Changing Times Brewery beers to be stocked in nine new premises as it moves outside Dublin

Brewery was founded last year by the families behind some of Dublin’s best known pubs

Alan Campbell, left, of The Bankers, Róisín Rigney and her father Pat Rigney, both of The Shed Distillery, Ronan Lynch of The Swan, and Denise Rigney of The Shed Distillery with beers from the Changing Times Brewery at the distillery's visitor centre in Leitrim.
Alan Campbell, left, of The Bankers, Róisín Rigney and her father Pat Rigney, both of The Shed Distillery, Ronan Lynch of The Swan, and Denise Rigney of The Shed Distillery with beers from the Changing Times Brewery at the distillery's visitor centre in Leitrim.

Changing Times Brewery, which was founded by the families behind some of Dublin’s best known pubs, is expanding the number of premises serving its beers and moving outside the capital for the first time.

The €2-million brewery, based in Glasnevin along the banks of the Royal Canal, is to be the exclusive draft stout and lager provider for The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo, Co Leitrim.

It will also be served in Cork’s Rising Sons Brewery Bar, The Fountain, and The Fran Well.

An additional five venues in Dublin are also now stocking Changing Times beers. These are Neary’s, Searson’s, The Step Inn, The Sackville Lounge, and Kavanagh’s The Temple.

The partnership with The Shed Distillery in Drumshanbo also means Changing Times Brewery will be the exclusive provider of draft stout and lager to the 70,000 visitors who travel to the popular Leitrim tourist attraction every year.

Between growing the number of venues stocking its products and increased demand in the founding pubs, Changing Times is now producing more than 150 kegs per week, a figure that is expected to rise to 200 kegs per week before the end of the year.

This is up from the 100 kegs per week it was brewing at the time of the launch. The brewery expects the increase will generate an additional €1.1 million in revenue by the end of 2026.

The brewery’s backers include Dublin publicans Willie Aherne and Paul Sheehan of The Palace Bar on Fleet Street and Sheehans Pub on Chatham Street respectively, as well as Benny McCabe, who owns a number of bars in Cork, and brewer Shane Long.

Other backers include the publican families behind venues such as Arthur Mayne’s in Donnybrook, The Bank on College Green, The Blackrock, The Bridge 1859, Devitt’s, Doheny and Nesbitt, The Ferryman, The Long Hall, McSorley’s and The Swan.

Pat Rigney, owner of The Shed Distillery, which is home of Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, is another backer of Changing Times Brewery and also the group’s chairman.

He said the story of the brewery was “clearly striking a chord with visitors”.

“Our expectation is that will continue to grow as more venues stock Changing Times, delivering even more change in the future,” Mr Rigney said.

Changing Times Brewery currently makes three draft products: Clockwork Velvet Stout, Daydreamer Lager, and After Hours Pale Ale. It is expected that additional products will be launched over the next 12 months.

Noel Anderson, managing director of Grand Slam Bars and one of the founding publicans behind Changing Times Brewery, said there had been “tremendous interest” in the group’s products, which is “already exceeding our early projections for the brewery”.

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Colin Gleeson

Colin Gleeson

Colin Gleeson is an Irish Times reporter