Dublin Pub Tour: 4 Stops, Irish Drinks History

Four pubs, four drinks, one guide who knows the stories behind them.

A 3.5-hour guided pub tour in Dublin visiting four traditional pubs off the tourist trail, led by an expert guide who shares the history of Irish beer, craft beer, cider and Guinness. You order and pay for your own drinks at each stop (customers average around €25 total), so you choose what suits your taste instead of drinking what the group is given. The tour includes a pub quiz at one stop and instruction from a former Guinness Ambassador at the final pub. Minimum age 18.

Step-by-step itinerary

Dublin pub tour with drinks experience

• Visit traditional Dublin pub
• Watch Irish music and learn beer history
• Go to hipster Dublin pub
• Participate in pub quiz and learn craft beer
• Visit local Dublin pub
• Learn about Irish cider at darkest pub
• Visit Guinness workers' pub
• Learn to drink Guinness from ambassador

The Experience

The tour lasts 3.5 hours and moves through four surprise stops — you won't know which pubs until you arrive. The first stop is a traditional Dublin pub where you'll watch traditional Irish music and learn about Ireland's oldest beer. The second takes you into the hipster Dublin craft beer scene, and this is where a fun pub quiz happens. The third is the darkest pub in Dublin, where you'll learn about Irish cider. The fourth is where Guinness workers drink after their shift, and a former Guinness Ambassador teaches you how to pour and drink it properly.

Because you order your own drinks at each stop, you're not locked into what everyone else is having. The guide makes recommendations based on what's worth trying at that particular pub, but the choice stays with you. This also means the cost is yours to control — most people spend around €25 across all four stops, though that depends on what you order. The tour is not a pub crawl; it's structured around the history and stories of what you're drinking, so the pace is built for conversation and learning, not speed.

All four pubs are off the main tourist drag, which is why the stops are kept as surprises — part of what makes the experience different from the standard city-center crawl. The guide leads the group through each one, so you're not navigating on your own, and public transportation options are available if you need them.

What’s included

• 3.5-hour guided tour led by an expert.
• four pub stops with Irish music, a pub quiz and instruction from a former Guinness Ambassador.
• your choice of drinks at each stop.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Walking Food Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're spending an afternoon in Dublin and want to understand Irish drinking culture through the pubs and people behind it, rather than just moving through them. The guide does the navigating and the storytelling, so you show up and follow — no planning required.

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Top questions

What's the difference between this and a regular pub crawl?

This tour is structured around the history and stories of Irish drinks — beer, craft beer, cider and Guinness — rather than speed or volume. You spend 3.5 hours across four pubs with an expert guide, and you choose what to drink at each stop instead of following a set order.

Do I have to drink alcohol at every stop?

No. You order your own drinks at each pub, so you choose what you want — or nothing at all. The guide makes recommendations, but the decision is yours.

What happens at the Guinness stop?

At the fourth stop, you visit where Guinness workers drink after their shift. A former Guinness Ambassador teaches you how to properly pour and drink Guinness, so you learn the technique behind it.

How much will I spend on drinks?

Customers average around €25 total across all four stops, though it depends on what you order at each pub. You pay for your own drinks as you go.

Are the pubs wheelchair accessible?

All areas and surfaces on this tour are wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby if you need them.