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.
