January may not be the best month for socialising, but a new breath-of-fresh-air pub in Dublin city centre might just tempt you out.
Against the Grain on Wexford Street sits on what was once nicknamed “the corner of death” due to the number of short-lived businesses it housed. Not so Against the Grain, which boasts 100 different bottles of beers, ales and stouts from around on the world. They offer hard-to-find foreign beers on draught such as Blue Moon and Sierra Nevada, and if you order Hendricks gin, they’ll add a nice touch with a slice of cucumber. There are 30 whiskeys to choose from, including – honestly – a much-praised Japanese brand. The food menu is hearty, cheap and locally sourced (the chicken has a beer batter).
Irish craft beers are well represented by O’Hara’s, Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter (delicious) and Bay Ale, brewed in Salthill where their sister pub, The Oslo Bar, is based. Or you can sample Molly’s Chocolate Stout, some Clotworthy Dobbin or a Headless Dog.
It’s cosy, with candles on tables, no TV and a selection of boardgames – just watch out for crashing Jenga blocks. Against the Grain, Wexford Street, Dublin 2.
