Guinness dominates the conversation so completely that it is easy to forget Ireland has other stout traditions of its own, particularly in Cork, where two rival stouts have outlasted Guinness’s reach for generations.
Beamish, Cork
Beamish and Crawford has brewed on South Main Street in Cork since 1792, making it older than most of Guinness’s current draught recipe history. It is a drier, more bitter stout than Guinness, with a slightly thinner body, and in Cork it still has a loyal following who consider it the superior pint. Production later moved under Heineken ownership, and the original South Main Street site eventually closed, but the brand is still brewed and sold widely across Munster.
Murphy’s, Cork
Murphy’s, from the Lady’s Well Brewery in Cork, dates to 1856. It is generally the sweeter and smoother of the two Cork stouts, with a slightly more chocolatey character than Beamish’s dry bitterness. Murphy’s is the more internationally recognised of the two, sold across Europe and the US, where Guinness’s dominance is less total.
O’Hara’s Leann Folláin, Carlow
A newer entry by comparison, from the Carlow Brewing Company, founded in 1996. Leann Folláin means “wholesome stout” in Irish, and at around 6% ABV it is considerably stronger than Guinness Draught’s 4.2%, with a heavier roasted malt and coffee character. It has become one of the most awarded Irish stouts internationally over the past two decades.
Porterhouse Oyster Stout, Dublin
Brewed by the Porterhouse Brewing Company, one of Dublin’s original craft breweries, this stout is made with real oysters added during brewing, a nod to the old tradition of pairing stout with oysters and, in some historic recipes, brewing with oyster shells for their mineral character. It is a genuinely different drinking experience from the big three national stouts.
Why Cork still argues about this
Cork’s rivalry between Beamish and Murphy’s drinkers predates modern craft beer entirely, and both brands are proudly treated as the “local” stout in a city where Guinness is seen as the Dublin import. If you are visiting Cork, it is genuinely worth trying a Beamish or a Murphy’s alongside your Guinness rather than skipping straight past them.
Tasting them side by side
If you can get all three Cork-area stouts (Beamish, Murphy’s, and Guinness itself) in front of you at once, the differences become obvious fast. Guinness sits in the middle: roasty but balanced. Beamish is drier and more bitter, with less of Guinness’s slight sweetness. Murphy’s is the softest of the three, with a rounder, more chocolatey finish and noticeably less bitterness on the back end. None of the three are dramatically different in strength, all sit close to 4 to 4.3 percent ABV, so the real differences are in body and roast character rather than in how strong they feel.
Why national distribution matters here
Guinness’s scale is the real reason it dominates outside Ireland: it is brewed under license or exported to far more countries than Murphy’s or Beamish ever were, and its marketing budget for decades dwarfed both regional Cork brands combined. Inside Cork itself, though, both brands still hold real market share and genuine local loyalty, which is why “Guinness or Beamish” remains a real question a Cork bartender might actually ask you, rather than a rhetorical one.
Where to actually find them
Beamish and Murphy’s are both easiest to find in Munster, especially around Cork city, where most pubs stock at least one of them alongside Guinness. Outside Munster they get harder to find on tap, though both are widely available in bottles and cans from Irish off-licences nationwide. O’Hara’s and Porterhouse products are more commonly found in craft-focused bars and bottle shops than in traditional pubs, since neither brewery has the national tap contracts that Guinness, Murphy’s, and Beamish have built up over the decades.
Smaller Irish stouts worth knowing
Beyond the big regional names, several smaller Irish craft breweries make their own stouts worth seeking out if you come across them: Galway Bay Brewery’s Buried at Sea is a well-regarded imperial stout, and Trouble Brewing near Dublin has made stout on and off as part of its rotating lineup. These are much harder to find on tap than Guinness, Murphy’s, or Beamish, since none of them have anywhere near the same distribution, but they are worth trying if a bottle shop or craft-focused bar has one in stock.
Want to compare them yourself?
Prefer the drier Beamish?
Frequently asked questions
Which is older, Beamish or Guinness?
Guinness was founded in 1759, Beamish and Crawford in 1792, so Guinness is the older brand, though Beamish has brewed on the same Cork site since its founding.
Are Murphy’s and Beamish still brewed in Ireland?
Yes, both are still brewed and widely available across Ireland, primarily strong in the Munster region around Cork.
What is the strongest Irish stout on this list?
O’Hara’s Leann Folláin at around 6% ABV, noticeably stronger than Guinness, Murphy’s, or Beamish, all of which sit closer to 4-4.3%.
Want the full picture on where to actually order a good stout, Guinness included? See our guide to the best Guinness in Ireland by county, including Cork’s own pubs. Or if you are trying to decide what to drink when Guinness is not an option, see our Guinness alternatives guide.
