Vegan Friendly Irish Craft Beer Part 2.

"The list below I would not be surprised to see grow over the next few year"

Well it did and much faster than I was expecting. Here we are 24 hours later with 43 independent Irish craft breweries across the island that are vegan/vegetarian friendly! With a massive range of beer and style there is certainly something for everyone. Again this list will only grow over the next while. 

St.Mel's Brewing Company

DungarvanBrewing Company 

Western Herd

Simon Lambert & Sons 

RyeRiver (McGargles, Grafters, Solas, Crafty) 

O Brother Brewing

Galway Bay Brewery*

O'Hara's

Wild Bat

Black Donkey

N17

Independent Brewing Company

Wood Key Brewing

8 Degrees Brewing

kelly's Mountain Brew

Galway Hooker Brewery

9 White Deer Brewery*

Mountain Man Brewing

Radikale ale

Drew Fox  

Mescan Brewery

Barrelhead Brewery 

JW Sweetman 

Boundary Brewing 

Otter Bank Brewing 

Blacks Brewery  *

Pokertree 

Treaty City Brewing 

Rising Sons Brewery 

Walled City 

MetalMan  Brewing 

Ards Brewing  

West Mayo Brewery  

Four Provinces  

Elbow Lane 

Donegal Brewing Company 

White Gypsy 

Munster Brewery  

Torc Brewing 

Manor Brewing 

The White Hag 

12 Acres Brewing Co 
Tom Creans

*Exception GBB: Buried at Sea, contains lactose.

*Exception 9 white Deer: Cask ale


*Exception Blacks: some old bottles

The Great Woods, Blanchy Spoons

Yesterday saw the opening of the third pub in the latests instalment in the Irish portfolio of JW Wetherspoons. The name that was chosen via a reader pole in the Northside people was “The Great Wood”. The Great Scaldwood is the woods proper title and was old rements of old growth Irish forest. Part of the forest would have been in the area of where the Blanchardstown centre now resides. The old Irish forest that was maintained by the local lords till the coming of Cromwell. With the removal of the local gentry wolfs proliferated, which became a danger to man and beast Which resulted in great cull in 1652. 

While I was out for a walk I decided I would pop along and check it out. The site that was chosen was a form night club. Pure drinking establishment in the Blanchardstown area have not fared to well over the years. But I suppose if anyone can make a go of it, it’s probably Wetherspoons. Targeting the pub, cafe/coffee shop, restaurant and general leisure spend. The same day of the opening of  The Great Wood. Wetherspoons in Ireland decide to increases price, somewhere around 33% on selected products. But that didn't appear to put the punters of, the place was packed on both floors. Even with the price increase it’s still cheaper than any pub in the area as far as I am aware of. Although this increase was not applied to any real ale product’s and remained at 2.50 per pint. But that maybe down Tim Martins tipple of choice. The choices currently are all English real ale Hobgoblin, Doom bar, Ghostship etc. I am hoping over time that we will get to see some Irish micro’s getting some space on the beer engines. I wasn't eating but the  food orders did appear appeared to be moving. There is a good bottle selection of Irish craft beer from 8 degrees, Bru and McGraths. Given the proliferation of pubs offering Cute hoor and Hop house as their "craft "options in the area. An as I was told in one new local pub "that's what Diageo/Heineken offered"! The spoons offering is possibly one of the largest selection of Irish craft beer in the area. But why did it take an English pup chain for this to happen?

Adnams Ghost ship (cask): 

Amber in the glass with a good head and lacing.  From been served though a sparkler as God intended. The aroma was mildly hoppy with citrus lemon and finishing with some lemongrass. Taste wise it started with bready malt, citrus fruit and with a very nice tang hop bitter finish. A beer in very good condition and easy drinker to boot. Its great see some cask ale available in the local area and hopefully some from Irish brewery in the not to distant future.

Meet The Brewers 2: The fog or smoke of War

One beer I left out of the last blog post complete by accident was St Mels Spring bock. Its very unusual to see a bock been brewed on these shores,  but a very welcome  one. Weigh-in at 5.6% ABV, on the light end for a bock. But making it a more sessional beer than some of it tutionic brethren. A dark gold in colour, with a clean finish in short a very tasty lager. But the hook for me was the following smoky flavour, something that's push this beer into the must try range. A beer that is reminisce of some of the great German rauch beers and one that I hope is brewed long enough till the first BBQ of the season can be lit. Liam the brewer said there was no smoked malt used, but you have to admire the brewing alchemy that can coaxes such flavours from the yeast.  One definitely to look out for. 

Picture via St Mels FB page

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.