Guinness

• Possibly the most famous Irish beer worldwide, Guinness is a dry stout known for its dark color and thick, creamy foam. While the drink appears black, it is actually a deep crimson. Drinkers often compare the taste to coffee or bitter chocolate. Roasted barley, hops, and brewer's yeast are all part of the Guinness recipe. According to the brewer, over 10 million glasses of Guinness are consumed worldwide each day.

Murphy's

• Murphy's Irish Stout, while also a dry stout, is hailed as a lighter, slightly sweeter alternative Guinness. While the foam is extra creamy, the taste differs from Guinness and other stouts. Drinkers frequently mention a caramel-like taste.

O'Hara's

• O'Hara's is a new microbrewery, and their Irish stout is rather new on the scene as well. It is often described as deep black in color, darker than other stouts, with a crimson hue when held up to the light. It has a coffee-like bitterness and strong barley taste, but there is a slight butterscotch sweetness as well.

Harp

• Harp is a pale lager, one of the most popular types of beer worldwide. Like all lagers, Harp relies on slow-acting yeast and cold fermentation, and has a dry, clean taste with a highly carbonated texture. It is an excellent drink for those new to beer, as it has a light finish and low bitterness.

Kilkenny

• Kilkenny is an Irish cream ale, which usually has a reddish color darker than a lager. Like stouts, cream ales or red ales use roasted barley, but in lesser quantities. It is noted, like Guinness, for its creamy, thick head.

Smithwick's

• Smithwick's (pronounced "Smiddicks") is an Irish red ale with a beautiful copper color thanks to roasted, malted barley. The taste is rather sweet, with a hint of molasses and caramel. It has an easy, light finish and is not too bitter.

Beamish

• Another popular stout is Beamish, manufactured by Beamish and Crawford. It is also nearly black in color, with a thick, tan-colored head. It has a coffee-like taste and slight licorice finish.