What else is like Guinness?

The RevellerPubs, Bars and Nightlife

Guinness is glorious, but it's not the only option if you're out celebrating 

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This IPA is American in its influence - something you'll see a lot - but a great example of the traditional style, strong and bitter with lots of fruity, floral notes present. Interestingly, Belfast based Boundary Brewery are set up as a co-operative, owned and operated by their members.

Heavily hopped with American hops (Simcoe, Citra and Mosaic, if you're interested), the Hurricane IPA is bursting with citric fruits and pine notes: a real fruit explosion in the glass and a beer that pairs with spicy food.

Trouble Brewing hail from Co. Kildare, and their Graffiti Pale Ale is the perfect session bitter. Hopped with American hops (you can see who influences the Irish scene!), it's bursting with flavour but nice and light enough to allow you to enjoy a few.

A big bold decadent beer, World's End is the closest thing to Guinness on this list. Brewed with Fairtrade Cacao rusks and vanilla pods, this beer is rich, chocolatey and sweet and, whilst the ABV may seem scary, it drinks ridiculously (read: dangerously) easily. Pair with some chocolate mud cake or an Irish coffee and you're onto a winner.

A resurrection of an ancient style of beer brewed in Ireland from the neolithic era up until the 1700s, This beer uses Irish Heather tops in place of hops to balance the sweet, rich malts involved. And because the brewers of yesteryear would not have known what yeast was, fermentation was carried out by the wild yeasts and bacteria in the atmosphere, giving this beer a tart, sour flavour, perfect for warm spring days.

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t Patrick's Day is Christmas for the Guinness family coffers, given the legendary stout has firmly established itself as Ireland's most famous export, and go-to drink for Irish celebrations.

While landlords and drinkers across the capital will be cursing the official 119.5 second double pouring time today (which, while wonderful theatre, is completely unnecessary), there are plenty of Irish drinks that one doesn't have to wait for.

If you don't fancy drinking your daily iron intake* with every pint, flick through the gallery above, in which James from London beer shops We Bought Beer has detailed five fine alternative Irish serves. All are available to be sampled at their Clapham and Balham branches, but we'd say to head out to their garden to really enjoy them. Four of the picks share nothing in common with Guinness, save for their country of origin, but hey, sometimes the black stuff can get a little much after a few pints: swap to one of the IPAs. Read our guide to London's best craft beer pubs for where you might find one if you're out and about.

If you're in the mood for something else entirely, try Irish whiskey – by and large, it is a sweeter style of dram, and ememinently drinkable. If you're feeling brave, ask for Poitín. It'll blow your head off – at least St Paddy's day is only once a year.

*also a myth

From 11am until late, The Auld Shillelagh have been keeping things distinctively Irish for 25 years without seeming to try: it's an uncomplicated, honest place with a big heart, who offer table service – although you'll sometimes see pints of Guinness stacked up on the bar as thirsty punters get their rounds in. They're big on music, too, with foot stomping and fiddles guaranteed. The Irish Times declared it the most authentic Irish pub outside of Ireland: they really are the real deal. One worth the trip.

Lauded by locals as the best pub in north London, this place has a lot to shout about. When faced with the difficulty of a small yard, the owners took the only option available to them and decided to build upwards: the effect is a cosy, but surprisingly spacious, split-level affair with a range of decking and tables. The Fullback is an early afternoon suntrap and only a stone’s throw from Finsbury Park station – and even in bad weather, the garden is a sight to behold. If you're in Islington, pop in to The Hemingford Arms on Offord Road, which is the sister pub to the Fullback.

Hurrah! A proper pub, with a darts board and everything. The ceiling is a collage of scarfs, the walls a tribute to Irish sport and there's plenty of beer on hand. The lounge is an comfortable spot, where you'll find most of the action, including live music, but if you're looking for something more cosy, head to the Saloon. Fill up on a full Irish (a steal at around £6), and in summer, head to the beer garden. It's not a hard-knocks kind of pub, just one full of Irish charm.

The Tipperary has proved popular enough to stand for 400 years in the city, making it London's oldest Irish pub. The first place place outside of Ireland to serve bottled Guinness, they're still one of the best places in London to enjoy a drop of the stuff, but beware that's it's one of London's narrowest pubs, so you'll want to watch for elbows or risk spilling your hard-earned drink over their shamrock mosaic floor. Still, perched up against the solid oak bar top, you'll find a friendly crowd ready to claim you as one of your own.

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There's nothing especially friendly-looking about this Soho spot, but pull yourself together and get through the door. Guinness is the lifeblood of this buzzing Soho institution which, with its floor-to-ceiling posters serving as decoration-cum-wallpaper, is something of a homage to the stuff. It boasts multiple taps of it, as well as Guinness cocktails: you can get a concoction with champagne or a slightly cheaper offering with cider. Anyone looking for Irish whiskey is also in luck, as The Toucan has some rare breeds adorning its shelves, and on the menu, you'll find classic Celtic dishes like stew and colcannon. Beware that, especially lately, the Toucan has been steadily getting more and more popular, so you might struggle to get in. This place has Jimi Hendrix's seal of approval, too — he once played in the basement.

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Given it's central location, one might expect The Boot to be busier than it is, but its quietness is part of its charm – it's far from dead, but you won't be hemmed in wondering why old pubs are so damned small. Kitted out with an array of nic-nacs – including, you guessed it, boot-themed bits 'n' bobs – they've also got a solid selection of beers and ales on, some decent food and friendly service. It's a charming spot that earns its regulars.

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It might not look much, but behind the unassuming frontage is a little pub beloved by its regulars. You'd not mistake this for an upmarket spot, but it excels at what it does. There's genuine Irish hospitality here, with table service, live Irish music, a well attended quiz night, where there's £100 up for grabs, and sports on three big screens. They've even got a poker night going.

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Come here to get stuck into your drinks: this vast place, split over 12 levels, has the gold medal from Brewing Industry International Awards (what you might call the Olympics of brewing). Its stout is truly Irish: handcrafted in Dublin and then shipped to us in London. Still, you won't find any shamrocks or novelty tat here, just great Irish beers, good food and, in the basement, live rock music. Sure, there are a few tourists around – which dent the speed of its service – but it's big enough for just about anyone to find a spot and settle in for the evening, and the huge selection of beer doesn't hurt, either.

The Kingdom is a solid place, with solid regulars: it's a traditional boozer with no frills, which is to its credit. Come here to drink and to watch the telly and to have a good time – without any tacky gimmicks, it feels inherently Irish. You might also catch some cracking live music. Once you've shown your face a few times, they'll welcome you back with open arms.

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One of life's little mysteries is why Irish pubs love to serve Thai food – but look out for it, because they really do, and The Crown and Cushion is no exception. Alongside it, you'll find cheap pints, a jukebox, sports on the telly, and an open fire. There's something endearing about the C&C that'll have you convinced a Thai curry is the perfect accompaniment to a pint of Guinness. Who knew?

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A Gaelic behemoth, Waxy's is a labyrinth of staircases and passages which link four separate bars. Expect olde-worlde interiors that look like something from Hogwarts, a very warm welcome, lots of live music and and rugby-mad drinkers. Food-wise, Waxy's serves up pub grub with an Irish bent, such as steak and Guinness pie, Irish stew and crocks of mussels. There is a tree in the middle of the pub and lots of whiskey. No surprise it's been at the top of its game for 21 years. If you're looking for something a little calmer, head to nearby Waxy’s Little Sister.

Tom (son of Terence) Conran’s faux-Irish pub is the smart option for celebrating Paddy's Day, although it's a little on the pricey side and definitely Irish-themed, rather than the real deal. As such, it's definitely not your rough-and-tumble Irish boozer — the house specialities include oysters and they've a sterling wine list. The food is first rate.

You won't struggle to find a spot here: The Boston Arms is huge. Cheap Guinness and Murphy's (our preference), there are plenty of pool tables too and a good, lively crowd. Pop across the road to the Boston Music Room and Tufnell Park Dome for live music.

This family run Irish-themed spot serve a mean stout, host live music on the weekends, and boasts a pool table, TV screens for the sport and plenty of nods to Ireland in the decor. If you're in the area and want somewhere with a little character, it's worth popping in. Oh, and the name means "Land of the Young".

Ewan Munro, Wiki Commons

Come for the service and the atmosphere, both very friendly. They've just celebrated 14 years being a local favourite, earning their reputation with fairly priced food, plenty of events and tongue-in-cheek decor. There's plenty of sport on, too.

This CAMRA award-winning pub is extremely traditional, all dark wood panelling and real ales on tap. While it's not exactly an 'Irish pub' per se, they have traditional Irish music every Thursday, they serve Guinness and there's a few Irish whiskies to choose from. A damned decent pub in all respects.

This independent pub has beautiful green tiles on its frontage, a reliably excellent beer selection and is a top spot for barnstorming Irish music. There's Wraggle Taggle, a traditional session, every Tuesday, while most Sundays they have a more racous take on Irish music.

Follow David Ellis on Twitter @dvh_ellis

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