TWO BELFAST TOURS TO WET YOUR WHISTLE

BY TIM HEDGLEY, GROUP TRAVEL EDITOR

Despite the misery, Covid 19 rained down on the hospitality industry in Northern Ireland and the lack of footfall in Belfast City Centre. Two hospitality-led business are doing their level best to make sure that visitors to Belfast are provided with a great experience. Here you can experience the freshest pint in Belfast with a core range of beers named after old bars of the area, including North Star Lager, Black Bull Stout & Monkey Shaving the Goat IPA, rare among an unparalleled local craft beer selection.

Northern Ireland Travel Magazine deers-head-three-pies-345x280 TWO BELFAST TOURS TO WET YOUR WHISTLE — trio of mini pies and homemade brown sauce.

The Deer’s Head is the perfect Belfast City Centre destination for any beer enthusiast not only do they make and serve wonderful beers, but they are also purveyors of the finest quality spirits in Belfast, with over 120 whiskies and 75 gins on the shelf for you to choose from.

If that wasn’t enough, their food offerings are just as exciting as their crafted beers. Irish Pork and Black Pepper Sausages, Beef and Bells Black Stout Pie and Bells Beer battered fish all include locally sourced sustainable food ingredients.

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One speciality not to be missed is the trio of mini pies and homemade brown sauce.
The Deer’s Head is part of the Bells Brewery group origins dates back to the 18th century. Their founder John Bell (formerly a Wine & Spirit Merchant) operated one of the first-known breweries in Belfast and helped kickstart the beer revolution in the city during that time.
Lower Garfield Street was once known as Bell’s Lane (in his honour) as he lived and brewed there, in the heart of Belfast’s Brewery Quarter, since 1778.

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At the time John Bell was in brewing, there were several booming breweries on neighbouring streets, including North Street, Royal Avenue and Smithfield. Belfast soon became the biggest exporting port in Ireland in the 1800s, partly due to the thriving distilling and brewing industries.
Following the industrial revolution, the Guinness family had the vision to invest heavily, and brewing became focused in Dublin. Sadly, this meant that many Belfast breweries disappeared. But today the Deer’s Head are passionate about reviving the old Brewery Quarter in Belfast.

The Deer’s Head was founded by Wine & Spirit Merchant John Donnelly in 1885. Originally there were 12 pubs and four spirit dealers operating on Lower Garfield Street and North Street, and sadly only The Deer’s Head remains.

Each new beer that is brewed on-site is named after a pub that traded on the street many years ago.

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For example, The Elephant, the Monkey Shaving the Goat, The Black Bull, and Peggy Barclay’s all have Beers crafted in their honour in homage to their previous residency on the street.
So popular, The Deer’s head is now a regular stopping-off point for the Belfast Food Tour™.

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TASTE AND TOUR IS A SERIES OF MULTI-AWARD-WINNING FOOD AND DRINK TOURS

IN BELFAST WITH A 5-STAR TOURISM NI RATING.

With their signature Belfast Food Tour, Gin Jaunt, City Cocktail Circuit and 5 Stop Brunch Tour, amongst others, Taste and Tour made it their business to lead guests to Belfast’s brightest and best flavours. Local guides will lead the cheer, helping guests discover the people, the history and the top tastes in the city.
They are cheerleaders of local. This is Taste & Tour.

The award-winning original Belfast Food Tour™ takes you on a 4-hour fun and food-filled guided walk to some top food and drink spots around Belfast City Centre.

The food tour starts in the historic St George’s Market, meeting producers and tasting yummy local products, before heading around Belfast to visit traditional bars, world-class shops and more, eating and drinking some of the best local food and drink along the way. No need for breakfast, nor will you need lunch, and leave the car behind! Their enthusiastic local foodie guides ensure guests get a flavour for the city and the produce of Northern Ireland.

If you prefer Gin, then the BELFAST GIN JAUNT might be just what you need.
Try seven very different gins, including five locals, as the tour visit five pubs and bars, learning all about gin, gin styles, garnishes, cocktails and more with one of their resident gin experts.
The tour starts at a Victorian Gin Palace before making their way through Belfast’s top Gin Joints and finishing in the Cathedral Quarter. The tour will last approximately 3.5 hours.

The tours have been running since 2014, and most guests are locals who are re-discovering their own backyard where they get to see a little more of the life and working of some of Belfast’s best pubs.
With over forty venues, the food tours won Best Small Visitor Attraction in Northern Ireland.

Tours include:

CRAFT BEER AND STREET FOOD,
BELFAST GIN JAUNT,
CITY COCKTAIL CIRCUIT

Visit https://tasteandtour.co.uk for more information.

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