Travel Tips

Bartending Through Galway, Ireland

When it comes to sampling local culture while you’re traveling, it’s not just about the food. For contributing writer Rachel Weil, local culture usually means an immersion into local wine. But when she visited Galway, Ireland, she discovered a surprising interest in drinks other than wine, especially when she was allowed to step behind the bar.

Bartending begins

It’s not very often you’ll find me at a bar. I prefer local hotel lounges and restaurants for my fix of red wine. But my excursion to Ireland changed all that. I decided to scope out the local pubs in search for some gluten-free beer. It’s easy to find in the States, but what about Ireland?

According to the Coeliac Society of Ireland, celiac disease is more prevalent on the Emerald Isle than anywhere else in the world. So you’d think finding gluten-free beer would be easy. However, as I trekked through Galway I came up empty-handed. But as luck would have it, I had the pleasure of meeting a new, unexpected friend. His name was Midleton.

I’ve never been a fan of whiskey, but Midleton Very Rare just might be the greatest thing since chocolate (at just over $20 a shot, it better be!).

Tig Cóilí

Tig

Tig Cóilí, a quaint, family-owned pub in the Latin Quarter, introduced me to the premium brand. The Irish whiskey is a blend of the finest distillates hand picked by Master Distiller Barry Crockett. A limited amount is released each year and each bottle is individually numbered and signed by the master distiller himself. I was so excited about my new-found friend I asked the bartender what else was up his sleeve. Little did I realize, bartending was up mine.

Heineken, Guinness, and Galway Hooker (yep, true story) were among the pub’s most ordered brews. I tried my very first Hooker that night, and despite the name, the craft-brewed pale ale uses all-natural ingredients. The microbrewery has numerous awards on its plate—three in 2015 alone—including “Best in Country” by Blas na hEireann, The Irish Food Awards (the biggest blind-tasting competition of food and drinks in Ireland). While my first outing behind the bar was eventful, I was still on the prowl for gluten-free beer.

Taaffes

Taaffes

Taaffes, another local Latin Quarter pub, is the recipient of TripAdvisor’s “Certificate of Excellence” award. It’s no wonder why…aside from the assortment of tasty food and drinks, it’s easy to feel right at home with the hospitable staff. Fiachra Mc Kenna, bartender extraordinaire (and a favorite among customers), took time to educate me about drinks. Even though it was a very busy Thursday night, Mc Kenna showed me the correct way to pour a Guinness (who knew!). As I divvied up brews to the band, I also  learned about other popular beverages, including Bulmers apple cider and Hop House 13, Guinness’ newer medium-body lager with hints of apricot and peach.

Other beverage must-haves include Jameson and ginger (Jameson Irish whiskey and ginger ale, with a squeeze of lime) and Irish coffee (Powers Gold Label Irish whiskey, one spoon of sugar, coffee, and fresh cream on top).

The Front Door

Front Door

The Front Door is a relaxed two-story pub by day and one of Galway’s hottest musical scenes by night. The venue has five bars and features local DJs seven nights a week with late bar hours until 2 a.m. The menu is as large as the space, and although traditional Irish fare (with an international twist) is its specialty, The Front Door offers a wide range of healthy vegetarian and gluten-free options using only fresh seasonal produce from local suppliers.

The menu also features cocktails galore, including the popular Velvet Pearl concoction consisting of fresh espresso, Baileys, butterscotch schnapps, and cream shaken over ice and poured into a chilled martini glass.

From barista coffees to wines around the world, I was able to taste and serve some other Front Door favorites including the award-winning 2010 Chakana Malbec Reserve. The intense full-bodied red is rich in dark berry flavors with a hint of chocolate and a lingering finish.

The Quays

The Quays

The Quays was the last of my Latin Quarter visits. The historic spot in the City Centre features a music hall upstairs that plays host to Glór Tíre, a yearly country and western talent competition (talk about feeling like I’m back home in Texas). Drink specials seemed a little “Texas” too. Aside from the usual Guinness requests, strawberry daiquiris and Sex on the Beach were all the rage.

One word of caution: we all know the importance of a designated driver. In Galway, this is especially crucial after a tour like this. In Galway, there is no shortage of designated drivers, and almost always that driver comes with a gift for storytelling. So you not only get driven back to your hotel, but you learn something along the way, provided you’re in a condition to remember it.

For more articles by Rachel Weil, check out:

By Rachel Weil for PeterGreenberg.com