub - West Broadway, South Boston

Harvard Square Sports Club - 59 JFK St., Cambridge

Joseph Flynn is a beer lover from Brighton, Massachusetts, where he has no difficulty locating draught stout.

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