On the Wild Atlantic Way craft trail with a session of Lough Gill, Western Herd and Galway
Lough Gill Sligo Bay Pale Ale APA, 4.6% ABV, 440 ml can Matsons
This white-soft-topped American Pale ale is pale gold and quite hazy. It is brewed in Sligo with a mix of cereals and American hops for a hop-forward yet
CorkBillyBeers #35
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Galway Bay Sour IPA 6.2% ABV, 440ml can Bradleys
Came across this first at the Franciscan Well Easter Fest where @SimonSaysBeer introduced us. Very impressed. With the beer. And with Simon also of course!!
Galway Bay: Another new beer snuck out of the brewery last week. When we had a visit from our great friends @begylebrewing Chicago we knew we needed to pull out something interesting, a bit of a challenge. Brewed on a pillowy light base of pilsner malt, wheat, oats and rice. Hopped with fresh Nelson Sauvin, Talus and Citra then co-fermented with an acid-producing yeast and a wine yeast. We landed on a new yeast strain that produces a soft sourness but isn't the kettle sour technique you might have seen before.
Sister Cities (6.2%), a Sour IPA with citrus, apple, a touch of elderflower and a balancing acidity. Very drinkable indeed and looking forward to a few in the garden in the better days ahead!
The colour is more lemon than orange, somewhat on the hazy side. Citrus and yeast notes in the aromas and that sour citrus impresses on the palate, apple also, with a grape skin influence and a bit of mango and weak lychee also, tropical mainly, though you may get a hint of elderflower. Well balanced and not overly sour on the way to a pleasant finale.
Highly Recommended. This small batch may well be sold out by now, even though I got this can quite recently.
O Brother (x Bierhaus) Lionn Buidhe Bhrighde Sour 4.3% ABV, 440 ml can No 21 Coburg St
O Brother had quite a time brewing this up in collaboration with Bierhaus, a Galway pub. “it’s been a week, we need a drink, so looking forward to cracking open our latest special brew Lionn Buidhe Bhrighde. Buidhe or “bui “ meaning yellow, for its delightful colour, is a beautiful dry hopped sour, in a Berliner Weiss style”.
They further tell us that the title of the beer, “humbly provided by scholar Louis de Paor”, translates as “Bridget’s yellow ale”. It is in honour of the patron saint of brewing, and totem of the Celtic spring festival Imbolc, Saint Bridget.
Colour is light gold, a little on the hazy side. The aromatics are quite complex but mainly citrus, floral and pine, true to the characteristics of the Mosaic. Brid’s Yellow Ale is indeed sour, quite tart but also deeply refreshing, all achieved through the yeast I suppose as no adjuncts are listed in the ingredients.
In any event, it is exquisitely balanced between sweetness and acidity.
and is the kind of sour that could give the style a good name and is Highly Recommended.
We let the brothers have the last word. “We’re so proud of it, and our connection to @bierhausgalway, long may it continue. Also, shout out to @galwayswestend @thisisgalway and @jeanconsidine for the image and as always to @kate______tings for the design.”
So what is a Berliner Weisse? Functionally, it’s a wheat beer with a touch of sparkling acidity from the Lactobacillus, according to hopculture.com. And, in Berlin, when you order a Berliner Weisse, the waiter will often say “rot oder grün?” Which simply means “red or green?” He or she is referring to which syrup you'd like with the beer. Red is usually a sweet raspberry syrup. Green is a more traditional grassy herb known as woodruff.
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Whiplash & Mescan The Climb Dry Hopped Saison 7.1% ABV, 440ml can Bradleys
Craftbrewing.com notes, that today, interest in ancient grains is rising, and craft brewers in Europe and the United States are starting to rediscover spelt. “Used at proportions approaching 50% of the grist, spelt malt gives mild, nutty flavors backed by tangy acidic notes.” And The Beer Bible confirms that Spelt was extremely common in saison back in the day.
Irish brewers Whiplash and Mescan have noted this also and their recent collaboration features spelt malt which is a pale, well-modified malt-aromatic product made from spelt, a hard-grained heirloom wheat.
Whiplash is happy: The first Saison to ever come out of Whiplash, and who better to collaborate with than Mescan? We used Spelt in this brew, really putting the mash filter to work. With these farmhouse-style beers, it's always nice to experiment with the grains and in this case, we've been left with a beautifully silky beer.
Mescan also: Had our first one today and we couldn't be more pleased with how this collaboration with @whiplashbeer turned out! A Saison - traditionally brewed to quench the thirst of farm workers - it's the perfect beer for this weather.
And they can count me in.
Colour is a hazy light orange. Flavours are mildly nutty backed by tangy acidic notes. there are also moderate malt notes, nutty and bready, and then lemon, orange rind and black pepper come through making for a perfect sunny-day-beer. Packed with interesting flavours, this is perhaps more for the grafters out there rather than the iPad tappers in here.
Neither East Coast nor West Coast. Not a million miles from a wheat beer with its mild banana and clove notes although a little spicier perhaps.
Suits me fine though.
Highly Recommended
The Climb is available now on the webshop whiplashbeer.com
Geek Bits
ABV 7.1%
440ml Cans & Draught
Artwork by @izzyrosegrange
Mescan invite - Take a spin along the side of Clew Bay, between Westport and Louisburgh, and come visit us at the brewery in the foothills of Croagh Patrick, on one of our tours - most Friday afternoons through the summer. We look forward to having you. *Prebooking required through our website*
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Third Barrel Ár gCairde Cold IPA 5.1% ABV, 440ml can Bradleys
Cold on the double.
A Cold IPA?
1- “..a Cold IPA is an IPA fermented at lower temperatures than what is normally used to ferment an ale,” writes Skip Schwartz, head brewer at WeldWerks Brewing Co., in conversation with Hop Culture. Fermenting an IPA at colder temperatures means brewers often use a lager yeast or a combination of a lager and an ale yeast.
2- Sierra Nevada: A Cold IPA delivers India Pale Ale hop intensity while keeping the malt character restrained and ultra crisp — yet still hitting a respectable ABV target, like the 7% of Cold Torpedo.
The cold is not referring to the drinking temperature but to the temperature while it is fermenting.
The beer under consideration here is the result of a collaboration between Third Barrell and Mo Chara. Check them out here https://mo-chara.ie/
Our Cold IPA has an amber colour and a white head that doesn't hang about for too long. Aromas are quite intense, mostly from the hops, tropical and resinous. Refreshment is immediate, a lively effervescence invigorating the palate. A terrific balance of flavours plus a pleasant bitterness that lingers. This is the first Cold IPA that has come my way and I am certainly impressed.
But there is another “cold” twist. Rice is not the only unusual ingredient. The hops are Galaxy and Amarillo and one called Cryo Pop. Cryo Hops® pellets can be utilised anywhere whole-leaf hops and hop pellets are traditionally applied. Along with cost savings, it offers an enhanced contribution of hop flavour and aroma and reduced grassy and vegetal characteristics
The collaborators on Ar gCairde are very pleased: “The body of this Cold IPA is light and crisp, reminiscent of a lager, offering a clean and refreshing mouthfeel.
The finish is dry and inviting, with a pleasant bitterness that lingers, enticing you to take another sip. The overall balance of flavours is impeccable, showcasing the skilful craftsmanship of the brewers.”
“Its tropical and citrus hop profile, combined with its refreshing nature, makes it a perfect companion for sunny days or any occasion where you crave a burst of hoppy goodness.”
Highly Recommended
CorkBillyBeers #22
Craft Delight With 13 Brewers At Franciscan Well Easter Fest
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| Busy days for Sean at the Black's of Kinsale taps. |
A baker’s dozen of Ireland’s craft breweries set up camp at the Franciscan Well and turned their well and truly revived Easter Beer Fest into a convivial carnival featuring the best of craft over the holiday weekend. Hard to resist some of the stars here, some beautiful pours over the two days, including a debut for the delicious Locavore Spring 2023, a Honey Hefeweizen, by Wicklow Wolf.
I did have a Plan A when I arrived in the busy venue on Saturday afternoon but that didn't last long. Nor did Plan B or indeed any notion of a plan. No seat available but I did get my aging back up against a solid object and relaxed.
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| Spot the difference? One of these is a lager, one's a stout. Answer at end. |
Lots of chats too of course, none of it too serious. We were here for the craft and the craic. Actually, black (rhymes with craic!) was on Plan A and I did get a couple in. Had a good chat with Sean from Black’s of Kinsale. I was familiar with all three of his taps, including the marvellous Red Rye Redemption.
My eyes wandered to his right and I spotted a dark lager at Lineman. Enjoyed their Schwarzbier last year so I tried the Undertone - a Czech Dark Lager (4.5%), dark with hints of red in the depths, smooth caramel, a touch of toast but all smooth and clean just like a lager should be! The Undertone, a little less roasty than a Schwarzbier, is making a return to the Lineman portfolio and is sure to get a terrific welcome.
That goes on to my shopping list for Bradley’s. In fact, all the beers mentioned here will be going on to that list. Some good weeks ahead then!
My first real black came from Phil, at the Kinnegar stand. He poured me a glass of their long-standing favourite Yannaroddy (4.8%). Long-standing maybe but you never get tired of class and this rich and creamy porter, made with love, has Donegal expertise in every sip.
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| Keith McCarthy at the Wicklow Wolf taps and his Lough Gill colleagues. |
My second black came later on, the Chocolate Truffle Stout from Porterhouse. This limited edition (4.2%) surprised me - I’m always a little suspicious of nitro - but very few can say no to chocolate. Very smooth of course and delicious but not too sweet at all.
More potential sweetness next, but very well balanced. Wicklow Wolf tell us their Locavore Spring 2023 is “a Honey Hefeweizen brewed with heather honey supplied by our friends at @openhivehoney. The bees worked hard in the Wicklow mountains to gather the nectar to make beautiful heather honey for this brew.” Their 2022 edition, a barrel aged ale, was one of my beers of the year and, being a big honey fan anyhow, I’ll be looking at this one more closely soon! ABV is 6.0%.
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| Original 7 Red |
While looking forward to that, I absolutely enjoyed their Wonderland Red Ale. Quite a mix here, according to their notes - caramel, blackcurrant, raspberry and cherry - but a well judged balance and a lovely red and a truly session-able beer with an IBU of 22 and 4.2% ABV.
So we moved from Keith (at the Wolf stand) to Simon at Galway Bay. Started with their classic Helles, the Slow Lives (5%). Next from the west was the Sister Cities (6.2%), a Sour IPA with citrus, apple, a touch of elderflower and a balancing acidity. Very drinkable indeed and looking forward to a few in a the garden in the better days ahead! Thanks Simon! And thanks to all the people we met and sorry we missed out on a few. Next time!
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| Pompeii Pizza: Feeding the troops |
CorkBillyBeers #12
Craft journey with Saisons by Black Donkey,
Mescan and Galway Bay
Mark Dredge’s recently published Beer: A Tasting Course says that Saisons are brewed in an old Belgian Farmhouse tradition and that they vary widely in character. As indeed do farmhouse ales that come “from a romanticised farmhouse tradition”. Just enjoy, don’t get too hung up on the exact style. If you’d like try an excellent Belgian Saison then Michael Creedon of Bradleys in Cork recommends the Saison Dupont: “If you don’t like this, you won’t like saison”.
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Black Donkey Sergeant Jimmy Barrel Conditioned Saison, 7.7%, 500ml bottle BD Online
This is the strongest saison I’ve drank. It is barrel-aged, weighing in at 7.7%. Colour is gold, a deeply hazy one, under a soft white head. There’s banana and vanilla in the aromas. The palate is amazing, so smooth, no heavy hint of the high-ish alcohol, just a caressing ambush by the elegant flavours plus traditional spicy saison yeast character and a gentle satisfying finish including just about a hint of the alcohol that comes more as an expected guest than a whiskey heavy gatecrasher. A welcome guest.
I’m kind of getting used to writing Very Highly Recommended when the beer is from Roscommon’s Black Donkey Brewery. Long may the habits, mine and Richard’s, continue.
Black Donkey tell us it’s easier to say what this doesn’t pair with, a bowl of cornflakes, that’s about it. "From appetiser to dessert, this beer is possibly the most food friendly beer ever produced on the Emerald Isle. Try it, you’ll see what we mean.”
Very Highly Recommended
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Mescan Westport Saison, 5.8% ABV, 330 ml bottle No. 21
Saison is a traditional farmhouse style from the South of Belgium brewed to sustain the workers during long days of toil in the sun. Reckon I'd appreciate one (or two) after a hard day’s labour or even after an idle day.
Colour is a fairly murky orange, with a soft white head that sinks slowly. Aromas include clove and citrus notes. It is dry and light on the palate, fizzy and refreshing. Indeed, that refreshing fizziness is quite a feature. It is also very well balanced, the New World hops matched by the earthy spicy yeast flavours, and you don't really notice the high alcohol. But do sip rather than gulp!
This one is something different, refreshing and quite a thirst quencher (which is the whole idea), and Mescan, as you may know, was St Patrick’s brewer and no doubt the odd conversion was facilitated by a jug of his cloudy brew. The modern bottle conditioned beer is still cloudy! All Mescan beers are bottle conditioned. To enjoy them clear, store upright and pour into a glass, leaving the yeast sediment in bottle.
Would you like to visit the Mescan Brewery. They’d love to have you: “Let us show you around the brewery and tell you the story of how the founders, Cillian and Bart, left their busy lives as vets to run a microbrewery. We will lead you through our range of beers describing the flavour profiles and some of the history of each style. Light snacks are served, the tours are informal and fun and we encourage questions.”
Very Highly Recommended.
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Black Donkey Sheep Stealer Irish Farmhouse Ale, 5.6% ABV, 500ml bottle BD Online
It is a Farmhouse Ale or a Saison? Or something in between? Don’t worry too much about the exact style, just enjoy this well established favourite from the Roscommon brewery.
Colour is straw to a deeper gold, nice small-bubbled white head that hangs about for a bit. Aromas have notes of sweet malt but also a little tart touch. Fruity and a little bit spicy, a lively, natural carbonation, with a subtle hop bitterness, quite complex with the yeast also getting into the flavour act. And that flavour is retained right through to the lip-smacking finalé.
Obviously, Black Donkey can talk the talk and walk the walk. There’s a tall tale about sheep stealers on the label before the beer inside makes quite a statement. An excellent bottle from the Roscommon brewery.
But there is some important info on the label. So note the beer, an “Irish saison, is multi-award winning, is dry, crisp, and ultimately refreshing. Also unfiltered, all natural bottle-conditioned beer. Store upright, 8-10c and pour gently into glass, do not disturb the yeast.”
Delighted to note that Black Donkey are one of those breweries that make an effort (beyond the usual pizzas or fish ’n chips) to come up with matches for their beers. “An incredibly versatile beer to accompany grilled and roasted lamb and game, rib eyes and salmon or mackerel on the BBQ. Stuffed, cheesy mushrooms and cheeses of almost types will match perfectly with this saison for all seasons.”
Nothing’s out of synch here in this very drinkable ale, a core beer since 2014.
"At Black Donkey Brewing we value technique over technology. We brew traditional beers in our traditional, hands-on brewhouse. All our beers are unfiltered, unpasteurised and bottle or keg conditioned."
Very Highly Recommended.
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Galway Bay (with Boundary) Beers That Nobody Asked For Petite Saison, 3.8% ABV, 440ml can CraftCentral
This little saison, Petite because of the lower ABV (I presume), has lemongrass listed as one of its ingredients. It has a bright golden colour, is clear with a bubbly white head, a short-lived one. Some sweet notes along with “countermeasures" from the hops in the aromas. Quite a refreshing drink with flavour mix of floral and citrus, some pith in the background, and a crisp and clean finish.
Galway Bay and Boundary Brewing got together for this one. Galway tell the yarn: “In June we welcomed our good friends Boundary Brewing back to Galway for a long overdue collab. We first brewed together in 2015. For this 2022 brew we decided to turn back time to when brewers made Saisons with reckless abandon. BEERS THAT NOBODY ASKED FOR is a petite saison brewed with Lemongrass. Mashed with Pilsner malt, Wheat & Oats & gently hopped & dry hopped with Amarillo. ..The perfect low alcohol thirst killer.”
Recommended.
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