This is a recycling centre cunningly disguised as a bar, but more of that later. Starting with the obvious to the untrained eye. As you enter the Brewery Tap you will feel it’s instant cosy ambience, it is a small bar made up of various rooms joined together in an ad-hoc fashion. This creates snug corners everywhere. The walls are adorned with large brewery mirrors and old pictures of the town that help create a sense of space, but it can’t escape being small and warm. In winter a turf fire adds to the ambience and fills the room with a soft peaty lavender scent, that if you close your eyes, you could be lying out in the summer sun somewhere. 
The bar has a fine range of all the usual suspects from global brands to Irish craft beers, and the pub is a favourite of locals in the town, known to them as just ‘the Tap’. 
Somehow, they have a kitchen squeezed into this tiny place, and after another long day in the castle, food was certainly on our agenda. As well as a vast selection of the usual steaks, burgers, fish and chicken and the traditional Irish dishes it has three vegan options. Olga went for a lovely looking vegetarian super salad of mixed leaves, avocado, beetroot, peppers, hummus, cucumber and tossed in a vegan dressing that was filling and healthy. I tried the Falafel Burger which was presented in a bun with a side of salad and thick homemade fries. All of this with a massive pot of tea for two and came out at less than €24. There was also a roasted vegetable vegan curry available. So anyway, now for the cautionary tale of how it is a recycling centre. All the locals know never to drink Budweiser and for a very good reason as it is produced on the premises as the picture below indicates this is the first stage of their in-house Budweiser brewing process. Enough said!
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Posted by Anthony. Updated 27 June 2022.
