Smithwick's Experience Kilkenny is now offering a new Masters of Ale Experience which includes a sensorial tasting masterclass, a perfect pint pouring tutorial and a 'journey back in time' where visitors learn about the role the Smithwick family played in the evolution of Irish ale.
Masters of Ale has been trialled over the winter months and Ignacio Peregrina, Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny manager, said it has been a great success.
'Experiential Beer Experience'
“We’re really excited about adding this experience to our programme on our former brewery site in the heart of medieval Kilkenny city," said Peregrina.
"Masters of Ale allows us to satisfy the thirst of those visitors looking for a more immersive and experiential beer experience and hear the story behind one of Ireland's oldest and most popular ales."
The Perfect Pint
The 75-minute tour runs on Friday and Saturday evenings and on Thursday evenings from the start of June. Masters of Ale is the last tour each day. The team says this allows participants maximum time to enjoy the 'sensory touchpoints' and a sensorial tasting masterclass where visitors isolate the senses and break down the raw ingredients across different ale styles.
The Masters of Ale experience finishes with a guided tutorial in the bar on how to pour a perfect pint of Smithwick’s.
Participants also receive an engraved Smithwick’s glass as a memento of their experience.
The Barrel Yard
The Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny also includes designated Sensory Friendly tour times and enhancements throughout. Among these is The Barrel Yard, an outdoor space in the traditional brewery yard where barrels were formerly repaired and stored.
The Barrel Yard will be hosting activity right throughout the summer and is open weekdays, where it will host live music, DJ sessions, Street Food vendors and more every weekend until the end of September.
'Rich Story'
“On the Masters of Ale tour visitors will journey back to the 13th Century on a fascinating tale of tradition, resilience, and innovation, begun by monastic settlements," said Peregrina.
"This rich story told by our guides and showcased through our audio-visual displays explores why local wells provided the ideal water for brewing and how the tradition evolved.
"Masters of Ale really showcases our deep-rooted love for the craft and we’re looking forward to telling it to an even greater audience in the years to come.”
