Sullivan's Brewing Company break ground on new Kilkenny brewery site

Sullivan’s Brewing Company have broken ground on the site of their new Brewery on John’s Street.

Construction officially began two weeks ago on the site that will be the grounds for the official Sullivan’s brewery in Kilkenny.

The work is expected to be completed around May 31.

Dan Smithwick said that this is a ‘huge milestone’.

“I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a kid but we’ve been planning this step in the journey for several years and we’re very lucky to have the support of our neighbours and the council and the people of Kilkenny and our partners,” he said. 

In 2012, Diageo relocated the Smithwick’s brewery from Kilkenny to Dublin, leaving behind what Dan referred to as a ‘scar in the soul of the community’.

Since then, Dan and Alan Smithwick and other co-founders have been working to develop a brewery in Kilkenny once again.

They worked with a Hungarian company called ZIPTEK in the creation of this brewery. 

Dan said they sought out ZIPTEK because they build midsize breweries and ‘central to what they do is automation, efficiency and doing all that while making it the most beautiful brewery you could see’.

“Their water usage is the most efficient, hence it being as environmentally friendly a brewery as possible. It’s all electric, so we’re not going to use any gas on site.”

The brewhouse, which is what they call the building in which the brewery resides, will be copper-clad portraying the ‘classic image’ of brewing.

Visitors will be able to see into the busy brewery from multiple angles, while sitting in the taproom.

Dan and his family’s ‘life mission’ has been to bring brewing back to Kilkenny. 

“Ever since we were kids we’ve been thinking about this and bringing brewing back to Kilkenny, it is a central mission of the Sullivan’s brewing company.”

He said that given the Sullivan’s Taproom’s central location in the city, they want to welcome many local and international patrons and give them a sense of Sullivan’s and their beer.

“When people come here it’s vital to us, it’s mission critical that they get a sense of how important brewing is to us and how well we do it,” he said.

“We’re very proud of our city and we fly the Kilkenny flag so proudly overseas.”

The site on John’s street will be the ‘spiritual home’ of Sullivan’s brewing company, the head office is situated there and once the brewery is operational, it will be the base for domestic draft.

They have also launched a new beer that coincides with the construction taking place.

Sullivan’s local partners will be supplied with Sullivan’s beer directly from the Kilkenny site, something Dan is incredibly excited about, saying the primary goal of the brewery is to brew beer in Kilkenny, for Kilkenny.

 In time, Sullivan’s will supply their national kegged business from the site.

The site will also be their base of research and development for new, seasonal and once-off beers, many of which will be available only in the TapRoom.

“We’re building this for the next 100 years and this is just a big step forward in a well thought through plan,” Dan said.