Costellos Brewing Company is a Kilkenny brewery crafting beers from the rich brewing heritage of Kilkenny. The aim is to produce beers with a provenance that appeals to the unique tastes of the Kilkenny Ale drinker. Costellos is a bright, easy drinking Red Ale with notes of caramel sweetness and traditional bittering hops and brewed for a slightly dry finish which leave the taste buds asking for more.
Goatsbridge Trout Farm Thomastown (15 mins away) farms trout. Trout, smoked trout, hot smoked trout and trout caviar are sold in Knockadrinna Farm shop above or at the farm. This thriving family business takes huge pride in producing farm fresh, premium quality Irish trout from farm to fork.
Highbank Orchards is home to the original, innovative and multi award winning Highbank Orchard Syrup. They also produce several delicious Apple juices, including the acclaimed non alcoholic Drivers Cider as well as Highbank Proper Cider and Medieval Cider. 2014 brought the addition of Dodonus - the smallest Distillery in Ireland which was built in the old Highbank Dairy and now produces Highbank Organic Apple Spirits -
the first Irish and Kilkenny Organic Apple gin known as Highbank Crystal Gin (out of the rocks of Kilkenny), Highbank Orchard Spirit, Highbank Orchard Liqueur Brandey and Highbank Organic Apple Vodka.
Knockadrinna Farm Shop Stoneyford
(20 mins away) sells all produce from the farm including meats, award winning cheeses (cows, goats, sheep), eggs, home made quiches. Other local produce is also sold including vegetables, bread, chutney, ice cream and trout. Pet farm also on site. Cheese making courses are also run.
Piltown Mileeven was established in 1988 by Eilis Gough from a hobby of beekeeping. The name Mileeven comes from the Irish for honey being "Mil" and delightful being "aoibhinn".
Now run by Eilis and her daughter Sarah, Mileeven is one of the leading honey suppliers in Ireland. Pure Irish Honey from their own hives was their first product nd
still remains an integral part of the product offering today which also includes Manuka Honey,
Organic Honey, Pure Honey as well as floral specific honeys like Acacia, Lavender, Orange Blossom and Honeycomb as well as the Sarah's Wonderful Honey range.
The awards from Great Taste, Irish Food Awards and Gulfood that they have received over the years confirm the quality and innovation of their products.
Speltbakers is a small family run business which was started in 2010 when they investigated some business options which led to baking, a bake house and a budding business. It started in the family kitchen and in 2013 they turned an old unused shed into a bakehouse. From selling a couple of loaves in Glasrai and Goodies in Gowran in 2010, they now work their way through more than 350 kg worth of spelt flour every week in the course of producing a wide range treats and breads, all baked from scratch & with no additives.
Truffle Fairy Thomastown (15 mins away)
Award winning chef Mary Teehan produces high quality chocolates with cream, butter, spices, liquors,nuts & natural flavours, in dark, milk, white chocolate & fudge chocolate. This is combined with seating areas to enjoy drinking chocolate or coffee of varying flavours for heavenly matches.
Visit O’Hara’s Bewery Bagenalstown (45 mins away)
And learn about Ireland’s indigenous brewing history, O’Hara’s passion and the craft of brewing. Learn about the brewing process from start to finish, taste the special malts used to brew O’Hara’s beers and smell the hops. Your tour can be topped off by sampling some of the award winning beers (only available to those who have reached the required legal age).
Joan & Bob’s Juicy Jams is a range of handmade preserves. Made by a husband and wife team who have a combined their passion for preserving, skills. They turned all the wild fruits, apples and berries grown on the family farms into the most memorable and delicious jams. At home in their kitchen in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, they create and make all of their own unique recipes and flavour combinations.
The preserves are handmade in small batches using seasonal fruit and the wild berries are handpicked. They use only the natural pectin of the fruit to set the jams providing you with an authentic nostalgic taste of home.
Cramers Grove have provided Ireland’s southeast with high quality dairy produce, from Cramers Grove Farm, since 1860.
Their Farmhouse Ice Creams, Sorbets & Frozen yogurts are handmade with uncompromising care on the family farm at Cramers Grove in Kilkenny.
As their Ice creams, sorbets and frozen yogurts are made in the traditional way using only fresh and natural ingredients they contain no artificial additives, flavourings, colourings or preservatives.
