New Things

Oxymoron kiwi Wit: 8 degrees Belgian inspired wit beer, pours hazy yellow with a big fluffy head. The aroma is of big classic Belgian phenols and pepper. Following with floral, tropical and citrus fruits. I got to sample both the keg (via Against The Grain) and bottle form. I did notice a slight difference between the two. The bottle had a little more of the phenols punch, whereas the keg I though edged on the tropical hop aromas. Medium bodied, with a softness that come for the use of malted wheat. Not the classic form of wheat for a wit. But one that works very well to balance out the yeast phenols and when you want hops to a play role. All of this was closely followed up with the Belgian yeast flavours interplaying with hop bitterness, lemon and a pleasant pepperiness in the finish. 

Grand Stretch:  I picked up a bottle from my local Malloy’s off-licence the latest beer from 8 degrees, a session IPA. It pours a clear orange in colour. On the noise it hits with mango, citrus mandarin, pine and ending with a dash of sherbet from cascade.  Medium body, it’s bigger in mouth feel that you would expect from a 4.2% season IPA. A firm hop bitterness and a dose of hop acid balances out the beer nicely. A well brewed session IPA that drinks like a bigger beer, with out the side-effects.   

Equinox SMASH: On what start out with me dropping of Beoir Magazines to a few place around Dublin city centre. I happened upon a few Beoir member and bloggers in the Brew Dock. Preparing to head do to the Killarney beer festival, more on that in another post. Forward on a few venue drop offs and a few beers later, Des De Moor, Steve Lamond and myself ended up at the Butchers bar in the Bull and Castle. Des and myself order a glass of Trouble brewing new Equinox SMaSH (single malt and single hop). At this stage of the evening I was not taken a huge amount of note! But the aroma was truly memorable , one of the highlight of the evening. All big tropical fruit on the noise, papaya and finishing with a hint of lemon. An at 4.5% it is something you can enjoy a few without worries. It good to see such great brewers releasing such  full flavoured  low abv beers

"Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

I  picked the one of three available bottles of Brewdog's new Double IPA, Born To Die from my local Molloys off-licence. At 11 euro its not cheap, but you do get 650ml of a 8.5% for you money though. 

Colour: Clear light golden, with a nice neat head 

Aroma: Big mango, C-hop with a very health does of tropical fruit. Finishing with little sweet malt

Taste: As you probably would expect been a double IPA and and beer from Brewdog. Hops would be expected to play canter stage if not hog all the limelight. It initial hits with a big volley  of mango and papaya. For a 8.5% beer the alcohol is very will hidden  allow all those aromas and flavours to come to the for.  There is a good body to the beer with plenty of  hop resins with every mouth full. Almost have a oily feel to it, but   all but in  a good way. The hop is bitterness is there but is not a prominent as you would expect for a 100 IBU beer. But this does not detract from the beer. 

Way back in the mid noughts there was  some  debate been beer among the beer nerds Beerinati and home-brewers. As to whether double IPA's were just American barley wines by another name. In fairness there where a few that possibly were at the time, with lager percentage of crystal malt. But Born To Die is certainly not one of these. Once all those lovely tropical aromas fade. Leaving nothing more than a skeleton of malt backbone holing up what was the delicate aromatic structure. An that is just the way it should be for double IPA's. Drink fresh and enjoy. 

   

Go West

In mid-January Beoir members were invited down to have a look around Galway hooker's new brewery. In Oranmore  just outside of Galway. The first of the new generation of micro-breweries after the Porterhouse. They began brewing in 2006 on the site of the previous Emerald Brewery just outside Roscommon town.  In May 2041 they moved to a much bigger site and kit in Oranmore. Their flagship beer Irish Pale ale (IPA), a clever play on the common IPA acronym. Which is a firm favorite of mine. Hooker have gone on to launch a few other beers such as their Stout, IPA, weiss and a dark lager. 

With one of the most iconic tap handles around,their "sail" counter mounts are made from larch by the Adrian Qualter. It is also used the same wood that the Galway hooker boats are made from, a nice use of traditional materials. 

The new brewery 40 hl brew-house,  is a cathedral of steel. That is just over 24 UK barrels in old money. This in comparison to the previous 650 litre system. The brew-house is a combination of a combined  mash/latuer tun (right) and kettle/whirlpool vessels (left). The malt  and auger, are just out of shot to the right.

There is plenty of room in the facility to expand if need. The brew-house was designed with the option two additional vessels (mash/lauter tun) if required. The fermentation vessels and bright tank (foreground) are double volume (80hl) allowing for increased capacity. The operation also captures the heat for the heat exchanger, which is feed back to the hot liquor tank. Making the system very green in operation. 

Yeast storage and collection system, which allows the brewery to re-pitch in a safe and clean fashion.  

While on the tour we got to try fresh from the fermenter their new Sixty knots IPA. Aidan kindly drew off a few liters  fresh  from the fermenter. It tasted bitter, was would expect from such a fresh beer. But it was all about the aroma, all citrus and pine in spades too.

I caught finally caught up with the bottle version a few weeks later. 6.5% abv and 60 IBU’s, very much a big brother to the pale ale. The colour was a dark amber, more that the sample from the fermenter would have suggested. But the aroma is big pine/grapefruit. Taste, there is a mix of the hop bitterness and crystal/biscuit malt. Which I found played a nice foil to each other. It reminded a bit of Hilden’s Bucks Head, a classic English style IPA finished with lots of American hops. 

The highlight of the trip for me was the cask Galway hooker stout, hand pump and sparkler. You couldn't have ask for more. Coffee and chocolate aroma, medium body with a nice soft finish, in top condition. There is not much more fun to be had than in a brewery, been able to pull you own pint via a beer engine. 

There the third addition to their permanent line up was the release of Galway Hooker dark lager. Not as dark as I was expecting, it  reminded more of an Alt or Veinna lager. Aroma, sweet cereal with a slight nuttiness. Flavour wise some Carmel finishing with a pleasant hop bitterness. A different and welcome take on a classic style. The image below is courtesy of The Beer Nut  blog post The west.....

Thank you to all at Galway Hooker, for a great and fun day.

Dinner at 57 The Headline's

The annual birthday dinner was coming up and decided on some where we would dine. Usually it would be some in the city center that also had a good craft option in house or very near by. This year I had one or two in mind, more for the food, as their craft option was not great. But then there was a very good blog post by Ruben aka Tale of Ale  Big Bullies. In short looking at the "downward" pressure some of the big brewing corporations and conspiring pubs are placing on the Irish consumers craft select. Read his post is very good. So I thought about places that my wife and I had not dined before. Also somewhere that would tick the Irish craft supporting beer box. So the, 57 The Headline came to mind. Not that I not been there before for beers. But it was somewhere that is a little out of way for us and neither of us had eaten there before. So off we went, normal I can do the quays to The Headline in around 20 minutes of a fast walk. But was my Emer, my wife was in heels we opted for a cab.

When we arrived, I was lucky enough to catch the end of the Kinnegar tap take over. I opted for their Black Bucket, a 6.5% Black Rye IPA that I had Irish Beer Whiskey Festival a few weeks before and loved. Cool, tasty and it hot the spot, Emer when with a white wine. I can’t remember which one but there was a good menu to choose from. We were impressed with the relaxed atmosphere in which we could peruse the papers and enjoy our drinks before look at the dinner options.

 

After our drinks we looks at the food options. We opted for the 2 starters, 2 mains and the choice of two drinks for 40 euro. I went for the Lamb meats balls. Three large Turkish meatballs, bulgur wheat salad and some warm flat breads. Emer opted for the Calamari, served with a well put together salad and cumber and mint dip. Both dishes were large, tasty and well-arranged. The Calamari was perfectly cooked, which can  all to easily be overdone. The offer cane with a choice of a drink each. There are eight wines to choose from. Great for those that are not into craft beer.  An with thirteen Irish crafts beer to choose, there is something for every Irish craft beer fan.  I opted for Trouble brewing Dark Arts a personal favorite of mine and I find a good beer to have meaty dishes.  For mains we bother went for the burgers, large and well-cooked. Which were  accompanied by  a side of some tasty chips and it was just what  I was looking for. Prompt and efficient service round of a very nice meal of us both. 

Up next on the beer front  was the new release from   Trouble brewing's Hop Priority. A  Triple IPA weighing in at 11% ABV via keg and hops were Mandarina Bavaria, Amarillo, Equinox and Vic Secret hops. But its one beer I   missed at the Irish beer and whiskey festival 2015. As it was on cask but not in condition at the time. It's  a huge big juicy hop bomb, of tropical fruit and pineapple.  A hop potpourri for any craft beer fan. There is a big body but it's not cloying or over sweet, just perfect. There is some considerable skill of brewer in keeping this 11% monster very drinkable. 

We finish our meal and decided on one last drink down at the bar. Last beer of the night was Kinnegar white rabbit (Keg) a 4.8% American wheat beer. Hops possibly citra, sadly I did not take a picture of it.  But I did take one of the bottle version I had a few days later. It is interesting to compare the two, I found the keg version to have much clearer tropical hop profile, soft wheat ending with a pleasant bitterness's. The bottled version was a some what hopped up wit feel to it. With more of a lemon citrus noise ans taste to it. Both were well brewed version of the beer, but I felt that the keg version was the winner.

I spotted this handsome fella at the bar and had to take a picture. Well that wraps up this post, great food, value and choice of some excellent Irish craft beers.Well worth a visit or possibly two for libations, food or a combination of both .

Short Pour: Missed beers

Mescan: Westport White (Wit) 5%.

Historically, Belgian White or wit’s in the Irish craft beer scene  had played a some what secondary role. There had been a tendency from Irish brewers to favor the it's Teutonic cousin, the German Hefeweizen  as the wheat beer of choice.

Batting for the German Hefeweizen's, Franciscan well Friar wise , Galway Hooker Ban Weiss, Opus II and Porterhouse Haus weiss. An representing Belgian centered wheat beers, Kinsale Williams Wheat (now closed). **Comparison based on my memory, reality maybe different**

But one issue with German Hefeweizen was the use of dry over liquid yeast. While the dry German Hefeweizen are grand, I find they don't quite capture the true essence of the style. Compared to the liquid version, such as White labs WLP300. Also compounding the issue is that some of these Hefe yeasts need to be top cropped. So as to maintain the selective phenotype and this doesn't always suite conical fermentation. Whereas there are a couple of dry yeast that produce some very fine Belgian wheat beer such as T-58 (Safbrew) and Brewferm Belgian Wheat. 

Colour: Straw yellow with a fluffy white head

Aroma: Belgian phenolic, herbal

Taste: Dry with a slight sweet cereal and some mineral notes. Lightly spiced with the classic Belgian wit spice combination of crushed coriander seeds and Orange zest. I prefer a light hand with spice's as it something that can be over done all too easily.  All in all, a tasty and refreshing beer, one to try. Hopefully  one we will seen in kegs as the summer rolls in.

Reel Deel: Jack the lad 4.5%

Colour: Darkish yellow.

Aroma: New world hops, citrus with a pleasant sweet  tropical edge.

Taste: Lots of C hops with a citrus edge finishing with some sherbet and a little grass. Dry with a slight bitter finish, medium body. A very nice and well brewed IPA. Possibly lighter that a lot others at 4.5%, but certainly very drinkable. 

Irish Beer & Whiskey Festival 2015

Helping out at a beer festival can be a good bit of fun, and this year was no exception. The Irish Beer and Whiskey festival has moved from CHQ down on the quays to it new location in hall 1 at the RDS. I found myself helping out at the concession stand with a few other of the Beoir members.  The hall is a much bigger venue than the old CHQ and a better one in my opinion. Much more seating than even the Septembers festival too. The only down side was the reduce number of glass wash stand and potable water for people, but this are minor quibble to what was a great festival.   

Lager space hall with plenty of seating and room for everyone to get around.

There where some great beers on offer and a few festival special that where launched for the event.  Given that I was volunteering there was a lot less note taking that I probably should have done. But here are some of my favourite  beers and ciders that I came across at the festival.

First up was a beer I had heard very good things about on the grape or beer line, Black Bucket from Kinnegar. A black rye IPA (6.5%), probably a first for Ireland. Flowing with big flora, pine and citrus zest aroma. Black in colour, but without any major roastiness like many good blacks IPA. A medium bodied beer that finished up with a lingering hoppyness. Overall a very well crafted black IPA. 

Two new beers that  8 Degrees  had on keg for the festival where, polar vortex which I  had previously reviewed Weather Experience: Polar Vortex. Although the review was based on the the bottle serving rather than keg. Both format where equality good. The second  was Enigma (6%) a SMaSH beer, single malt and single hop in this case the newly release Enigma hop from Australia. 54 IBU's weighing in, high for a pale ale and with the 6% ABV this could easily be many breweries IPA. But that's just how the roll over at 8 Degrees.  A golden color in the glass with an a aroma of melon, with a touch of candied oranges too. This then followed up with a slight dank-ish  hop herb aroma, possibly very slightly peppery.  That in total works really well.  Finishing up with a nice clean bitterness. The malt is some what in the background, but this beer is all about showcasing these new hop which it does in spades. 

Trouble brewing possible brought the most specials to the festival. Sadly the cask of their Triple IPA, (11% ABV) was not ready on the Saturday when I was around. But it is good to see a brewer hold back a cask till its in the right condition before tapping. One of my top beer at The Irish craft festival last September (2014) was  their Vietnow IPA. This current version was dry-hopped with  Comet hops. I am not sure if the standard brew was dry hopped with the same hop. I did pick some herbal/glassy not that I did not remember from last time. But it all worked out very well.

Up next was their new released Fallen Idol and the second Black IPA-dark ale of the festival. Weighing in at 6.3% and hopped with Chinook, Citra and Vic Secret. The aroma is a big load of citrus hops finishing with some dank-ness. The flavour has a little roast with  a  good bit of resin from the hops in the finish. But that just in total adds up to a near perfect CDA-Black IPA in my book. Again another masterfully brewed beer for the trouble brewing boys. The last of their festival special I got to try was Wandering Star. A 5.3% blonde ale, brewed with Golden Promise malt, and hopped  with Summer and Huell Melon. A tasty beer, lighter in taste and aroma  than the previous tow. I did pick up some stone fruit and a little melon. I could see this been a very popular summer beer.  

The one cider I tried over the even was Stonewell Festival, golden in colour, low in carbonate and in all a very tasty cider

Independent brewing had two beer for the festival. The first was their  Pale ale casked hopped with citra. The aroma started of with a musky tropical fruit finish up with  a light citrus notes. Which I presume was the contribution of the citra. The second and my favourite of the two was there special festival IPA and their first IPA I believe. A big bitter beer with lots of orange and grapefruit aroma. The 7% abv was not as apparent as I would have believed for such a strong beer.  

There was green beer to for those who want it. Independent brewing gold ale was infused with a natural green colouring from Spirulin. Not the first time seen in Ireland the  Bull and Castle  did a similar thing a few years ago to great success with tourists.  

The only White hag  beer I got to try was their White sow  on coffee rocket (Randell). The base beer is a oatmeal milk, which is a solid beer with a creamy body with a very nice roasty finish. The hook for me was coffee rocket (randell) with 3FE. The aroma was of big fresh well brewed coffee and one I would love to see around again.  

The third black IPA that I was looking out for was the releases of O Brother Brewing Bonita (India Dark ale), Spanish for " pretty, cute"  and it certainly is.  7% ABV it is well hidden in this beer. A little roastiness  on the palate like all the best Black IPA's. Bitterness was low, which allowed some sweet hop flavor come through. The aroma was a big C hop fruit which I thought were coming from  a combo of Simcoe/Columbus with maybe some Cascade.  A lovely beer for a such a new brewery. 

I helped out for a bit behind the bar for Mountain Man and its possibly one of the fun-est thing to do at a festival. As you  get to meet some great people and the fans of the beer. One beer I was looking to was their Sneaky owl, I missed the Franciscan wells cask festival. A dark English style bitter, ruby in colour and with a firm malt backbone. Aroma was of dark fruit with a light bitterness a beer that would be prefect for serving on cask. A beer that was  very popular with the punters, while I was on the bar.  On cask was hairy goat and it was also in top condition proving very popular too.  

Sam from Blacks Brewery and Derek Neville from 8 Degrees chatting over a glass of Polar vortex. Its always great to chat to the brewers over a few beers.

The food offering where much more extensive than last years CHQ event, much more in line with the September event. there was some old favorites like the Pie man and Jane Russell sausages.  

Jugging buy the quality of the three CDA's-Black IPA's its a style that Irish brewers have really nailed down.

All in all a great festival and I think the new venue was a hit with everone

Meet The Brewers

The first Friday of March was a trip to Barry and Fitzwilliam distributors, to meet their stable of craft  brewers and cider makers. It was held in the Herbert park hotel and was a cosy affair with  the air of a small festival about it. 

First up was the relase of "Little barney" from Poker Tree in collaboration with Marble brewers Manchester. A 5% amber beer with big cascade nose, with the unmistakable sherbet aroma. It's a dry beery with a firm bitterness, somewhat remindeds me of Marbles Dobber. In short living up to the West cost IPA name and a very tasty beer.

"Lager is Lager yellow and fizzy", not so with Bo Bristle Pilsner. It was my first time encountering it. Some cereal note with a slight sweet finish and then finished with a a nice bitterness. Dave said it was under-carbonated, but I found this made it very drinkable and a very welcome change to the mass fizzy yellow stuff.

My First cider of the event was from Long Ways. Their elder-flower infusion was very interesting. The aroma was of gooseberry, sauvignon blanc an usual addition, but welcome to the Irish cider market. One that could prove quite popular one a bit of sun comes out. Following that I had a quick sample of Scotts cider, lots of tannin structure and oak aroma. A different beast from this first, but none the less very enjoyably.

A trip over to Cotton Ball to put some faces to the their twitter account was next on the list. I previously had their Indian summer, which I brought along to a BYO dinner with friends at the beginning of the year. It was very well received by craft and non-craft friends alike. So they must be on to a good thing. One  beer I have manged to over look was  their Kerry lane pale ale. It very  much reminder me of a east coast American pale ale. Solid C hop on the nose, malty which a touch of  crystal malt on the palate and following with a clean bitterness, very enjoyable.  Last was their Mayfeild 5, a solid lager all in all  But unusual for a lager bitter with  Columbus, something normal reserved for IPA's.  Given what I have seen and tasted from both Cotton Ball and Bo Bristle I will be seeking out more Irish craft lagers. 

Possibly the first sighting south of the boarder  is Belfast newest brewery Knock Out Brewing.  In a few short years has grown to be the home of five breweries. Knock out were showcasing  their two core beers. The first was their Irish Red Ale a solid enough Irish red, mild sweetness with a touch of caramel.  The second  was their Middleweight IPA . On the light end of the IPA family, moderate bitterness and aroma, but an a very approachable beer for many of the public I suspect.

Last but not least was a quick trip around to Baggot Street Wines to meet O Brother Brewing for CB Growlers launch. A quick sample of their tasty, citrusy APA and some growler fills and we where off again. A bit thank you to Barry and Fitzwilliam distributors and the guys at Baggot Street Wines for the evening.  

Weather Experience: Polar Vortex IPA

The Polar Vortex has arrived!

Short-Pour: I picked up a bottle from my local Molloys as the Irish beer and whiskey festival was starting up at the RDS. It weighs in a 5.8%  abv and 59 IBU's (bitterness). Hops are listed as cascade, citra and Simcoe. The grist is kept fairly simple in pale malt, Carapils and Cara aroma.  The aroma I found to be  of the tropical fruits variety. With a slight dank/dark finish, most likely coming from the Simcoe addition. I  didn't  get the sherbet notes,  that some times can be associated with cascade. But maybe the paring with citra edged this towards the  tropical fruit end. Flavour wise I noted  C hops,   following with some pine and then brimming with a  smooth hop bitterness. 

Reminiscing I though there was a firm nod towards  it's other running mate Amber-Ella, but with a slightly darker finishing hop presence. Probably similarity in colour and somewhat in aroma where the trigger for those fond memories. Over all I found this to be  another very enjoyable IPA from 8 Degrees.

Color: Amber with slight red-hue.

Aroma: Tropical fruit aroma, C hops and finishing with a  dank edge.

Flavour: C hops, pine, brimming with a smooth hop bitterness.