The Porterhouse; Temple Bar

On a recent trip to Dublin for Peoples Photography, we took a trip to the Porterhouse on Temple Bar’s Parliament street. The blurb says it’s “Irelands largest genuine Irish brewery”. This of course means that once inside, you can forget your Heinekens and Carlsbergs. Throw your Budweisers and alcopops out the window. It’s all their own tipple and what tipple it is.

I started the night in a rather sedate manner with a pint of ale, quickly moved on to a lager and then finally rested at something divinely pink; their very own strawberry flavoured beer! I stayed away from the beer referred to by some as “bananas and ham” but will no doubt get around to that one on my eventual return. As you’d expect from any place marketing itself as “Ireland’s largest genuine Irish brewery”, their selection of beers is varied. Mind boggling even. Perhaps only so mind boggling later on in the evening due to sampling one too many strawberry beers.

The pub itself is a labyrinth of brass and oak with stairs ascending to no fewer than 4 levels. Where there might not be large expanses as you’d normally get in ‘super pubs’, there is certainly a seat to be found somewhere if you climb high enough. On the top level, there was a rather impressive looking kitchen and some of the meals that were being served out of it on our arrival looked mouth wateringly good. Maybe I’ll get around to testing those the next time. As with many/all Dublin bars, once the night is in full swing and you’re sufficiently imbibed, the price of the beer goes up. Specifically, an extra 50c on a pint that cost €5. Oh how I love Dublin. Thankfully by that stage I already had a back pocket overflowing with change.

So for something different when in Dublin, definately try the porterhouse. Try that strawberry beer too. Just be wary of the hangover…