- Craft beer sector increase market share
- Mircobreweries now producing 2.4m litres of beer
The craft beer sector increased its market share slightly to 2pc in 2015, up from 1.2pc in 2014, accordingh to a report from the Irish Brewer’s Association released in the iconic O’Donoghue’s of Merrion Row.
Ireland’s 50 microbreweries produced 2.4m litres of craft beer last year and many are becoming tourist visitor attractions.
Ireland exported €265m worth of beer in 2015, up 16pc. Production rose for the first time since 2011 with manufacturers producing 775m up 6pc. The Association called on the government to lower excise duties, currently €1.08 and third highest in Europe per litre after Finland (€1.54) and Britain (€1.14) and ahead of Sweden (€1) with a big drop down to Slovenia (58 cents) in fifth place. Excise duties are lowest in Luxembourg (9.5 cents), Germany (9.4 cents), Bulgaria (.2 cents) and Romania (8.8 cents).
Ireland’s pub trade sold 67.3pc of the beer purchased by consumers, up 4pc, while supermarkets and off-licenses accounted for 32.7pc of beer sales, down 4.3pc. Since 2011, beer has maintained a 47pc share of Ireland’s alcohol market, according to data from the Revenue Commissioners. Beer consumption dropped 2pc to 79.9 litres per capita, leaving Ireland in eighth place in Europe, down from fifth in 2012, behind the Czech Republic (144), Germany (107), Austria (104), Poland (98), Lithuania (95), Luxembourg (83), and Croatia (80). Consumption of all alcohol, including beer, is down 25pc since 2001.
The Irish Brewers Association was founded in 1904 and is a divison of IBEC. It successfullly integrated with Seamus O’Hara’s Independent Craft Brewers & Distillers of Ireland.
Jonathan McDade of the Irish Brewers Association said “I think we can expect craft beer to steadily increase its market share over time. I’m not sure if it will replicate the phenomenon over in the United States, but there have been some encouraging signs in the sector. Excise has gone up about 42pc in the last five years which can be quite a hindrance in terms of growth, innovation and investment in the sector. We have seen that a lot of jobs can be created with an excise reduction. In 2013, the UK government reduced excise on beer three years in a row. As a result 26,000 jobs were created in the brewing sector.”
Directory of Irish brewers:
- 5 Lamps Brewery, Dublin, Founded 2012, Website: 5 Lamps,
- 9 White Deer Brewery, Macroom,Website: 9 White Deer,
- Beamish and Crawford, Cork, 1792, Website: Beamish,
- Black Donkey Brewing , Ballinlough, Founded 2014, Website: Black Donkey,
- Blacks of Kinsale Brewery, Kinsale, Founded 2013, Website: Blacks of Kinsale,
- Bo Bristle Brewing, Banagher, Founded 2010, Website: Bo Bristle,
- Boyne Brewhouse, Drogheda, Website: Boyne,
- Brown Paper Bag Project, Dublin, Founded 2012, Website: Brown Paper Bag,
- Brú Brewery, Trim, Founded 2013, Website: Brú,
- Burren Brewery, Lisdoonvarna, Founded 2011, Website: Burren,
- Carlow Brewing, Bagenalstown, Founded 1998, Website: Carlow,
- Carrig Brewing, Drumshanbo, Founded 2011, Website: Carrig,
- Crafty Divils, Killorglin, Founded 2014, Website: Crafty Divils,
- Dingle Brewing, Dingle, Founded 2011, Website: Dingle,
- Donegal Brewing, Ballyshannon, Founded 2011, Website: Donegal,
- Dungarvan Brewing , Dungarvan, Founded 2010, Website: Dungarvan,
- Eight Degrees Brewing, Mitchelstown, Founded 2010, Website: Eight Degrees,
- Four Provinces Brewing, Dublin, Website: Four Provinces,
- Franciscan Well Brewery , Cork, Founded 1998, Website: Franciscan Well,
- Galway Bay Brewery, Galway, Founded 2005, Website: Galway Bay,
- Galway Hooker Brewery, Oranmore, Founded 2006, Website: Galway Hooker,
- Great Northern Brewery, Dundalk, 1897, Website: Great Northern-Diageo,
- Guinness’s Brewery, Dublin, 1749, Website: Guinness,
- Heineken Brewery, Cork, Website: Heineken,
- Independent Brewing, Carraroe, Founded 2014, Website: Independent Brewing,
- Jack Cody’s, Drogheda, Website: Jack Cody’s,
- JW Sweetman, Dublin, Website: JW Sweetmanl,
- Kelly’s Mountain Brew, Clane, Founded 2014, Website: Kelly’s Mountain Brew,
- Killarney Brewing, Killarney, Website: Killarney,
- Kinnegar Brewing, Rathmullan, Website: Kinnegar,
- Manor Brewing Co, Blessington, Founded 2013, Website: Manor,
- Mescan Brewery, Cartoor, Co Mayo, Website: ,
- Metalman Brewing, Waterford, Website: Metalman,
- Mountain Man Brewing, West Cork, Website: Mountain Man,
- Muckish Mountain Brewery, Donegal, Founded 2014, Website: Muckish Mountain,
- Munster Brewery, Youghal, Founded 2014, Website: Munster,
- N-17 Brewery, Tuam, Founded 2014, Website: N- 17,
- O Brother Brewing, Kilcoole, Co Wickow, Founded 2014, Website: O Brother,
- Porterhouse Brewing, Dublin, Founded 1989, Website: Porterhouse,
- Rascal’s Brewing, Rathcoole, Founded 2013, Website: Rascal’s,
- Reel Deel Brewing, Crossmolina, Founded 2014, Website: Reel Deel,
- Rye River Brewing, Kilcock, Founded 2014, Website: McGargles,
- Smithwick’s, Kilkenny, 1710, Website: Smithwick’s,
- St. Mel’s, Longford, Founded 2014, Website: St. Mel’s,
- Stone Barrel Brewing, Dublin, Founded 2013, Website: Stone Barrel,
- Torc Brewing, Killarney, Founded 2014, Website: Torc Brewing,
- Trouble Brewing, Kill, Co Kildare, Founded 2009, Website: Trouble,
- West Cork Brewing, Baltimore, Founded 2014, Website: ,
- West Kerry Brewery (Beoir Chorca Dhuibhne), West Kerry, Founded 2008, Website: West Kerry
- West Mayo Brewery, Castlebar, Founded 2013, Website: West Mayo,
- White Gypsy Brewery, Templemore, Founded 1996, Website: White Gypsy,
- White Hag Brewery, Ballymote, Founded 2014, Website: White Hag,
- Wicklow Brewing, Redcross, Co Wcklow, Founded 2014, Website: Wicklow,
- Wicklow Wolf Brewery, Bray, Founded 2014, Website: Wicklow Wolf,
- Wood Quay Brewing, Dublin, Founded 2015, Website: Wood Quay,
