A PUB IN east London recently held a funeral for Beamish stout, complete with staff members dressed in black carrying an empty keg to a church and placing a pint of Beamish in a graveyard.

The pub, The Howl in Hoxton, stopped stocking the beer due to a disagreement with its supplier, and staff say they are devastated. 

A video they made of the funeral received thousands of views, as well as hundreds of comments from fans of the stout mourning its demise from the Irish pub.

It turns out the 230-year-old drink has a pretty large fan base across the pond, mirroring the growing appetite for the stout here in Ireland, particularly among people in their 20s and 30s. Beamish themed merchandise has become popular and the stout is featuring more on social media.

Jim Geraghty, marketing manager for stouts at Heineken, said Beamish has experienced “encouraging growth” over the past number of years.

The Journal spoke to fans of the Cork-founded stout to find out exactly what it is that’s causing it to have such a moment – as well as those who aren’t happy about it being hijacked as a ‘cool’ drink. 

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Ciarán, a Corkman and longtime fan of Beamish, said there are a number of reasons why it’s his favourite stout – but the main one is its Cork origins.

Beamish and Crawford brewery was established in Cork in 1792 and brewed the stout until 2009. Now the stout is owned by Heineken but is still brewed in Cork city in another facility. 

As well as enjoying supporting local, Ciarán said Beamish feels “like a more Irish drink” than other stouts.

Ciarán said the other major reason he likes Beamish is the taste.

“The taste is much more appealing to me than Guinness,” he said. “Beamish is creamier and fuller.”

The Beamish and Crawford brewery in Cork before it closed in 2009.

He said that although the drink has always been popular in Cork, its flavour may be contributing to its popularity elsewhere.

“The natural trend is to start with Guinness, move to Murphy’s and then Beamish.”

He said that the growth in popularity of craft beers, which can often be strong-tasting, may also be contributing to Beamish’s moment, as he feels Beamish is the strongest-tasting stout on the Irish market.

Jim Geraghty said Beamish’s growth reflects the increasing popularity of stout generally. 

“Beamish has successfully carved out a distinct presence, appealing to consumers looking for choice within the category,” he said.

A sign outside a Dublin pub advertising low-priced Beamish. The Journal The Journal

Another undeniable draw is that Beamish is often the cheapest stout available in pubs. 

A pub in Dublin, a county where pints have become infamously expensive, recently advertised a pint of Beamish for only €5.40.

Ciarán said the drink is generally at least 50c cheaper than other stouts, one of the reasons he said students have always been fond of it.

Another Beamish fan, Richard, thinks the popularity of the stout solely comes down to its price and availability.

“It’s consistently €1 or 50c cheaper than Guinness,” he said, adding that as it is owned by Heineken it is also widely available in bars.

“I don’t think they’re doing anything special other than being a small bit cheaper,” he added.

Guinness, Murphy's and Beamish are the three main brands of Irish stout. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

But not everyone agrees with this evaluation.

Another Beamish fan, Cian, believes Ireland is suffering from a phenomenon of performative “alternative stout drinking” – and Beamish is just another victim of it.

In the same way that Guinness became more popular in recent years among younger people, Beamish is also being seen as a niche drink.

“I have to be honest, it boils my piss when I walk into a pub and I see a group of people [with] most drinking Guinness and one or two ‘cool kids’ sitting with a pint of Murphy’s or Beamish in front of them,” he said.

“I don’t believe for a second it’s because they prefer the taste.”

He said the popularity is “completely new”. “Beamish and Murphy’s have been in Dublin pubs for decades and nobody ever drank them.”

Richard disagrees completely with this criticism. “I really don’t think it’s anything to do with any kind of counter cultural response to Guinness becoming popular in the UK,” he said.