Contact
Ballykilcavan, Stradbally, R32 Y0PK, Ireland
Description
David and Lisa Walsh-Kemmis set up Ballykilcavan Brewing Company on their tillage farm at Ballykilcavan, Stradbally, Co. Laois in 2016.
Ballykilcavan Farm has been the home of our family for 13 generations. We have lived and worked here since 1639, and diversification has always been important to keep our farm viable for future generations. When I took over Ballykilcavan from my father in 2004, my motivation was to try to sustain it so that someone else would be able to take it over from me.
Our brewery is installed in the original stone grainstore for the farm, which was built in around 1780. In previous centuries, the building was used to store barley and oats after harvest, and then to mill them for bread making, feeding animals and maybe even making beer. Like most of the buildings in the 240-year-old farmyard, it is too small for modern farm equipment, but it is the perfect size to fit a small craft brewery.
Ballykilcavan Farm has been the home of our family for 13 generations. We have lived and worked here since 1639, and diversification has always been important to keep our farm viable for future generations. When I took over Ballykilcavan from my father in 2004, my motivation was to try to sustain it so that someone else would be able to take it over from me.
Our brewery is installed in the original stone grainstore for the farm, which was built in around 1780. In previous centuries, the building was used to store barley and oats after harvest, and then to mill them for bread making, feeding animals and maybe even making beer. Like most of the buildings in the 240-year-old farmyard, it is too small for modern farm equipment, but it is the perfect size to fit a small craft brewery.
7.1/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
440ml. can. @"Home", Portomarín. 05/05/2026
[#9.034 Global - #194 Ireland - #1 Ballykilcavan (My Irish Brewery #45)]
New Irish County ! Pours clear pale golden with a small off-white head. Aroma: caramelly malts, light honey, tangerine and orange peel. Taste: orange zest, tangerine and light melon. Herbal palate.
Next one, please!
[#9.034 Global - #194 Ireland - #1 Ballykilcavan (My Irish Brewery #45)]
New Irish County ! Pours clear pale golden with a small off-white head. Aroma: caramelly malts, light honey, tangerine and orange peel. Taste: orange zest, tangerine and light melon. Herbal palate.
Next one, please!
Tried
from Can
on 05 May 2026
at 07:13
7/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Panda from Colin. Cheers. Opaque amber with a slight haze to it. Bubbly translucent white head. Aroma has resin and citrus. Flavourwise there's resin bitterness with spice, citrus sourness, all over low key juicy fruit sweetness. Light-medium bodied. Slick. Soft-flat carbonation. Long dry somewhat astringent finish. Nice.
Tried
on 21 Jan 2026
at 21:22
6.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 7
Can at home, from Craft Central.ie, 26/12/2025.
Almost clear golden copper topped with an off white head.
Nose is orange peel, grass, citric tinged straw
Taste comprises orange zest, grassy, faint soapy note, melon.
Medium bodied, light prickly carbonation, drying close spiked with grassy hop bitterness.
Passable IPA ... the faint soapy notes bring it down a touch for me.
Almost clear golden copper topped with an off white head.
Nose is orange peel, grass, citric tinged straw
Taste comprises orange zest, grassy, faint soapy note, melon.
Medium bodied, light prickly carbonation, drying close spiked with grassy hop bitterness.
Passable IPA ... the faint soapy notes bring it down a touch for me.
Tried
on 26 Dec 2025
at 16:05
8/10
—
Appearance 10
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Lattina. Il gusto al naso viene attratto da orzo tostato e caffè. La finezza olfattiva è elevata e il modo in cui permane è apprezzabile. Il manto birroso superiore è caratterizzato da una schiuma dalla buona tenuta. La grandezza delle bollicine è a grana fine. Il colore è scuro impenetrabile. Il corpo è strutturato. Il dolce è medio in buon equilibrio con l'amaro medio. La forza gustativa è elevata e la durata è buona. Le sensazioni boccali finali risultano di birra beverina. Il retrogusto è intenso. L'aroma in bocca porta i segni di zuccherino, miele, crosta di panettone, cioccolato, caffè, liquirizia, frutta secca, un accenno di resinoso e agrumi.
Tried
on 13 Feb 2025
at 05:06
6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Lattina. Il gusto al naso è indirizzato verso l'orzo. L'olfatto viene stimolato in maniera normale e l'esistenza olfattiva è sufficiente. Il cappello di schiuma ha una buona tenuta. Le bollicine producono una schiuma sgraziata. Il liquido è di aspetto pesantemente velato. Il colore è giallo ambrato. Il corpo è rotondo. L'amaro è contenuto. La forza gustativa è normale e permane in maniera sufficiente. Il gusto è piacevole. Le sensazioni boccali finali risultano di pronta beva. Il retrogusto è di media intensità. Al gusto vengono donati toni di miele, pane, cereali, erbaceo ed agrumi.
Tried
on 13 Feb 2025
at 05:06
7/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Lattina. Il gusto al naso resta attratto dal fruttato. L'intensità olfattiva è normale e la maniera in cui permane è sufficiente. Il mantello birroso superiore è caratterizzato da una schiuma dalla buona tenuta. La grandezza delle bollicine è media, con carbonazione abbondante. La parte liquida offre una visione offuscata. Il colore è giallo dorato carico. Il corpo è strutturato. Il dolce è pesante. L'amaro è pronunciato. La forza gustativa è elevata e la persistenza è buona. Il gusto è piacevole. Le sensazioni boccali finali risultano di pronta beva. Il finale è amarognolo. Il retrogusto è intenso. In bocca l'aroma è quello di miele, crosta di panettone, nocciole tostate, frutta secca, luppolo, resina, pompelmo rosa, pesca, licheni, frutto della passione e frutta passita.
Tried
on 13 Feb 2025
at 05:06
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6
Sample courtesy of Grumbo, cheers! Aroma of citrus, lemon, touch of pine, green and hints of orange. Does not really follow through. It is a bit thin with a bit above average carbonation.
Tried
on 12 Jan 2025
at 09:36
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Sample, orange amber beer, small head. Aroma is malt, citrus. Taste is the same, sweet, bitter, citrus, hops, malt, caramel, light soap. Ok
Tried
on 05 Jul 2024
at 13:46
6.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Can at home in Crumlin picked up from Craft beer Central ie. A haxed nut brown coloured pour with a fine beige head. Aroma is tangy red berries, cranberry, woody malts. Brown sugars brown bread. Light tang. Flavour is composed of brown bread, rye, woody bark, dark berries, cranberries, dirty grains, grass.. Palate is semi sweet, and tangy, moderate carbonation.
Tried
from Can
on 29 May 2024
at 20:51
6.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Can at home in Crumlin picked up from Craft beer Central ie. A hazed dirty brown coloured pour with a sticky beige head. Aroma is hazed wheat, big Nelson sauvin, nz hop, drying hops, grass. Flavour is composed of dirty grains grassy, drying nz hops, brown sugars. Palate is semi sweet, grainy, moderate carbonation.
Tried
from Can
on 26 May 2024
at 20:09