Mine's a creamy Beamy... the other Irish stout finally hitting the city's pubs

EVER since I travelled to Cork three years ago, I've had an itch I've been unable to scratch.

- By RYAN PATON

The three day trip in spring 2022 represented my first ever visit to the Emerald Isle - and I was excited to hear the wonderfully lyrical accent, take in the beautiful green scenery and maybe even gain the gift of the gab from kissing the fabled Blarney Stone.

But, more than these cultural cornerstones, I must admit that my true reason for going was not quite as high brow.

The main motive, predictably, involved a long-awaited crawl through Ireland’s famous pubs, where I was eager to test out the age-old myth of whether a pint of Guinness is really that much better in the stout’s native home.

I was also interested in comparing Guinness next to another stout as I knew Murphy's was native to Cork.

However, it was an entirely different brand that captured my heart during the odyssey through Cork’s watering holes, as my tastebuds were introduced to the wonder of Beamish.

It will likely sound ridiculous to anyone from Ireland, but I had never heard of the famous stout before I spotted its eye-catching logo on the taps of a classic Cork pub.

The prospect of having something new meant I was already keen to try it.

But, after hearing how its history dated back to 1792 and it was one of the drinks that established Ireland’s esteemed reputation as the best in class for stout brewers, I didn’t hesitate to order it as my next pint.