You really get a taste of Irish culture by having a drink in here. The bar staff is friendly and the place has a large selection of home-brewed beers, draughts, and ales. You can also grab some pub grub in here and catch some live Irish music to finish off the atmosphere. It's very warm, cosy, and decorated with historic photographs, artifacts, and a large collection of beer bottles.

It is true enough that the main Dubliner attractions are the pubs. They are everywhere, but they are especially concentrated in Temple Bar. This one is peculiar because it sells its own beer and succeeds in resisting the concurrence of powerful Guinness. Normally the entrance is forbidden to children; that is an unconceivable habit for us Italians. Here Daniel and Elisa were admitted, probably because it was so crowded and nobody noticed them. My husband tried a very dark beer, Wrassler xxxx. It was very, very bitter and he didn't like it, but it was worth tasting

This is a large, cheerful, multi-floor pub in the heart of Dublin’s lively Temple Bar, an area chock-full of pubs and restaurants. The copper pipe, red brick walls, red tile pillars and glass shelves showcasing world beers add to the warm atmosphere. As the name indicates, the Porterhouse has their own brews, as well as offering beers from all over the world. I tried two of their beers, Chiller and Vienna Winter Lager. Chiller is 4.2% alcohol by volume, and is the closest the brew to an "American" beer, i.e., a Miller or a Bud (but Chiller is MUCH tastier!) Vienna Winter Lager is a handcrafted winter lager, which is brewed in small batches. I loved it; really a different taste.

Ever try a Mongolian beer? Porterhouse offers Baa Dog at 5.0% alcohol by volume. How about trying Keo from Cyprus, or Windhoek from Namibia? Better still, bring in a full bottle of a beer the Porterhouse doesn’t already have and they’ll reward you with a free pint! Wine, cocktails, coffee, and coffee drinks are also available. Most beers are priced about $3-5 for a pint, although there are some of the more exotic ones that are a bit pricier.

If you’re hungry, try the oysters, or perhaps the nachos. Food is served from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM except for weekends and bank holidays, when it is served all day. Prices range from about $4 for the potato wedges to about $16 for a Porterhouse steak.

I spent much of New Year’s Eve here and had a great time; lots of good craic (conversation) with the locals, as well as live music. The staff is young and friendly, and while this is a place popular with the younger crowd, there were a number of "over 40’s" as well.

www.porterhousebrewco.com