Mullingar hosts wild beer festival for third year running

A large crowd gathered in Smiddy’s Bar on Saturday for the third annual Mullingar Wild Beer Festival, and breweries from all around Ireland, the UK, and Europe were in attendance.

The event is the only one of its kind in Ireland, and Mullingar is quickly establishing itself as a place to showcase alternative beers.

Nine breweries were represented, some from as far away as Belgium and Spain. One of those was Otterbank Brewing and Blending, based at Muff, County Donegal.

Owner, Declan Nixon, speaking to the Westmeath Examiner at the event, said:

“This is all very much a passion project. Our beers are designed to be enjoyed in a good setting, you know, just chilling out with friends in front of a fire or by yourself. The beers are definitely not designed to be guzzled down, but to be sipped and enjoyed.

"Normal breweries can knock out a pale ale in around three weeks – our beers are aged for a minimum of one year, sometimes up to five years to make sure. Our beers are aged in different oak barrels, wine, brandy or whiskey.”