Ready to start sipping? Here is a guide to Irish beer and drinks. And remember: if you order at the bar, there’s no need to tip the bartender. Keep your change.

Guinness

Ireland’s most famous stout, Guinness Draught, is brewed right in the city center of Dublin. Often called the “milkshake of beers”, Guinness is known for its rich, creamy head and hint of chocolate flavor. Remember to be patient when ordering a pint — the perfect Guinness takes time to pour, but it’s worth the wait. Walk into any pub in Dublin, and you will see a lot of locals drinking the black stuff (and they always wait for it to settle before taking that heavenly first sip).

Smithwick’s is older — and lighter — than Guinness. Photo: ach10

Alternative Irish stouts: Beamish stout, Murphy’s Irish Stout

Smithwick’s

Smithwick’s Irish Ale is even older than Guinness and other one of the most famous Irish beer and drinks. This smooth ale dates back to the 14th century and is produced in the oldest operating brewery in Ireland. While many of the best known Irish beers are stouts, Smithwick’s is the biggest ale producer in the country. If you find Guinness a little heavy (especially after the first one or two), switch to Smithwick’s for something lighter, but still flavorful.

Harp Lager

On a sunny day in Dublin, grab an outdoor table at a pub and sip on a refreshing Harp lager. This crisp beer is a light alternative to heavy Irish stouts. This smooth, light beer doesn’t have the same history as Guinness or Smithwick’s — it’s only been around since 1960 — but it’s a tasty Irish alternative to other foreign lagers on tap.

Irish Coffee

If you happen to be in Dublin on a rainy day, there is nothing more satisfying than an Irish coffee. This mix of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, and brown sugar topped with a thick layer of cream will warm you up on more than one level. Don’t over-stir the concoction; simply sip the coffee through the cream.

Irish Whiskey Punch (or a Hot Toddy)

Another traditional drink — often enjoyed when you have a case of the sniffles — is an Irish Whiskey Punch or Hot Toddy. Irish Whiskey is mixed with hot water, brown sugar, cloves, and lemon, resulting in one steaming, soothing drink.

When in Dublin, go local. Drink Irish beers and whiskey, eat Irish cheese, and don’t leave without sampling local smoked salmon and roasted lamb (preferably with a pint of Guinness on the side).

Your favorite pour? What do you order when you cozy up to the bar at a Dublin pub? Share your favorite Irish beer and drinks in our comments section.

Also in our guide: Heading to Dublin and looking for a great affordable hotel? Our editors have hunted down the best cheap hotels in Dublin, from hostels to three-star hotels, all centrally-located, clean and cheap. Read more in our Dublin hotel guide.

The post Dublin: A quick guide to Irish beer and drinks appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

On Thursday September 27, 2012 Dubliners have an extra excuse to head to their local for a pint. Some will celebrate by simply raising a glass, while others will partake in festivities throughout the city. Arthur’s Day has also become tied to music, and several bands—such as Mumford and Sons—are playing small venues throughout the city and country beyond.

Who is Arthur?

The man behind the famous Irish pint is Arthur Guinness, who in 1759 signed a 9,000-year lease on an old brewery in St. James’s Gate, Dublin. The initial cost was 100 pounds, with an annual rent of 45 pounds. Importantly, this deal also included water rights. Over 250 years ago, Arthur started brewing porter and ale.

Guinness Today

The original lease that Arthur Guinness signed still stands, and Guinness is brewed in the same part of Dublin, called St. James’s Gate, just west of city center. Today it is brewed 365 days a year and the Guinness Storehouse is also home to a popular museum.

Interactive exhibits show visitors what goes into Guinness: barley, hops, water, and a special strain of yeast. That’s all: Just four ingredients combine to create the complex flavors of this stout.

The Gravity Bar

After learning how to pour a perfect pint in the museum, keep climbing the stairs to the Gravity Bar. Perched on top of the brewery, this sky-high watering hole offers incredible views over the rooftops of Dublin. It is circular, with floor to ceiling windows, and descriptions on the glass tell you what landmarks you’re looking at, such as Trinity College or St. Stephen’s Green.

A ticket to the Guinness Storehouse includes one pint of the black stuff (purchase your ticket online in advance for a discount and to skip the lines). It takes almost three full minutes for the perfect pour of Guinness, and remember to let it settle before taking that magical first sip.

Watching the sunset in the Gravity Bar or raising a glass in a local pub for Arthur’s Day, something about Guinness just tastes better in the city where it was born.

Read more about Arthur’s Day on the official Guinness Web site. If you’re heading to Dublin, be sure to stop by our Dublin guide to read about recommended budget hotels in the city, all inspected and approved.

The post Dublin: Arthur’s Day and the Guinness Storehouse appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here is some advice on how to skip Dublin’s tourist traps, and just as important, how to find the authentic experience within them.

Tourist Trap: Temple Bar
http://www.templebar.ie/

Temple Bar is the well-known historic neighborhood of Dublin that flanks the River Liffey on the south side. Its cobblestone alleys and street musicians can set a great atmosphere – if you know when to visit.

This neighborhood is home to a number of pubs (the Oliver St John Gogarty, the Quays Bar) that few Dubliners ever set foot in. The reasons are simple: pints here are overpriced compared to other areas of the city, and the pubs are typically full of tourists and rowdy bachelor parties.

Yet there’s another side of Temple Bar. The neighborhood is also known as Dublin’s cultural quarter, and it takes on another life during the day. Visit on a Saturday morning to nibble your way through the Temple Bar Food Market in Meeting House Square. Take in an exhibit at the Gallery of Photography next door, or if it’s a rainy day, join the locals in the IFI (Irish Film Institute) for a film or a pot of tea in the café.

Do: Visit Temple Bar during the day for its galleries, markets, and cafés.
Don’t: Fall into the trap of Temple Bar’s overpriced pubs at night.

Tourist Trap: Trinity College and the Book of Kells
http://www.tcd.ie/Library/bookofkells/

One of the top attractions in Dublin is Trinity College and the ancient Book of Kells. It is so popular that there is often a long line to get in and a hefty price tag attached to try and squeeze up to the pages of the Book of Kells in a dimly lit room before being shoved out by the next guy in line.

The Book of Kells exhibits closes daily at 5 p.m. (4:30 p.m. on Sundays) so why not show up half an our before closing time? Not only will the aforementioned line by nonexistent, but the entry fee is also sliced in half. Then instead of seeing the Book of Kells and the incredible Long Room library with a crowd – you will have it all to yourself.

Do: Visit the Long Room Library and Book of Kells right before closing.
Don’t: Skip this worthwhile attraction or wait in the long line during the day.

Tourist Trap: Taxis

When visitors to Dublin hear that the capital city doesn’t have a subway system, some think they are going to be stuck taking expensive taxis. First of all – the city is quite small and manageable to be explored on foot – and second there are many affordable methods of public transportation to help you get around.

On a sunny day, nothing beats renting a Dublin Bike (“db” for short) and cycling around the city. There is also Dublin Bus, the LUAS trams, the DART train, and even the Hop On, Hop Off double decker bus that stops at 25 of the top tourist attractions in the city.

Do: Explore different parts of the city.
Don’t: Rely on expensive taxis to get around.

Not a trap

There are some attractions that people might suspect as tourist traps – such as the Guinness Storehouse – that are actually some of the best things to do in the city. Taking a first sip of a perfect pint on top of the 365-day a year brewery at sunset, and you’ll no longer think of calling such an important piece of Dublin history a tourist trap.

Your advice

Do you have any tourist trap advice to add to our list? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Also on EuroCheapo: Our editors inspect, review and photograph the best budget hotels in Dublin (some of which are in Temple Bar, but none of which are tourist traps!).

The post Dublin: Tourist traps in Dublin to avoid appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.