Self-Guided Craft Beer Crawls in Dublin (2026)

Dublin’s beer scene goes well past the pint of plain. In the last decade independent breweries such as Galway Bay, Whiplash, Kinnegar, Third Barrel and Rascals have opened their own bars and taprooms, and Guinness itself runs an experimental brewery taproom in the Liberties. The best way to see it is on foot, one neighbourhood at a time.

Our sister site The Craft Beer Crawl maps six self-guided routes across the city, each with the stops in walking order, distances, opening-day tips and a free printable passport to collect stamps along the way. Here’s a quick guide to each one.

1. Temple Bar & City Centre: the classic

4 stops · about 1.4 km · about 20 minutes’ walking · any day from about 4pm

The short, easy introduction. Start at Tapped on Nassau Street (around 50 taps and 100+ beers), then head to Cassidy’s on Westmoreland Street, a candlelit bar with one of the city’s best craft lists. Finish on Parliament Street at Porterhouse Temple Bar, Ireland’s first brewpub (1996), and Thomas Read’s, run by Galway Bay.

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See the Temple Bar route and map links →

2. The Liberties: Dublin’s brewing quarter

6 stops · about 1.7 km · 20–25 minutes’ walking · Thursday to Sunday, starting 2–3pm

Brewing has been part of Dublin 8 for centuries. Begin at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery on James’s Street for small-batch beers you won’t find anywhere else, then work east along Thomas Street to Arthur’s and Dudley’s (28 taps), Lucky’s on Meath Street, Drop Dead Twice on Francis Street and finally The Christchurch on High Street, Third Barrel’s own pub. Open Gate is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, so plan around it.

See the Liberties route →

3. Smithfield & Stoneybatter: the D7 trail

7 stops · about 2 km · 25–30 minutes’ walking · Wednesday to Sunday from about 4:30pm

The northside’s best mix of brewery bars and old Dublin locals. Start at Galway Bay’s Black Sheep on Capel Street, cross to Kinnegar’s taproom Bonobo and Whiplash’s own bar Fidelity, then finish in Stoneybatter at Walsh’s (trading since 1826), The Glimmer Man, L. Mulligan Grocer and The Belfry.

See the Smithfield & Stoneybatter route →

4. Stephen Street to Rathmines: the southside strip

5 stops · about 3.4 km · about 45 minutes’ walking · Wednesday to Sunday

The longest route, following the Camden and Wexford Street corridor south. Caribou on Stephen Street, Barebone on Wexford Street, Anseo on Camden Street, The Libertine on Clanbrassil Street and Kodiak in Rathmines, with its beer garden and big can fridge.

See the southside route →

5. Luas Red Line taproom hop: brewery row

4 stops · under 1.5 km on foot plus the Luas · Thursday to Sunday, daytime

A daytime route that uses the Red Line to link breweries that brew on site: Rascals HQ in Inchicore, Guinness Open Gate, Bonobo near Smithfield and Urban Brewing at CHQ on the quays. A good choice on a wet afternoon. See our guide to getting around Dublin for Leap Card fares.

See the Luas taproom route →

6. The Black Stuff Trail: Dublin’s best pints of Guinness

6 stops · about 2.3 km · about 30 minutes’ walking · any day from about 2pm

Not craft, but no Dublin beer guide is complete without it. Mulligan’s on Poolbeg Street, Kehoe’s, Grogan’s, The Long Hall, The Stag’s Head and The Lord Edward: six heritage pubs famous for the pint. Our top 10 places for a pint of Guinness goes deeper.

See the Black Stuff Trail →

Print a free crawl passport

Every route has a free, printable passport with a stamp box for each stop. It’s just a record of where you’ve been: stamps are for visits only, with no purchase needed and no drinks or discounts attached. Get a passport →

Prefer a guide?

If you’d rather someone else plans it, Dublin has guided brewery and pub tours too. Browse our food and drink tours the Brewery & Craft Beer Tour, or, for a guided night out, the Generation Pub Crawl.

Tips for a good crawl

• Check opening days: several stops close on Monday and Tuesday, and hours change often.
• Pace yourself. Order a half, eat along the way and drink water between stops. Most venues on these routes serve food or alcohol-free options.
• Pick one route per day rather than linking them.
• Use public transport or a taxi to get home. Never drink and drive.
• You must be 18 or over to buy alcohol in Ireland; bring ID.

Please enjoy responsibly. For information and support, visit drinkaware.ie.

Where to stay nearby

For a base close to the routes, see our Dublin places to stay. Temple Bar and Christchurch put you within walking distance of four of the six crawls.

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