Smithwick’s Ireland’s oldest Ale

Smithwicks pronounced without the ‘W’ is Ireland’s oldest ale dating back to 1710 when it was first brewed at the St Francis Abbey Brewery in Kilkenny Ireland which is Ireland’s oldest brewery and the site of a 14th century abbey. It’s a red style Irish Ale and is now brewed in both Kilkenny and in a higher strength (4.5% instead of 3.8% form) for the exported market in the Irish city of Dundalk in Louth County close to the border of Northern Ireland. The beer has been a popular Irish beer in many markets around the world expecially Canada, but it has only recently been distributed in the USA where Diageo launched it in 2004. It is making major inroads and is fast becoming one of the favorite Irish beers in America especially in New York.