About This Beer
Lough Gill Emerald Barrel Aged Imperial Irish Export Stout is a powerful, flavour-led craft beer that shows the bigger, bolder side of craft beer Ireland. Brewed by Lough Gill Brewery, this barrel aged stout beer takes an already rich imperial stout base and layers it with extra complexity from time in barrel, creating a beer that is intense, warming, and full of detail. For anyone shopping craft beer online and looking for something memorable, this is a serious standout.
At 14.4% ABV, this is firmly a sipping beer rather than an everyday pint. The malt base brings a dense core of roast, dark cocoa, espresso, treacle, and burnt sugar, while the barrel influence adds oak, vanilla, warming spice, and a subtle spirit note that lingers through the finish. The result is a beer with weight and richness, but also enough structure to stop it feeling cloying.
This stout beer is best approached slowly. Letting it warm slightly in the glass allows the layers to open up, revealing more of the dark fruit, oak, and chocolate notes beneath the roast. Drinkers who enjoy strong dark beers will find plenty to like here, and those looking for more in the same space can find similar styles in our Stout & Porter range.
Tasting Notes:
- Appearance: Opaque black with a deep tan head and slow, oily movement in the glass
- Aroma: Dark chocolate, espresso, toasted oak, vanilla, molasses, and warming spirit notes
- Flavour: Roasted malt, bitter cocoa, burnt caramel, coffee, treacle, oak spice, and a smooth barrel-led warmth
- Mouthfeel: Full-bodied, silky, and warming, with a long, lingering finish
About the Brewery
Lough Gill Brewery is one of the most recognisable names in independent Irish brewing, known for producing expressive, modern beers with a strong focus on flavour. Based in Sligo, the brewery has built a reputation for creating everything from hop-forward releases to rich dark beers, with a willingness to experiment where it adds something meaningful to the glass.
That sense of ambition comes through clearly in beers like Emerald Barrel Aged Imperial Irish Export Stout. Rather than simply brewing for strength, Lough Gill tends to focus on balance and impact together, building beers that feel complete rather than gimmicky. That has helped the brewery earn a strong following among drinkers looking for characterful Irish craft beer with a bit more edge.
For customers shopping craft beer Dublin or ordering craft beer delivered elsewhere in Ireland, Lough Gill is one of those breweries that regularly offers something distinctive. Their stronger and limited releases, in particular, appeal to drinkers who want to go beyond lighter styles and explore the more intense end of the category. You can see more local brewing talent in our wider Irish Craft Beer collection.
Food Pairings
This beer calls for rich, flavourful food. Desserts are an obvious fit, especially dark chocolate tart, chocolate mousse, brownies, or coffee-based desserts, where the cocoa and roast notes in the beer can echo and deepen what is on the plate. Sticky toffee pudding also works very well, especially where the caramel and dark sugar elements can play off the beer’s sweeter edges.
For savoury pairings, think blue cheese, aged cheddar, or hard cheeses with a nutty profile. The beer’s strength and texture stand up well to bold cheeses, while its roast and oak notes help cut through richness. Smoked meats can also work nicely, as can slow-cooked beef dishes where deep savoury flavour is already part of the appeal.
This is not a beer that needs a huge plate beside it, though. In many cases, it is better treated like a digestif-style beer, poured into the right glass and enjoyed slowly on its own. If you are putting together a broader order for a tasting night or gathering, it can also sit well beside draught options from our Beer Kegs, giving you a strong dark beer option alongside more sessionable pours.
Lough Gill Emerald Barrel Aged Imperial Irish Export Stout is a serious beer with real depth, combining roast, oak, sweetness, bitterness, and warmth in a way that rewards patient drinking. For those who enjoy bold Irish craft beer and want something that feels special from the first sip to the last, this is an excellent choice.
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