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. 

Festivals of Days Past

"Winds in the east, mist coming in. Like somethin' is brewin' and bout to begin. Can't put me finger on what lies in store, / But I fear what's to happen all happened before..........." 

As the Irish Beer and Whiskey Festival 2015 is about to kick off today and running  till St Patrick's day. I though I would take a very short recap at the two related festivals of last year I attended. 

The September is now a well trodden calendar date for  Irish Craft Beer Festival, held in the very beautiful Victorian halls in the RDS. 

A first for me with  Teeling Whiskey and one I will be returning to this year. An Kentucky Ale an old friend an this stage.  

I spent some time helping out over at the Craigies Cider booth, a classic Brittany cider and well worth seeking out . A great experience and some very tasty cheeses to give out to the punters too. 

Its not beer festival with out Jane Russell sausages, always a personal favourite of mine, sausages-fest!! 

My own  true original, a "Dirty Hooker" beer cocktail comprising of  half Galway Hooker pale ale and their  Stout! The stout was on cask to and in perfect condition. 

N17  brewery and Sarah Roarty  where pouring their very tasty and award winning Oatmeal stout.The recipe was developed Richie and was in tip-top condition on the beer engine. 

The last picture was courtesy of 2014 St Patrick's festival down in the CHQ. Nothing better than having a pint of something dark around Patrick's weekend. In this case it was Blacks IPA with all the lovely C hops aroma of a well made American IPA, but with out the big roast you would expect with a black beer.

Well that's all folks, roll on Irish Beer and Whiskey Festival 2015 

Alltech Craft Brews & Food Festival 2015 Part 2 "Exogenous Brewing"

  

First up of the non Irish brewers was a trip over to Beavertown. I starter of with their London weisse, a lovely soft-milky lacto fuelled berlinerweisse. An then came the gin botanical's, juniper and grapefruit zest to name a few. In short very re-freshening and enjoyable beer. Following that I moved on to sample some of the newly released Bloody 'Ell Blood Orange IPA (7.2%). Brewed with Blood orange juice and zest in the boil an a big dose of Amarillo  and citra to round of the citrus aroma  This beer is all about the aroma, a big fresh orange, almost like fresh squeezed juice.  There was little orange flavour on the palate, but it just to encourage you to breath deep citrus aroma. Again another enjoyable beer.

One of the non Irish breweries present at the festival that I have not tried any of their beer before. An I was really looking forward to was Red Well . After  tweeting with  Nate , I found out they where going to have a special brew at the festival, a white IPA no less. It's a blend of a Belgian Wit base malt (50% wheat, malted in this case) and spices (coriander and Orange). With the hopping rate and variates one would associate  with an American IPA.  Yeast in this case they opted for the classic american ale yeast, which allows that hops to shine though. Nate told me they used Simcoe, Blema and Amarillo in the boil and the a loads of citra to dry hop with and they certainly do shine through.  The softness from the malted wheat and low bitterness make with a very easy drinker even-though it's a 6% beer!  There was also their tasty steam lager, light aroma with a hint of fruit with a refreshing taste that hit the spot. Then next on to their India Pale lager, a bigger beast at 5.5%. But hopping reminiscent of an American IPA with spruce and floral aromas.  

Last but not least was the trip over to Thornbridge booth to try their new released Jaipur X. A DIPA to celebrate their 10th birthday. A 10% IPA and as you can expect  its a big beer, medium body that follows up with  grapefruit and pine  on the nose. A very solid DIPA, one I think like Hilden's that could age in to a very nice Barley wine. But I suspect that few bottle will last that long! 

Well that's it,  thank you very much to all at  Alltech , Maev,  Tracey  and the brewers for having us.  

Alltech Craft Brews & Food Festival 2015 Part 1 "Indigenous Brewing"

My first year, but  now in its third  the festival appears to be going from strength to strength. I kicked of the festival with The Beer Nut  in trying Hilden's  new double IPA (DIPA), Bucks Head 7.2%. The body of the beer is  of an English heritage, rich an malty and  a good dash of crystal  flavor too. But there  is a firm  nod to the US with part of the bittering coming from Citra/ First gold and Cascade for aroma. For a big beer the alcohol was in the background, making this 7.2% a very easy sipper. Given the big rich malt, I think this a one DIPA that could take a bit of aging and still have something to offer the drinker.  

   

Keeping in theme somewhat with the DIPA's,  Rye River Brewing and brewer Alex Lawes had an execlent DIPA, very fresh and busting with C hop aroma. A dry finish made this very drinkable and something I do like to see in american centric  DIPA's. Up next was their Berliner weisse, a handy foil to  refresh the plate after the DIPA and refresh it did.  Two other notable mentions  where their saison and the dry hopped Cousin Rosies's pale ale.

Berliner weisse

DIPA

Next a trip over to the lads 8 degrees, Firstly to be present for the award of  Beoir's  beer of the year 2015.  For their Full Irish IPA.  A cracken beer but  personally I though their nelson  saison piped it. For flawlessly melding a Belgian yeast with New Zealand nelson sauvin hops IMO. But the IPA was a firm favorite among Beoir's members.  They also launched their new IPA "Gasman" 7.8%.  A rye IPA to be precise, Orange in hue and a big flavored IPA,from the resinous  hops,  No doubt from the generous  use of Topaz and Vic secret. Head on over to The Irish Craft Beer Show for interviews with 8 degrees and brewers at the festival, by Brian and John "The beer Nut"

Beoir award 

Gasman IPA

                                  

I had a nice long chat with Quincey Fennelly from Wicklow Wolf about how they began the brewery. From the amount of breweries staring in Wicklow, it could well become Ireland's version of  Oregon in the US. Two beers I was look forward to trying  were their Wicklow common, a style of beer I don't think has been seen in Ireland before. The second was their Solar Eclipse, a dark Saison no-less and its something to see the Irish brewing scene staring to push the boundary's of this beer styles. 

Wicklow wolf beers 

Popping over to Trouble Brewing I finally got to taste the  Beoir #2 collaboration beer.   A big hoppy Imperial red  with lots of aroma you would expect and at 7.8% and its hidden well in the beer.  Very popular from what I heard. Picture via Alltech. 

Trouble Brewing 

Last of the  beery happy snaps falls with Rascals . Pictured is one of their two sliver medals, for Wit woo and Ginger porter.  Their Kiwi Pale Ale  as the name suggest was loaded with New Zealand hops,  Motueka and Wakat I believe . Light and thrust quenching, more one the resinous side that citrus but lovely none the less.   

Rascals 

Cider from Dan Kellys  was a welcome change from all the hoppy beers and always good when I have had it. Sadly I did not take anymore notes, I probably was talking to much! The other  cider had was from Fallen Apple tasty and a welcome replacement to the Clonmel stuff.  One to look out for. 

Dan Kelly's 

Other notable mentions, but no pictures sorry !

Dungarvan Mine head and Mahon falls

Metalman  Alternator

Kentucky Brown Honey Ale

Blacks  Model T 

A very big thank you to all at

 Alltech and the brewers to for a great day.