If I recall correctly, St James Gate is no longer the world largest brewery. The current title holder, I think, is the Guiness brewery in Lagos, Nigeria. I also remember a news piece from last spring reporting that Guiness sales had actually slipped a bit for the first time in the company's history. It might be a bit difficult for mere mortals to separate fact and fiction in this area, however.

I believe that all of the "premium brands" and "exotic micro-brews" (whether they actually are or are not) have been riding a wave of up-scale diversification in the US market, but have now pushed the retail price so high that consumers are beginning to back off. Let's face it, $8.50 for a six-pack of Guiness Extra Stout, or $7.50 for a four-pack of canned "draft" is a bit much. Even the publican's cost for a keg of Guiness has climbed nearly 20% in the last 2 years, at least in my local market.

Murphy's and Beamish have made feeble efforts to penetrate the local market, but the seem to lack the necessary marketing support staff. The opportunity seems there for somebody to step in.