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Few places embody the Irish spirit more than the local pub, which historically served as more than a place for grabbing a pint or sipping Irish whiskey; Irish pubs once stood as the community center, town hall, and anything else one can imagine. Americans, notably those without lineage tied to Ireland, are often accused of stomping on Irish traditions each St. Paddy’s day. But, that is changing, and few things demonstrate that evolution towards authenticity more than Ireland’s own Tullamore D.E.W Whiskey Distillery touring the United States. On March 15, that tour will take them to the bastion of blue-collar, neighborhood-style watering holes — BuckleDown Brewing in Lyons, IL (Chicago).

The Tullamore D.E.W. Event at BuckleDown Brewing & Irish Times

The folks at Tullamore D.E.W have a favorite toast:

If I had a ticket to heaven and you didn’t have one too; I’d tear my ticket to pieces and I’d go to hell with you!

Until that decision becomes necessary, you can join the party on March 15 — an event that denotes the continued boom in American craft beer, as well as a new Irish Whiskey renaissance. Jane Maher, Tullamore D.E.W Brand Ambassador commented, “We are really proud of the [Irish Whiskey] resurgence, because at one point in the 1800’s Ireland was producing 60% of the world’s whiskey. It is tremendous to see so many people embracing Irish whiskey again.”

It’s a party that started months ago. Maher explained, “D.E.W. & A Brew is by no means a new concept, it’s a serve that has been enjoyed by the Irish for decades. We’re aiming to celebrate that and to seek out great D.E.W. & A Brew pairings. We’ve been visiting craft brewers across the country, in fact we’ve partnered with 22 brewers and traveled over 9,000 miles. Call it a D.E.W. & A Brew, a pint and a drop or a boiler maker, whiskey and beer share the same DNA and is at the heart of any great celebration!”

4:30 PM – BuckleDown Brewing

Guests will get a free tour of BuckleDown Brewing’s production brewery and taproom. BuckleDown has paired Tullamore D.E.W. Original with Belt & Suspenders IPA, a real Irish-American treat. But, both parties encourage fans to pair D.E.W. with any of their favorite brews.

6 PM: The Party Moves to Irish Times 

Fans can join Tullamore D.E.W. Brand Ambassador, Jane Maher, and BuckleDown Brewing’s Co-Founder, Sean Mahoney for a Tullamore D.E.W. & A Brew tasting at Irish Times in nearby Brookfield, IL. Maher commented, “My favorite part has been the education piece, like really getting to ‘teach’ people about the similarities of beer and whiskey and why they pair so well together.”

The Brewery: BuckleDown

BuckleDown is a no-nonsense brewery that makes beer people like to drink, pure and simple. Mahoney explained, “Our brewers like to focus on straight-forward styles, executed well. We don’t like to chase after the hot styles or weird ingredients just for their own sake. We’re all about process and execution here. A good example is our Copper Pot Brown Ale. We won several awards for this beer last weekend at the Day of the Living Ales. It’s delicious. But it has two malts and one hop addition. Recipes don’t get any simpler — but the brewing and cellaring process on this beer is extremely solid.”

And when it comes to hoppy beer, BuckleDown isn’t worried about some of the craft-geek pushback against the classic craft style. “We’re not chasing the craft-geek. We like hoppy styles and we know how to do them well. The craft drinking public has shown no slowdown in their appetite for hoppy beers.”

And why pair with Tullamore D.E.W.?

Said Mahoney, “I’d like to think that given all of the great breweries that exist in Illinois, we matched up with Tullamore D.E.W. on something a little more subjective… creativity, work ethic, approach to our business (and then possibly some Irish heritage [Wink] ).”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJoBIg6B1um/?tagged=buckledownbrewery&hl=en

The Distillery (and Irish Whiskey): Tullamore D.E.W.

Tullamore D.E.W, which ranks second, globally, among Irish whiskey distillers, has returned to its 1829 home in Tullamore, County, Offaly after decades of moving around.

Maher explained, “Tullamore D.E.W. is a triple blend of Irish whiskey, by that we mean that it contains the three styles of whiskey that are made in Ireland; grain whiskey, malt whiskey and pot still whiskey.”

She added, “In terms of flavor this means that it is a very well balanced spirit. Grain whiskey offers a sweet note at the front of the palate, malt whiskey gives fruitiness and pot still whiskey bring a light spice note on the finish. Irish whiskey is generally triple distilled and this results in a very smooth tasting liquid, combined with our triple blend Tullamore D.E.W. can be described as a very approachable whiskey that’s full of character!”

Win a Trip to Ireland from Tullamore D.E.W.

You and a friend could venture to the Emerald Isle and visit the distillery, courtesy of Tullamore D.E.W. It’s simple!

• Follow @tullamoredewus on Instagram.
• Take a photo of your favorite DEW & a BREW pairing – your choice!
• Post with the tags, #dewandabrewtour and #sweepstakes, and also tag @tullamoredewus.

And, for your pleasure, the Tullamore D.E.W Movie, “The Parting Glass.”

https://youtu.be/O8cn7Eofb6c

 

Note: Tullamore D.E.W., is named after Daniel E. Williams, a general manager, and then owner, many years ago. Tullamore describes him as, “The man who decided that true craft could only come from the True Character and insisted that his whiskey was made accordingly.” One might see it as Tullamore DEW or Tullamore D.E.W.

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