Pie Fiesta at Gallaghers. Comfort Food in a Comfy Cork City Corner

Pie Fiesta at Gallaghers

Comfort Food in a Comfy Cork City Corner

Beef Pie

Gallaghers of MacCurtain Street is well-known for its signature dish, Beef and Beamish Pie. But we learned last week that it also makes a super fish pie.

The evening was wet and cold, and comfort food was on our wish list. And we got it in accomplished abundance at the junction of Bridge Street and MacCurtain Street.

Soon, we were sitting in our own cosy corner, with a Christmas tree at my left hand and a bottle of stout in the other as we studied the menu.

I had already settled on that signature pie: “the original Beef and Beamish Pie (Beamish stout, braised beef and root vegetables, topped with a crispy puff pastry)". They serve it with fries or mashed potatoes. I chose the mash, which worked very well with the pie.

All the lovely ingredients are hidden under that crisp puff pastry that covers the bowl and extends down the outside. The savoury treasure underneath is a filling and comforting, delicious mix, and you can taste why it has been on the menu here since Noreen and Martin Gannon opened their doors in 2013.

The Fish Pie is a mixture of fresh fish, including salmon, cod, mussels and prawns. It is topped with mashed potato and parmesan crust, with a side of toasted sourdough.  With the various fish nicely balanced, CL enjoyed this one no end, and two very clean plates went back to the kitchen. 

Pork Belly

A Ballyshannon statue of Rory
Gallagher. Lots of Rory
memorabilia in the
Cork pub. He lived close by.

I’m sure most of you are well used to various pies and know how hot they can be initially. In this respect, Gallaghers’ are no exception. Just take it easy; you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy. The cutlery for each pie includes a large spoon! Which pie was the best? Despite some cross-table sampling, we found it difficult to give a one-two. Looks like a replay is called for!

The pies are more or less traditional and are not just for the festive season.  The menu is quite large with something for everyone, including the likes of Buttermilk Chicken Burger, T-Bone Steak, Roast Cider Chicken, Fish ’n Chips, Lamb Curry, Twomey's Beef Burger and Catch of the Day (which was Sea Bass on the night we were in.)

In some restaurants, it can be difficult to find gluten-free options, but not here, where you have plenty of choices, including starters like chicken wings, crispy cauliflower, seafood chowder, and more. See the menu here.  

Our starter was the Korean Pork Belly (Parsnip puree, house pickles, Gochujang glaze), a flavourful combination, sweet and spicy, and melt in the mouth. That set the scene nicely for a lovely meal.

Of course, we got a warm welcome. We stepped in from the cold, were greeted immediately and shown to our table. Everyone got quite a greeting from the helpful staff. Indeed, the staff - chatty, smiling, efficient - contributed in no small way to the general and genial atmosphere. We left this friendly place with, yes, a stomach full of food, but also with a sense of well-being.

My drink, by the way, was Stag Stout from 9 White Deer in Ballyvourney. I’ve long been a fan. It is a medium-bodied traditional dry Irish stout at 4.2 % ABV. It is designed to appeal primarily to traditional stout drinkers, and also happens to be gluten-free, the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

Gallaghers. A comfortable corner.

A Feast for the Senses: A Night at Monk's Lane

 A Feast for the Senses: A Night at Monk's Lane

Lamb

The Atlantic drizzle may have been softly creeping into the streets of Timoleague village and drifting through the long deserted refectory of the ancient abbey but, inside the nearby Monk's Lane last Thursday, a vibrant buzz filled the air of the dining room. 

Unlike the hushed reverence of some

Granville's: Macroom's Culinary Gem Rises from the Ashes

Granville's: Macroom's Culinary Gem Rises from the Ashes

Menu Locally Sourced, Globally Inspired

In 2007, Paul and Leonie Granville transformed a derelict site into a Macroom jewel, Granville's Bar and Restaurant. A 2021 fire tested their resilience, but the family bounced back stronger than ever. It is a friendly place, service is with

Beer of the Week. 9 White Deer's Well Bred Stag Kolsch

Beer of the Week.

9 White Deer's Well Bred Stag Kolsch 

9 White Deer Stag Kolsch, 4.2% ABV, 500 ml bottle, O’Donovan’s

Stag Kolsch, by 9 White Deer Brewery in Ballyvourney, is our Beer of the Week.

See the fountains of micro-bubbles rise through the yellow/amber body towards the soft white head. This Stag Kolsch, with its high carbonation level and gentle hop character, is palate-friendly with an almost creamy feel. Easy to quaff and easy to see how this refreshing gluten-free and flavoursome beer (more malty than hoppy) has become quite a seller, widely available in both bottle and draught.

But what style is it? Some call it a lager, some call it an ale, others hybrid. Don't worry too much about it, just enjoy! It is a style that originated in Cologne.

The team in 9 White Deer have certainly cracked the style here. They have brewed with German Nobel Hops, Premium Irish and German Malt and German Yeast. Stag Kolsch gets “an extended lagering time where it can develop and mature into a classic premium European style beer”. 

The brewery had, still have, two big “factors” on their side when they set out to produce a Kolsch: the local water and a famous German brewmaster. The water, from the Cork and Kerry mountains, is really soft, just perfect for lager-style beers. 

And the guidance they got from Roland, then brewmaster of the well-known Munich brewery Augustiner and still a friend of the Ballyvourney brewery, could not have been bettered. Kolsch and 9 White Deer were on their way.

On the craft trail: Two Red Ales and a Session IPA from 9 White Deer, O'Hara's and Lough Gill

On the craft trail

Two Red Ales and a Session IPA 

from 9 White Deer, O'Hara's and Lough Gill

9 White Deer Stag Rua Red Ale, 4.2% ABV, 500 ml bottle Bradleys

Be big, be bold, Bí Dána

Made with a mix of ale, crystal and chocolate malts, Stag Rua by Ballyvourney’s 9 White Deer, pours a very dark red indeed, with a soft off-white head. Indeed at first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking that a glass of stout was on the way to you.

Chocolate, coffee and caramel in the aromas and also on the smooth palate. A really well-balanced beer with no single ingredient dominating. Quite a satisfying mouthful indeed. Easy-drinking as they indicate and also Gluten Free (since 2018).

They say: Stag Rua is a beer with big malt flavours and it’s our impression of a perfect Irish Red Ale. The body is moderate meaning it’s not a heavy beer with an ABV of 4.2%. The flavour profile of Stag Rua is full of irresistible chocolate, caramel and toffee characteristics. These are derived from the liberal use of chocolate and crystal malts besides the gorgeous Irish ale malt. We hope you enjoy drinking it as much as we love it. Be big, be bold, Bí Dána”

Very Highly Recommended.

 

O’Hara’s Irish Red Ale, 4.3% ABV, 500 ml bottle, Dunnes

O’Hara’s has quite a dark red robe and an off white head that hangs about for a bit. They say the red colour is intensified by the finest roast barley, while subtle hop additions in the kettle give just the right bitterness and aroma to craft this distinctive Irish Red Ale.

Roasted caramel stands out in the aromatics. And you get that caramel and toffee flavour on the palate as well, thanks to the addition of a “pinch of roast barley during the brewing process”. The sweetness of the malt and traditional hop flavour combine well. A terrific example of the style gets a major thumbs up from this quarter.

 

The Carlow Brewing crew is naturally quite proud of their red ale: “This Red stands out in this beer style category. The malt body is as impressive as a bock, albeit in a uniquely Irish way….is much more complex than its mainstream rivals.”

Excellent balance and Very Highly Recommended

 

For the Geek

Style: Traditional Red Ale

ABV: 4.3%

IBU: 34 

Fermentation: Top fermentation 

Availability: Keg (carbonated), Bottle 50cl and 33cl (occasional 41L cask)

Serving Temperature: 6-8°C

Food Pairing: Pairs well with baked and roasted main courses from the oven such as beef hotpot. Also excellent with winter soups. A delicious accompaniment to mature cheddar or soft goat cheeses.

Lough Gill Shaka Session IPA, 3.8% ABV, 440 ml can, Higgins SuperValu

This light gold coloured IPA comes from the excellent Lough Gill Brewery in Sligo. 

It is hazy. Look hard and you’ll note fountains of bubbles rising up to the soft white head.  At 3.8% ABV, it limbos comfortably under the session bar. Aromas are moderate, are of the tropical kind and very pleasant. And so it continues smoothly on the palate with more tropical notes, also some citrus, and an almost creamy mouthfeel that “has been amped up with the addition of oats and Dextrin malts”. 

Another well-balanced beer with a refreshing finish and well suited to a session.

Highly Recommended.

BEER OF THE WEEK: 9 White Deer Stag Stout

BEER OF THE WEEK

9 White Deer Stag Stout, 4.2% ABV, 500 ml bottle, O’Donovan’s

This gluten-free Stag Stout, from Ballyvourney’s 9 White Deer, weighs in at 4.2% ABV. It is a glossy black colour with a soft tan head. 

Aromas are rich and rammed with chocolate promise, which is fully delivered in the mouth. Here the chocolate and Madagascan vanilla play quite the most pleasing duet as the rich and smooth beer finds its way around. The chocolate is never over the top though and the stout is distinctive and delicious. Smooth and creamy, all without any nitro! And it is also gluten-free.

Very Highly Recommended. Beer of the Week

They say: Stag Stout is a medium-bodied traditional dry Irish stout at 4.2 % ABV. It is designed to appeal primarily to traditional stout drinkers, who remember how creamy the pints used to be. The complex recipe we developed brings back to life characteristics that are long forgotten. However this stout is like no other, Stag Stout also happens to be gluten-free, the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

I first came across this black beauty in Blairs Inn (near Blarney) in the winter of 2017. Richard Blair, one of two brothers then running the gastro pub, told me of a satisfied customer of a few days earlier. A coeliac, the man hadn’t drunk stout, his favourite tipple, for twenty years but, having sampled the Stag, left Blair's Inn with tears of gratitude.

Then Richard’s mother Anne guideed us to our fireside table. We began with some stout-infused brown bread! Delicious stuff and, of course, the Stag is one of the ingredients. Then I got to enjoy a pint with my Venison Casserole and it proved a great match for the rich dish of Wicklow venison. That ritual would be repeated in some form or other almost every winter thereafter.

The combination of the medium body, low carbonation and low hop bitterness makes Stag Stout a dangerously drinkable stout that tastes every bit as gorgeous as it looks. The promise from 9 White Deer is that as you enjoy a pint of Stag Stout you will agree with them in their assertion that it is the “Smoothest Stout in Ireland”.  It certainly is a good one!

This is a double chocolate and Madagascan vanilla stout, with cocoa and vanilla in the ingredients list, as well as green barley and oats. 

CorkBillyBeers #55. Craft with 9 White Deer, Kildare Brewing, Brewdog

CorkBillyBeers #55

Craft with 9 White Deer, Kildare Brewing, Brewdog

A red ale and two stouts for the darker nights.

*******************

9 White Deer Stag Stout, 4.2% ABV, 500 ml bottle Bradleys

This gluten-free Stag Stout, from Ballyvourney’s 9 White Deer, weighs in at 4.2% ABV. It is a glossy black colour with a soft tan head. Aromas are rich and full of chocolate promise, which is fully delivered in the mouth. Here the chocolate and Madagascan vanilla play quite the most pleasing duet as the rich and smooth beer finds its way around. This is a must-try chocolate “block” from the West Cork Gaeltacht; it is distinctive and delicious. Smooth and creamy, all without any nitro!

We enjoyed this early in the year and the conclusion now is very much the same. 

Very Highly Recommended.

I first came across this black beauty in Blairs Inn (near Blarney) in the winter of 2017. Richard Blair, one of two brothers then running the gastro pub, told me of a satisfied customer of a few days earlier. A coeliac, the man hadn’t drunk stout, his favourite tipple, for twenty years but, having sampled the Stag, left Blair's Inn with tears of gratitude.

They say: Stag Stout is a medium-bodied traditional dry Irish stout at 4.2 % ABV. It is designed to appeal primarily to traditional stout drinks, who remember how creamy the pints used to be. The complex recipe we developed brings back to life characteristics that are long forgotten. However this stout is like no other, Stag Stout also happens to be gluten-free, the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

The combination of the medium body, low carbonation and low hop bitterness makes Stag Stout a dangerously drinkable stout that tastes every bit as gorgeous as it looks. The promise from 9 White Deer is that as you enjoy a pint of Stag Stout you will agree with them in their assertion that it is the “Smoothest Stout in Ireland”.  It certainly is a good one!

*******************

Brewdog Black Heart Draught Stout, 4.1% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

As is their usual way, Brewdog demanded attention when they launched Black Heart Draught Stout. They would take on Guinness with this  “Classic stout, brewed in and for this century. Old dog, new tricks.”

Not too sure the old dog stands up to scrutiny (Brew Dog was founded as recently as 2007) and the “new trick” turns out to be the well-known nitrogen that they add to the Chocolate and extra dark crystal malts to give smooth layers of roasted, toasted coffee and cocoa, with a hint of caramel coming through. Besides, it is labelled as Draught Stout which it is obviously not.

It certainly looks the part, black as night with a creamy-looking off-white top that hangs around a bit. There is indeed the roasted coffee and coca and caramel coming through in the smoothness. But I feel that here, and in quite a few similar stouts, the nitrogen (listed on the label), while undoubtedly adding smoothness, shaves down some other characteristics. It is not quite as “Hoppy Bitter Malty” as they proclaim. I’d give it malty but the other two are very shy indeed.

They have identified Guinness and Dublin as the object of their attack. Perhaps Britain is short of good stouts but that is not the case here and there are quite a few excellent examples, especially in the south, like the Casey Brothers from Killarney Brewing, Tipperary’s Whitefield, Dungarvan Brewery, and a number in Cork like Elbow Lane, Mi Dazza, Lynch’s, West Cork’s Stout by Stout West and, especially, Stag. Brewdog do not seem to have a handle on the challenge here. Their Cork pub didn't last very long.

In fairness, Black Heart is a 21st-century decent effort. Then again all the beers we drink now are of the same century.

*******************

Kildare Brewing Red Ale, 4% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

“The classic beer for the modern beer lover.” That’s the description of this red ale from Kildare Brewing, the first beer I've tasted from the Sallins micro-brewery.

Colour is a dark red with a soft off whiet head that sinks slowly. Aromas are malty and there’s a malty element too as it starts in the palate. Toffee and toast are also in the background along with fruity and flowery notes from the yeast and quite a streak of acidity too keeps it nicely balanced. A bit on the light side for a classic Irish Red but a good one, quite refreshing.

“Store cold, drink fresh and enjoy,” is what the brewery advises. I did and it is Highly Recommended.

Back in August, there were celebrations in Sallins when they won two National Bar Of The Year awards for the 'Best Visitors Attraction' and  'Best Craft Beer Bar' in Ireland.

“To say we are proud of our team is an understatement as these awards are testament to what we do day in and day out here at Kildare Brewing Co & Lock 13 Brewpub.

In particular we are honoured to have such a gentle giant leading our brewery tour experiences with @tadghcomerford_ & would recommend you book a brewery tour with us to see why it's an award-winning visitor attraction by visiting www.lock13.ie (every Sat & Sun).”

Good Food Ireland says the brewery’s Lock13 pub “serves up pub grub favourites made with local ingredients as well as a wonderful selection of craft beers made on-site by the Kildare Brewing Company”.

Must call there on my next visit to Kildare.