Dublin has long been a beer and whiskey town. For generations pubs poured the same pints of stout and familiar bottles of whiskey, but in recent years a shift has shaken the local drinking scene. A new type of bar — focused on craft cocktails and often showcasing the mixing potential of Irish spirits — is steadily gaining popularity. Locals are now frequently choosing cocktails over pints of Guinness.

From the heart of Dublin near Grafton Street to the historically working class enclave of the Liberties, a slew of recently opened bars are attracting attention to the art of mixing drinks in the Irish capital.

More than a decade ago, the closest thing to a cocktail that could be found in a pub often was a measure of gin over ice, served alongside a small bottle of tonic water. But after the global financial crash in 2008, many rules of what a successful business looked like were thrown out, a ccording to local restaurateurs and bar owners . Formal restaurants folded as customers craved value over glitz. With less money, people were choosy about where to spend it. The same old pints were no longer enough to lure locals away from evenings at home.