Ireland now sports a handful of microbreweries, but it cannot be said that one goes to Ireland, metaphorically or literally, to discover diversity in brewing styles. This is not a bad thing if one likes dry stout, and particularly the most important one of all, Guinness. Guinness is brewed in a number of other locations in the world, but Guinness exported to the U.S. market all comes from the original St. James Gate brewery in Dublin. Good though it can be, it will never be quite as creamy as the Guinness found in Irish pubs. The kegs of U.S.-bound Guinness contain pasteurized beer, a necessary procedure for any beer that will travel great distances. Bottle-conditioned Guinness is available on the U.S. market, as are "widget" cans. Ireland's other two stouts, Murphy's from Lady's Well Brewery in Cork, and Beamish from Scottish and Newcastle, are available in the U.S. market in "widget" cans and bottles.

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