Like many other Irish brewers, owners Emma Devlin and Cathal O’Donoghue’s love of good craft beer began abroad, when they were living in New Zealand. After returning to Ireland, not one but two home brewing competition awards in 2013 spurred them to make the leap into brewing professionally. They started off by contract brewing with Brú Brewery in County Meath before moving to their first premises in Rathcoole, and they haven’t looked back since.
The Rascal’s self-styled mission is ‘to continually brew many different styles of beer and to bring something new and exciting to the Irish craft beer scene’.
They hit the ground running through the introduction of their ginger porter and a spin on it, a chocolate ginger porter, both of which won awards at the Alltech International Beer Convention in 2014. Other regulars include Big Hop Red and Wit Woo, a Belgian wheat beer that’s so good, even people who don’t usually go for wheat beers like it. They push the envelope with seasonal beers, including their World Hop Series, which has featured New Zealand, German, American, Czech and Australian hops.
For a while it was hard to find Rascals beer outside of Dublin, but that all changed once they started canning their beers in December 2015.
And, since the move from Rathcoole to much bigger premises in Inchicore, Rascals has remained true to its mission to bring something new and exciting to the Irish craft beer scene - with a family friendly venue that has plenty of free parking.
Now operating Dublin's only taproom and pizza restaurant, they brew their own beers on site and pour straight from tank to tap, use Irish artisan produce for their freshly made pizzas - and cater for all dietary requirements.
Brewery tours are available, and also group and corporate meeting spaces. Visit the website for bookings, menu updates, events and a list of their current beers.
Keep your eyes peeled for them in your off-licence too, and snap them up when you see them. Their success is something to share - and to enjoy.
