New Taproom Artifact: Shillelagh (Shəˈlālē) -- an Icon of Irish Culture

Adventure Guide, Warren, shows off our Shillelagh - a new taproom artifact that hangs about the brew house door.

Next time your standing at the bar ordering a beer, look above the door that leads to the brew house. In celebration of our new Shillelagh Irish Ale, we went on a hunt to find the perfect Irish walking stike, aka, a shillelagh!

This walking stick, or club, has a large knob at the top. Generally made from blackthorn, these sticks were traditionally placed in a chimney for several months to give the shillelagh its black, shiny appearance. After removal from the heat source, the stick is rubbed with oils or sealants to yield an even deeper, dark glimmer.

In Ireland, the shillelagh was the gentlemen’s weapon of choice – used in a manner similar to dueling pistols or swords to settle disputes. Today, the shillelagh is an icon of Irish culture and pride in being Irish.

If you wonder where you might have seen a Shillelagh before… take a look at the logo for the Boston Celtics… or watch what the leprechaun from Notre Dame carries onto the football field…or even examine Gandalf’s staff a little closer.