It won’t be until we’re sat on a high-stool clinking glasses – and looking forward to going to a gig and clubbing afterwards – that we’ll have our old lives back, but as the vaccination programme ramps up there’s genuine hope that over the next few months we’ll be reunited with our favourite drinking emporium.

Until that glorious day, our brewers, distillers and other purveyors of fine beverages are making sure that no Irish thirst goes unquenched this summer.

In the past, the week was focused on a series of local events held in breweries across Ireland within their communities. This year it will be held online across 3 events with over 20 brewers present to talk about their beers. We'll also be encouraging everyone to get involved across the week and make an effort to support their local independent breweries.

While this year’s Indie Beer Week is happening virtually online, the brews will be real if you order one of the accompanying taster packs available from indiebeerweek.ie.

These range from €35/€55 One-Day boxes to the €125 Extravaganza ones, which cover the full beery spectrum from stouts, sours and lagers to blondes, IPAs and darks.

Running from May 17-23 with the guided online tasting sessions on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday, participating breweries include 12 Acres, Ballykilcavan, Black Donkey, Blacks, Bru, Canvas, Cotton Ball, Dead Centre, Dungarvan, Hope, Kinnegar, Lineman, Lough Gill, Metalman, Porterhouse, Reel Deel, St, Mel’s, Trouble, West Kerry and Wicklow.

Talking of Dead Centre, the Westmeath brewery is looking forward to the reopening of its cozy taproom, which also serves up some damn fine pizza. They’ve also set up beercloud.ie, which is not only taking care of those Indie Beer Week packs but also offers next day delivery on a huge variety of class Irish brews including old pals of ours like 12 Acres, Kinnegar, Trouble, Western Herd, Brehon, Wicklow Wolf, Porterhouse, Lough Gill and, well, pretty much everybody!

Check out the events happening over the next few days on the official Indie Beer Week website.

We’re really looking forward to tasting our beers on Friday and Saturday if Indie Beer Week! Boxes still available but are getting thin on the ground! https://t.co/TnMumYA4jH

— Dead Centre (@DeadCentreBrew) May 15, 2021