County Westmeath’s craft breweries and distilleries operate in settings that range from historic sites along the River Brosna to modern facilities near the Shannon.
Dead Centre Brewing commenced in Athlone at Custume Pier Apartments. This craft brewery produces award-winning beers through onsite brewing processes, with a range of unique flavours available in its bar alongside gourmet pizza, and offers personalised tours that allow observation of production methods tied to its central location in Ireland.
On the distillery side, Kilbeggan Distillery functions in Kilbeggan on the River Brosna. Established in 1757 and re-commissioned in 2007 after periods of closure, this operation holds the licence for continuous distillation in the same building since its origin and produces Irish whiskeys such as Kilbeggan Blended Whiskey through double distillation to retain flavour and smoothness,
Kilbeggan Small Batch Rye Whiskey as the first 100 per cent distilled and matured there since the 2010 restoration, and Kilbeggan Single Pot Still Whiskey that pays tribute to the town’s history with colour references to County Westmeath on its label, while utilising the oldest operational copper pot still in the world first reused in 2007.
Fore Distillery operates near the village of Fore. Founded in 2021 by Oliver Guirke, this small craft distillery produces premium spirits including Fore Valley Golden Irish Rum and White Irish Rum alongside Irish poitín, with whiskey in maturation, drawing on local heritage and modern techniques in proximity to Fore Abbey. These facilities form part of Westmeath’s drinks production through their combination of historical continuity and contemporary craft approaches.
Craft Brewing & Distilling county by county
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Dining
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Restaurant awards
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow – Overall – County winners – Georgina Campbell – Good Food Ireland – Michelin Star
County Westmeath:
Ireland’s county Westmeath offers a blend of lakes and historic charm, with Athlone Castle providing insights into medieval Ireland along the Shannon River. The Belvedere House and Gardens showcase Georgian elegance, while Lough Ree offers boating and fishing opportunities. Other attractions include the ancient Fore Abbey and its monastic ruins and traditional seven wonders. Westmeath is Ireland’s tenth smallest county by size (1,763 square km) and 11th smallest by population (96,221). Population peaked at 141,300 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 52,861 in 1961. In terms of hospitality, Westmeath is Ireland’s 22nd most visited tourist county with around 95,000 international visitors per year.
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels top 8 – Hunting & shooting – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Music – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Songs – Spas – Sports – Sunsets – Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846– 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
