This unusual mock Tudor structure is unique in Cork. There was a brewery on this site as far back as the 17th century and before that a monastery. William Beamish and William Crawford acquired the brewery in 1791 from Edward Allen and by 1809 it was the largest brewery in Ireland.
As well as brewing ale Beamish and Crawford were agents for a London brew known as porter. When bad weather at sea held up a shipment from London, Beamish and Crawford were, so the story goes, forced to brew some themselves as a stop gap measure to supply their regular customers. Their own porter was more popular than the import and so they began large scale production of the beverage.
Over the years porter evolved into the pint of "Beamish" available today.