You can’t miss this stunning state-of-the-art distillery and brewery just west of Killarney, on the Ring of Kerry road. The bold design and sheer scale make it a landmark building - and the three huge copper stills will always catch the eye and invite you in to see more, whether the sun is on them or not.
Ireland may have seen an extraordinary revival of craft brewing and distilling in recent years and there are now many noteworthy producers and visitor centres sprinkled around the country, but the planning and hard work of Killarney based Tim O’Donoghue and Paul Sheahan, and their Chicago partner, Liam Healy, has created an exceptional destination by any standards. In progress for a decade - during which time beer was being produced at the original premises on Muckross Road - it was a long time coiming, but when the Killarney Brewing & Distilling Co finally opened in 2022, it became Ireland's largest independently owned brewery, distillery, and visitor centre and a real source of pride for the owners and the region.
Aside from the core brewing and distilling activities, which are impressive enough in themselves, a smartly designed and very comfortable glass fronted restaurant and roof garden - each with views out to the magnificent MacGillycuddy’s Reeks and Lakes of Killarney - not only delight visitors but have also made this a popular destination for locals having an outing or celebrating special occasions.
Their beers and gins - and soon their own whiskeys too - can be sampled, with or without food, in the Bar & Restaurant, which is a lovely spot to sit back, take a bite or a sip or both and enjoy the magnificent view. The dining style is casual, with menus (lunch, dinner or all day Sunday) mainly linked to their drinks, but there is quite a choice and friendly staff are on hand to advise. Expect crowd-pleasers like their Signature Wings (in two sizes, with or without whiskey), Signature Burgers (including a plant based Where’s The Beef Burger) and Signature Main Dishes such as The Drunken Sailor (Killarney Blonde beer battered fish & chips). Some good lunchtime sambos are available too - The Lean & Green comes with brown bread, for example, while the Stout Brisket is slow cooked beef with sourdough.
As well as being a major visitor centre, the Killarney Brewing & Distilling Co also offers facilities for hosting conferences and other business events - and provides an unusual setting for gala dinners, with banqueting available for up to 250 guests. All round it's quite the spot.
