My endless quest for the world’s greatest stout continues. Yet, a beer from a familiar name has entered the running and provided a quick day trip to Ireland without leaving home.
One of my best beer finds in recent times has been the Black Marble Stout from Sullivan’s Brewing Company in Kilkenny, Ireland. Obviously, I had to try it, as stout is my favorite beer—and how often do you find a brewery with your surname and from your mothership? Besides, when you can’t visit Ireland, you must bring Ireland to you.
In my limited family research tracing the Sullivans back to Ireland, I believe Kilkenny has emerged as a potential place of origin. (I could be totally wrong, but I think our Sullivans were located more south around Kilkenny or Cork, instead of Dublin. We apparently also had a decent presence in Scotland, too.) Nonetheless, it’s certainly possible that I’m related to the Sullivans associated with this brewery, although, as I often say, a Sullivan is a Sullivan whether by blood or by name.
Sullivan’s Brewing Company was established in 1702 in Kilkenny. Richard Sullivan was said to be a man of high morals and integrity, with a penchant for great beer. Sullivan used the best local ingredients and brewing methods to ensure consistency, quality, and excellent taste. The flagship beer was Sullivan’s Red Ale, which they brew today, along with the Golden Ale and Black Marble Stout.
Sullivan’s Brewing Company – Black Marble Stout, Red Ale, and Golden Ale
Photo Credit: Sullivan’s Brewing Company
Sullivan’s Black Marble Stout is rich, creamy, and semi-sweet. It’s a traditional Irish Dry Stout, full-flavored, and balanced with hints of coffee, dark chocolate, and dried fruit. All of that translates to mean it’s quite tasty and satisfying. This beer is more like Murphy’s Irish Stout than Guinness—both of which I like dearly, but they’re as different as they are similar. I might be slightly biased here, but Black Marble Stout is a pretty damn good beer. This one will join my regular rotation.
Sullivan’s Brewing Company – Black Marble Stout
Why “Black Marble,” you ask? Well, Kilkenny is known as the Marble City because of its black marble limestone bedrock. The limestone-enriched water of the River Nore has enhanced brewing in Kilkenny for hundreds of years; the black marble was also a chief export. Besides, water is an essential component of beer, and better water often means better beer.
Although Sullivan’s Brewing Company survived a fire in 1880, it wasn’t invincible. The brewery was said to be lost in 1918 to tomfoolery. Legend has it that a young Sullivan inherited the brewery but had other interests. He placed a high-stakes bet on a racehorse named Handcuff, evidently trying to win the hand of a young lady from an aristocratic family. The horse lost. (Haven’t we all been there before?) Forced to either pay the debt or settle the matter in a duel, young Sullivan chose Option A. The brewery financially suffered from the mishap, and soon closed, after over 200 years of brewing.
Ad for Sullivan’s Brewing Company – Black Marble Stout
Photo Credit: Sullivan’s Brewing Company
Thought to be gone forever, Sullivan’s Brewing Company was resurrected in 2016 by direct descendants of the Sullivan Family, who partnered with the Smithwick Family, a well-known Irish brewing family in their own right. Today, the brewery is alive and well, bringing artisan brewing back to Kilkenny. Their taproom is a short walk from Kilkenny Castle, along an ancient, winding, narrow street near the town’s center. While not widely available in the U.S., Sullivan’s beers can be found at select locations. This beer traveled over 4,000 miles to arrive in Texas, and one day I’ll return the gesture.
Article about Sullivan’s Brewing Company
Irish Independent – Dublin, Ireland
May 20, 2017
Newspapers.com
Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 06-02-24
Jason S. Sullivan 