Smithwick's Experience Kilkenny
Smithwick's Experience
The former brewery of Ireland's oldest red ale brand, with a guided tour that covers brewing history and ends with a tasting.
Smithwick's was founded in Kilkenny in 1710. The brewery was built on the site of a 14th-century Franciscan friary, where friars had been brewing since the Middle Ages. The Smithwick's Experience is a guided tour of about one hour that combines multimedia explanations of the brewing process and family history. It ends with a tasting of a red ale, and soft drinks are offered to minors. Tickets are sold by timed session, and in peak season it is worth booking online in advance. It is on Parliament Street, next to Rothe House.
Opening hours
Approx. 10:00–17:00 (guided tours by session)
Nearby sights
- Rothe House & Garden
- Kyteler's Inn
- Medieval Mile
- Medieval Mile Museum
- Black Abbey
- St Canice's Cathedral & Round Tower
- Butler Gallery
- Kilkenny Castle