Recent trip to Cork sort of forced me to think about this.
On draught my favourites right now would be:
1. O'Hara's Stout
2. Porterhouse Plain
3. Beamish
I would have had Shandon Stout number 1 for a while but we're starting to refer to it as a dessert stout, i.e. started to find it a little too sweet.
In bottles I'm not a fan of the "4.3%" variety really, as I find the CO2 levels can add an unwanted harshness that in my mind doesn't belong in stouts, so for that reason I'd go:
1. Porterhouse Celebration
2. Guinness Foreign Extra
Although depending on my humour those two could be reversed, and in spite of the 4.3% I am partial to the odd bottle of Black Rock Stout.
Wrasslers for me is by far the best draught stout in Ireland. Pity porterhouse bars are dreadful
Wrasslers is delicious but sometimes need to be in the mood for it. O'Hara's Leann Follain on cask is fantastic.
Would agree with Tube regarding bottles of 4.3%, I think O'Hara's can be a bit overcarbonated but Black Rock is always spot on.
1. Trouble brewing dark arts
2. Dún Garbháin Black Rock
3. Porterhouse celebration/O Haras Leann Folláin
Burren Black
I think one of the best stouts available, unfortunately only available in Lisdoonvarna!
beamish traditionally, porterhouse oyster, plain and wrasslers (dem boys knowhoe to make stout) and I enjoyed the lisdoon stout few months back at the festival
Wrasslers on draught is by far my favourite. Different class!
On bottle Guinness foreign extra as my staple go to stout. Leann Folain is a nice treat.
Have to get onto Gerry about getting Wrasslers in :)
Good branch off from the why is all the pale ale the same thread. This is the one one area that needs the most variety and also the hardest to penetrate (O'Hara's Guinness anyone).
O'Hara's and bru are great stouts but only available in select places. I personally think cranking the stout barrier will be the key to success for the person who does it. Generally you can expect one stout on tap if you see two its rare and three is unknown (dublin area). Cork have it easier, better choice of stouts but there is noting to say more is a bad thing.
But on topic.
1. Leann follian / (black rock if it had better availability)
2. O'Hara's stout
3. Bru dubh
Though choice with 2 and 3 but ask me again in a month or 2 and that could change.
Nitro:
1. Shandon Stout
2. Beamish
3. O' Haras
Bottle:
1. Black Rock
2. McGraths
3. Belfast Black
1. Leann Folláin.
2. Dark Arts.
3. Wrasslers.
Bottles of Leann Follain are 4 for a tenner in Dunnes at the mo ;)
Had a pint of Leann Follain on cask earlier...it wasn't the best...would put me off it it if I didn't know that the bottles were amazeballs :-\
Leann Follain available on draught in shearys from tomorrow
I feel like I'm on Bosco ;D
Supping Leann Follain on draught in the Palace Bar on Fleet Street at the mo and it's superb. Even better than the bottles
Way too easy to drink >:D
€5.90
I think it's normally CO2. It's far too easy to drink on cask as well.
Nope, at least I don't think so
(http://i.imgur.com/oneWiJY.jpg)
1. O'Haras
2. Black rock
3. Porterhouse celebration
Was on a night out in Dublin before Christmas. Had Leann Folann on Cask in the palace a very tasty and dangerous drink when your in rounds with a bunch of rugby players on the tear. Also had O'Haras in the bank and it was delicious.