Famously known for its Guinness and Harp beer there has also been a boom in craft beer and Northern Ireland plays a formidable part in the craft beer scene.
Craft beers are becoming more popular with many local breweries popping up all over the country to delight your taste buds with cleverly crafted beers for any beer enthusiast.
Here are eight Northern Irish craft beers to enjoy and where to find them.
1. Mourne Mountains Brewery
Mourne Mountains Brewery was founded in 2015, situated in the foothills of the beautiful Mourne Mountains. They offer a range of beers from fruited sours to imperial pastry stouts and highly-hopped IPAs, which are all vegan-friendly. The key ingredient to their beers is the local water which flows through the mountains originating in the high Mournes, it is beautifully soft and perfect for brewing a wide variety of beer styles. You can find Mourne Mountains craft beer on www.mournemountainsbrewery.com Photo: Mourne Mountains Brewery via Facebook
2. Heaney Farmhouse
The Heaney brewery is located in Bellaghy, home of the famous acclaimed poet, Seamus Heaney. Steeped in history and tradition, this craft beer was founded by Mal McCay and his wife Suzanne, who is the niece of the late poet Seamus Heaney. Drawing water from the spring and natural ingredients from the farm the family have created deliciously crafted beers, from traditional Irish white ales to quirky IPAs such as, ‘Look! No Hands' which is described as having a well-balanced hit of hazy pine, pineapple, grapefruit, and floral flavours with a dry spicy finish. You can find Heaney craft beers on www.heaney.ie Photo: Heaney Farmhouse via Twitter
3. 4. Hilden Brewery via their FB.jpeg
Hilden Brewery is Ireland’s oldest independent brewery. It is situated in Lisburn, 20 mins away from Belfast city centre. Belfast Blonde is one of their lighter beers. If it’s your first time trying craft beer then Belfast Blonde is an excellent stepping stone into the world of craft beers. It is a light and crisp-tasting pale ale with a pleasant and distinct hop. You can find an array of Hilden Craft Beers here on hildenbrewery.com/beers Photo: Dillon Osborne
4. Ards Brewing Company
Ards Brewing Company has been on the scene for over a decade with their most popular beer being the Scrabo Gold, a 4.7 per cent golden ale. It pours a golden colour in the glass with a bright white head. It has a slight haze, which hints at some wheat in the malt bill and there are also some earthy, floral notes with a hint of citrus. You can find Ards Brewing Company beers in Bittles Bar Belfast, The Ulster Hall Belfast or many local pubs in the Newtownards area. Photo: Pexels