On the craft trail - with Lineman, Western Herd and Lough Gill
Lineman Reflector Pils 4.2% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys
Lineman resurrected their Reflector Pils recently. “And why not?”, they ask: “We absolutely love this stuff, and it seems you do too, because you voted it #1 in style in 2023 on untappd.”
It certainly looks the part in the glass. That golden colour you'd expect
Beer of the Week
Lineman Electromode APA, 5.0% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys
limited edition hits the spot
The recently canned Electromode American Pale Ale is a limited edition (their 5th of the year) from the Dublin brewery Lineman.
It is a hazy orange, yet you can see the microbubbles at play, shimmying their way towards the soft white head. The recipe includes delicious Maris Otter malt, flaked oats, and the West Coast hops Simcoe, Azacca, and Columbus. There is no hard bitterness here and no hard fruit flavours. It is just a super balance with softer fruits such as pineapple and peach.
This supple American Pale Ale is a beer to be enjoyed at leisure. It is Very Highly Recommended and is our Beer of the Week.
It has a medium body and classically firm bitterness, complemented by notes of bright lime, pineapple, and “just a smidgen of peach”.
It has proven very popular since its release. Lineman: "This American Pale Ale has been flying out the brewery door. Brewed with a little more mouthfeel and bitterness from one of our old favourite hops, Columbus, some Azacca, and Citra."
Lineman Organised Fun Hopfenweisse 5.6% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys
“Pillowy weisse is really nice when we slap a lash of hops in there”.
Pillowy for sure and under that white head it has a mid-gold colour. Aromas of fruit, clove and banana are moderate. It is hoppy and full-bodied, with a
CorkBillyBeers #52
https://www.corkbilly.com/2023/12/happy-christmas-to-you-and-yours.html
Craft with Whitefield, Lineman, Blacks, and Lomza
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Whitefield Harvest Ale 5.8% ABV, 375 ml bottle Bradleys
Seasonal. Classic tastes to suit the seasons. Brewed in Tipperary.
“To celebrate each year’s harvest we brew a beer with a unique ingredient. This year we are using raspberries from Con Traas’s farm in Cahir in a blend of sour beer and weisss beer. The raspberries were added at the start of cold maceration to preserve their unique flavour.”
Orange is the colour (opaque) here and the white head vanishes quickly. The longish cork is secured with the normal wire trap and takes some removing. Smell the beer and you get a sour whiff, no hint of the wheat beer as yet! No hint of the raspberries from the Apple Farm though I did detect a hint of crab apples.
That refreshing sourness rushes through on the palate, a concentrated hit, some clove notes interspersed, that my palate welcomed,. Probably one of the rarest flavours I've ever tasted. But I'm not backing off. I'm ready for more, taking my time though, sipping small the more to enjoy the flavour and the refreshment.
Out on its own in more ways than one! Go for it. Very Highly Recommended.
Best before date is March 2025 (bought 10.10.23). Wonder if I got a few and kept them until ‘25! They could well be even better.
Whitefield is a small family-owned brewery dedicated to brewing authentic, traditional-style beers. “Our focus is on using the best available malt and hops from farmers and people we’ve actually met and visited. Beers are brewed using a traditional style German brewhouse, matured over many months and then we self-distribute all our beers to publicans and off licences we respect and trust. This we believe, allows us to provide you, the customer, with a genuinely authentic beer.” See our feature on the Tipperary brewer from earlier this year here.
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Lineman KHZ IPA, 7% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys
There’s this promise on the label: “With the bitterness to refresh and the fruitiness to satisfy your hop cravings..”
Lineman’s KHZ is back after a 2-year break, “one of our dankest and funkiest IPAs thanks to the lashings of Ekuanot and Azacca we give it.”
Colour is a light orange but a very hazy one whose white head holds on for a brief moment. Aromas tell of the dankness to come. And it comes in a power-packed rush, bitterness welling across the palate as a shoal of strong citrus flavours swirl about. The dry hopping has worked like a dream but this is no heavy metal performance. It is Booker T cool and smooth, knocking out a rhythm of fruity hop aromas. Jamming it up so you don't want it to end.
Very Highly Recommended. Kilohertz or kilohops, KHZ is just buzzing, just the job for the Lineman himself.
Geek Bits
BB: 15.08.24. Bought 25.09.23
ABV: 6.9%
Hops: Azzaca, Ekuanot, Centennial, Citra
Suitable for vegans
Format: 440 ml can
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Blacks KPA Kinsale Pale Ale, 5.0% ABV, 500 ml bottle Dunnes Stores
Can’t blame folks for blowing their own trumpet! “Our world-famous KPA is all about perfect balance and amazing drinkability.” I have been drinking this since 2014 and would gladly help with that trumpet.
You know the story. This is an American-style Pale Ale bursting with Cascade and Citra Hops. Tropical and citrus flavours are beautifully balanced with malt sweetness. Loved the way the flavours spread over the palate from the first sip and that dry clean lingering finish. Indeed, linger is the word. Take your time sipping, the better to enjoy every single drop.
The Magic of Malt and Hops
The delicate balance between malt and hops is what makes this pale ale so special. Some brewers go too heavy on the malt, but this recipe allows the hops—a mix of Centennial, Cascade, and Citra—to shine through with their grapefruit, lime, and other citrus flavours. The malt still plays its part, giving the beer a delicious mouthfeel and a crisp clean finish.
This is how Blacks themselves put it: Blacks escape the mundane of the mass market, producing beers with passion, personality and lots of hops. American-style Pale Ale bursting with Cascade and Citra Hops. Tropical and citrus flavours are beautifully balanced with malt sweetness.
Very Highly Recommended
Geek Bits
Style: Top Fermented*******************
Lomza Lager 5.7% ABV, 500 ml bottle Dunnes Stores
Spotted this Polish lager on the shelf and thought, thanks to my long-standing European spirit, that I’d give it a twirl.
Their recipe consists of nothing more than three carefully selected ingredients: water, barley malt and hops. It is distinguished by being non-pasteurised.
It certainly looks (with its gold colour and white head and millions of bubbles) like a lager. Smells like one also with its malt qualities prominent. The flavour is excellent and the beer is refreshing, a simple well-made lager.
“At Łomża we believe that simplicity is a great thing. In an increasingly complex world, we offer clarity - just the highest quality ingredients with nothing to hide. The only complicated thing about Łomża is our name.”
The Łomża brewery is one of the last remaining independent big-capacity breweries in Poland. “The decisions we make directly affect us and our business. We don’t compromise on quality. We stay true to ourselves and our aim to produce good quality, honest beer.”
Expiry date is next January. I didn't take too much notice of the non-pasteurised note even though it is flagged very clearly on the label until I photographed the bottle for this post. The cans and bottles of pasteurised beers are run through a hot water spray that’s around 140 degrees to kill any bacteria and stop any yeast still in the beer from growing. Unpasteurised don’t get that treatment.
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| In the wild: Elevation at Lynam's Laragh |
Craft Pale Ale with Wicklow Wolf, Whiplash, Lineman, Sullivan's
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Wicklow Wolf Elevation Pale Ale, 4.8%, 440ml can SuperValu Mayfield
Golden Pineapple Delight
This light gold, slightly hazy beer pours with a mild hoppy aroma. The first sip reveals juicy pineapple flavours that lead to a moderate, yet noticeable, hop bitterness. The bitterness is balanced by the sweetness of the pineapple, making for a very refreshing and easy-drinking beer.
This beer is a sessionable crowd-pleaser, and it's no wonder that it's the brewery's best-seller. You'll have no trouble finding a can of this beer, and it's easy to find on draught in its home county.
A Beer for All Occasions
This beer is perfect for any occasion. It's light enough to enjoy on a hot day, but it's also flavourful enough to pair with a meal. Whether you're having a barbecue with friends or just relaxing at home, it is a banker.
This refreshing and flavourful beer is Very Highly Recommended.
They say: An incredibly drinkable Pale Ale bursting with juicy fruits of pineapple and grapefruit from an abundance of hop additions. Refreshing.
Geek Bits
Food pairings: roasted or grilled meat.
Cheese Mild or medium cheddar.
Serve at 8 degrees. It is unfiltered, unpasteurised and the IBU is 40.
Hops: Mosaic, Mandarina Bavaria, Calypso
Malt: Pale, Cara Ruby, Melano, Wheat.
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Whiplash Body Riddle Pale Ale 4.5% ABV, 330ml can, No 21 Coburg Street
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| Label Pic via Whiplash |
A Citrusy Treat
The Whiplash Body Riddle Pale Ale is a light and hazy gold beer with a fluffy white head. The aroma is a blend of citrus fruits, with lemon, grapefruit, and orange leading the way. There are also hints of pine and herbs, which add a touch of complexity.
The flavour is even more citrus-forward than the aroma, with lemon and grapefruit dominating. There is also a touch of sweetness from the malt, which helps to balance out the bitterness from the hops. The finish is dry and refreshing, with a lingering citrusy flavour.
The Body Riddle Pale Ale is brewed with a blend of Lemondrop, Galaxy, Simcoe, and Ekuanot hops. These hops all contribute to the beer's citrusy flavour profile, while also adding a touch of bitterness and complexity.
This beer is perfect for a hot day or as a sessionable beer to enjoy with friends. It's also a great beer to pair with food, as the citrus flavours can complement a variety of dishes.
But don't worry. There’s more than citrus here with the other hops, Galaxy, Simcoe, and Ekuanot all getting into the action and helping in the balancing act.
Lots of hops but no domination - IBU is a very presentable 26 - making sure you get flavour galore without scaring away the newbies. Absolutely enjoyable, from start to finalé. Not too much more to say about this gem but, with me, that’s often a good sign. I’ve made up my mind early and the verdict is a major thumbs up for the little can. Best of goods in small parcels.
Very Highly Recommended. Good for a session too!
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| Pic via Sullivan's |
Sullivan’s Pale Ale, 4.7%, 500ml bottle SuperValu Mayfield
They say: Fermented using our Sullivan’s yeast and our ‘No-Rush’ brewing process for a delicious, classic balance.
Complex, Refreshing!
This Kilkenny Pale Ale is a beer that defies expectations. The colour is more amber than gold, and the aromas are more resinous than citrus. The evergreen effect continues on the palate, with fruit flavours (peach, apricot) having a say, even a touch of marmalade. The malts are of course also in evidence, but they are not the star of the show.
This beer is complex and refreshing at the same time. The resinous hops provide a touch of bitterness, which is balanced by the sweetness of the malts. The fruit flavours add a touch of complexity, and the marmalade note gives the beer a unique flavour profile.
There's a lot to like about our Kilkenny Pale Ale. Very Highly Recommended
Geek Bits
Traditionally brewed with Vienna and Pale Ale malts, chill-hopped with Amarillo hops.
Malts - Irish Ale, Vienna.
Hops - Magnum, Admiral, First Gold and AmarilloBrewery:
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Lineman Fluid Dynamic Extra PA 4.8% ABV, No 21 Coburg Street
Mid gold is the colour of this Extra Pale Ale from Lineman, a beer that has been around for a while. It is slightly hazy but no problem in spotting the fountains of bubbles rising to the white head. Returning to a previous tasting, I’m glad to see I mentioned that it “could well have wide appeal”.
Still going strong with citrus and pine in the aromas and with flavours from citrus to mango to pine with a peppermint hint thrown in for good measure on the palate. Unpasteurised and unfiltered, the beer is a soft and pleasant one on the palate, brewed deliberately using barley and wheat malts to make it light and clean and let the hops take centerstage but without taking over.
It is named Fluid Dynamic and the hops chosen were the all-American trio of Citra, Idaho 7 and Chinook. They give it quite a supple touch yet it is well balanced with barley and wheat malt helping a light clean beer emerge that lets the hops shine through, a hefty drink to have in hand in the summer and autumn hours between sun and dark.
Very Highly Recommended.
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Craft Lager, a superb quartet from Wicklow Wolf, Kinnegar, Mescan and Lineman
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Wicklow Wolf Running With Wolves India Pale Lager, 5.6%, 440ml can
Just like Kinnegar below, Wicklow Wolf are claiming this is a “modern style” lager. It is brewed in collaboration with Bristol brewery Lost and Grounded and this India Pale Lager is dry hopped with Idaho 7 and Huell Melon to create “a savagely refreshing modern style lager”.
Wicklow tells us, that for the collaboration with their friends Lost and Grounded Brewers, “we took inspiration from their delicious Running with Sceptres, we brewed a single decoction India Pale Lager.”
Yeast used in this hybrid is an interesting one. It is the Hoppin Pils lager yeast that is targeted towards IPL styles and/or dry hopped lagers (as here) and is commonly used for the brewing of Bock, German lagers, Kolsch, lagers and pilsners
Colour is a light gold (not quite one hundred per cent clear) and there are aromas of biscuity malt, apricot and a citrus sweetness. On the palate, no shortage of flavour as the malts and hops get together to make it a balanced experience right through to the satisfactory finalé.
This single decoction India Pale Lager is Very Highly Recommended..
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Kinnegar #30 Unfiltered Hoppy Lager 4.6%, 440ml can Bradleys
Colour of this unfiltered hoppy lager from the Kinnegar Brewers at Play series is a "foggy" gold. The first impression on the palate is one of refreshment, just like a lager should be. But, reinforced by “a contemporary hop profile”, this has a bit more going for it and should be welcome as the temperatures stay high in the days ahead.
Indeed, the brewers say they made it “to herald the arrival of a warmer beer-drinking season”. I notice they don’t mention summer!
The Brewers at Play series is designed to keep Kinnegar brewers on their toes and their customers on tenterhooks. It is No. 30 in the series which has come up with some gems. This is another one, a superb lager with excellent flavour and that high refreshment factor.
Lagers, they say, are among the most challenging - “and are amongst our favourite beers to brew”. I reckon it was well worth the effort on this occasion.
Very Highly Recommended.
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Mescan Seven Virtues Lager 4.8%, 330 ml bottle
Last Spring (April) in the Mescan brewery, on a farm in the shadow of Croagh Patrick, we started a tasting with brewery co-founder Cillian Ó Móráin with a shared bottle of this lager. After a long enough drive from Cork, it proved remarkably refreshing and made me wonder why so few lagers reach this level of quality.
This may be the answer. At that tasting, Cillian explained that his beers take a minimum of 4 months with the heavy ones getting 6-8 months whereas your normal craft beer takes just a few weeks from start to counter (can vary from brewer to brewer). While the extra time makes the Mescan more expensive, Cillian reckons it is very important for the quality of the beer. And it is indeed a premium product as that little tasting and this more recent full bottle illustrated.
It has the nice golden lager colour and billions of bubbles rising to the soft white head. A bit of citrus and grass (not that grass!) in the aromas. On the palate, it is a bit more than your usual lager - it is after all dry-hopped. But it is crisp and refreshing, easy-drinking. Well worth a try!
They say: Virtues lager was the first in a series of one-off brews. Crisp and slightly dry hopped, a nod in the direction of both tradition and innovation. Serving Temp 2 - 4 °C.
Note that serving temperature, somewhat lower than usual.
Mescan always pay attention to matching their beers with food and even invented the Mescan Food-Pairing Wheel, designed to take the angst out of matching beer and food. It’s an easy way to pair each Mescan craft beer with the foods that complement it. It’s available on the website and is easily printable in a pdf format. It was a useful resource for all the home chefs who explored new options in their kitchens during the pandemic.
Check here to see what goes with this lager.
Very Highly Recommended
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Lineman Undertone Dark Lager, 4.5% ABV, 440ml can Bradleys
Came across this dark gem first at the Franciscan Well Easter Festival on the North Mall and was immediately smitten, so obviously that the kind lady at the Lineman stand generously topped me up, with a smile. It was a sunny day. No sun as I write but I’m still smiling with my dark Czech lager.
Dark ruby is the colour of this one with a soft tan colour head on top. Chocolate and caramel feature in the aromas. And the flavours give it away - it is a malty lager, underneath the toast-bready, caramel-y camouflage.
A smooth Bohemian style dark lager that delivers delicious toast, chocolate and caramel notes. Unpasteurised, unfiltered, serve chilled. Drink fresh. Suitable for vegans. All that info on the label.
And quite a refreshing lager. The smooth flavours develop as a result of the use of Munich malts and extended cold fermentation and conditioning. And also a more expressive lager yeast strain that adds its own character.
They say: This unfiltered lager is given plenty of time to condition over the 8 weeks in tank prior to packaging. It's one of our absolute favourites. It's a labour of love.
Yes, Lineman (and me) are fans of Czech darks and dunkels. “Rounder and less roasty than a schwarzbier. Toasty, bread crust, and caramel. Freshly packaged UNDERTONE is making a return with a new look, but still a delicious 4.5% beer to enjoy. We've given the label a makeover and we've tweaked the recipe just a tad. This unfiltered lager is given plenty of time to condition over the 8 weeks in tank prior to packaging."
Used to be 4.2% but the new 4.5% keeps it in the sessional category.
Very Highly Recommended.
