Beer of the Week: Whitefield Old Smoke Porter. Explore its dark, delightful depths.

Beer of the Week: Whitefield Old Smoke Porter, 5.4% ABV

500 ml bottle Bradleys

Explore the dark, delightful depths of an exceptional brew!

Delve into the dark depths of Whitefield’s Old Smoke porter, an exceptional brew by Cuilán Loughnane that stands as a testament to the art of balance in craft beer. 

With its pitch-black pour and tantalising smoky aroma accented with a hint of bacon, this beer invites you into a world where every sip is a joy. The mastery of blending mellow roasted flavours with subtle smokiness results in a drinking experience that's both complex and harmoniously balanced. That’s why this standout porter has earned our Beer of the Week title and a Very Highly Recommended rating.

Whitefield says:  Traditionally, beers made in the midlands would have had a slight smokiness due to the malt being dried from peat fires; this stout brings out that combination of smoke and roast while remaining light on the palate. Beer is a fantastic ingredient to use in cooking (and baking). A family favourite is an Old Smoke Stout Stew. 

Smoked beer is mostly associated with Germany and the beautiful city of Bamburg. Here, two breweries, Schlenkerla (widely available in Ireland) and Spezial (not as often seen in Ireland), continue the centuries-old tradition and cross-town rivalry. Another German tradition is Schwarzbier, a black beer without the smoke! 

Whitefield (formerly White Gypsy) is a brewery in Templemore, County Tipperary. Cuilán Loughnane is the main person here, and according to Sláinte  (2014), his fingerprints “are all over the Irish brewing scene”.

Sláinte also outlines his prior experience, starting at Dwan’s Brewery (Thurles) in 1997. He then served as head brewer at Dublin’s Messrs Maguire (predecessors of J.W. Sweetman) from 2002 before establishing his own venture as White Gypsy in 2009. White Gypsy was renamed Whitefield a couple of years back.