O'Hara's Brewery
O'Hara's Brewery, officially Carlow Brewing Company, is based in Bagenalstown in County Carlow, Ireland. The brothers Eamonn and Seamus O'Hara founded the brewery in 1996. They are known for traditional Irish styles like stout and red ale, and by production capacity they count as the biggest craft brewery in Ireland.
- LocationCarlow, County Carlow
- Founded1996
- TypeRegional brewery
- Untappd 3.45 · 484k ratings
- At Hoptimaal0 in stock
In stock now 0
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A family brewery in the Barrow Valley
Carlow Brewing Company, better known as O'Hara's Brewery, was founded in 1996 by the brothers Eamonn and Seamus O'Hara. The brewery is independent and family-owned. It sits in the Barrow Valley, traditionally a region where malt and hops were grown. Seamus O'Hara is CEO.
The first beers came out of the Goods Store, a nineteenth-century stone building. After an expansion in 2005, the brewery had reached the limits of that site. In 2009 it moved to a new, purpose-built brewhouse nearby in Bagenalstown. Because big brands dominated the Irish market, the brewery focused heavily on export in its early years.
In 2017 the company took over Craigies Cider and the Spanish Hijos de Rivera bought a 32 percent stake. In 2020 the brewery bought a number of brands from Boyne Brewhouse in Drogheda. According to Wikipedia, O'Hara's is the biggest craft brewery in Ireland when you look at production capacity.
Irish classics and their own interpretations
O'Hara's brews traditional Irish beers and its own versions of international styles: stouts, ales, IPAs, witbiers and lagers. According to the brewery, they work with four ingredients: water, malt, hops and yeast, and with classic brewing methods. Irish Stout, Irish Pale Ale and Irish Red Ale have won multiple awards.
Hoppier styles were added later, such as 51st State IPA, Session IPA, White Haze IPA and the Hop Adventure series of single hop IPAs. The nitro cans of Irish Stout and Irish Red are also part of the range. Since 2012 the brewery has been ageing beers in barrels. Leann Follain comes in numbered barrel aged editions, the tenth of which is a double barrel aged version.
O'Hara's at Hoptimaal
With us you'll find O'Hara's Leann Folláin, a 6% stout in a 44 cl pack. On Untappd it is the highest-rated O'Hara's beer in our range. The selection changes, so check the webshop to see what's in stock now.
Don't serve a stout like this too cold. At around 10 to 12 °C the roasted malt and body come through better than straight from an ice-cold fridge. Take your time with it, because this is not a beer to drink quickly.
Frequently asked questions
Where does O'Hara's Brewery come from?
O'Hara's Brewery, officially Carlow Brewing Company, is based in Bagenalstown in County Carlow, Ireland. The brewery sits in the Barrow Valley, a traditional region for malt and hops. The brothers Eamonn and Seamus O'Hara founded it in 1996.
What kind of beer does O'Hara's make?
O'Hara's brews traditional Irish styles like stout, red ale and pale ale, plus IPAs, witbiers and lagers. They also make the Hop Adventure series of single hop IPAs and barrel aged editions of Leann Follain.
Is O'Hara's an independent brewery?
The brewery calls itself independent and family-owned. Since 2017, however, the Spanish Hijos de Rivera has held a minority stake of 32 percent.
