Kilkenny craft beer festival returns this week

A festival with a distinctly Kilkenny feel will take place in the Marble City this Thursday and Friday, August 9 and 10.

The annual Kilkenny Craft Beer Festival is back. Local brewery Costellos have put together a festival programme that promises to raise your glass.

A distinctly Kilkenny element to this year’s festival is an event in Hole In The Wall on Friday at 7pm.

“Kilkenny’s Brewing History — Let’s Chat” is an open discussion lead by local brewers, publicans and historians exploring the rich heritage of Kilkenny’s beer and brewing past and present. Get your tickets on Eventbrite.ie for €10, including a pint.

For this year’s festival, you will even need to bring your runners. Kilkenny’s first ever ‘Low Beer Mile’ is coming to town. Hosted by Costellos in Hebron, participants will run a mile and drink some beer, low calorie, low alcohol and low mileage beer.

The Low Beer Mile starts at 10am (Saturday, August 10) from Costello’s brewery in Hebron Industrial Estate.

This year also sees Costellos celebrate five years in business, and to mark the occasion, they are hosting a brewery open day in Hebron on the Saturday from 2pm – 6pm.

At last year’s festival over 40 Irish Craft Breweries participated and with over 180 different beers for tasting and enjoying. This year Kilkenny Craft Beer Festival is taking over the taps in Brewery Corner.

With many of last year’s breweries making a return and bringing their never seen before (in Kilkenny) beers to the festival. Check out the Tap Take Over in Brewery Corner on Saturday from 7pm.

The full line-up of festival events is available KilkennyCraftBeerFestival’s Facebook page, and tickets can be secured in advance.