A Quart of Ale± #66. On the craft journey with Hope's "Classic Gose", White Hag, Tom Crean and Whiplash

A Quart of Ale± #66

On the craft journey with Hope's "Classic Gose", White Hag, Tom Crean and Whiplash 

Hope “Limited Edition No 25“ Classic Gose 5.00%, 440 can

This Gose is Number 25 in Hope’s ever-growing range of limited editions. Gose, as you probably know, is a German sour beer, traditionally brewed in Leipzig and named after a local river.

Got a nice white head when I poured this but it didn’t last long. Colour is a cloudy lemon, with quite a few micro-bubbles racing up through the haze. Aromas are lemony, with a hint of sourdough starter. And that strong citrus element is also found on the palate, a  tangy and very refreshing palate indeed. And very enjoyable too!

They say: Gose is a sour beer, traditionally soured with lactic bacteria, but we actually used a special yeast strain that produces lactic acid as well as alcohol. While many modern Goses have fruit additions, we opted to keep it classic and let the simple mixture of acidic and mildly salty flavours shine on their own. …It goes really well with strong soft cheeses such as goats cheese as well as seafood.

Now where’s my St Tola?

By the way, the first Gosé I came across (at the 2014 LitFest), was made by the Brown Paper Bag Project, Irish brewers without a brewery but who travelled at home and abroad and hiring out or collaborating with existing brewers.

That beer, Fano Bryghus, was made in partnership with the local brewery on the Danish island of Fanoe. Sea salts and coriander were added to the wheat and barley. It had cider like characteristics and the acidity and salinity were prominent. That one was very good with oysters!

Geek Bits

Colour: 6 EBC

IBU (bitterness): 6

Serve at: 6 to 8 C.

Who are Hope? Hope Beer started out in 2015 when the brewery was founded by four friends with a passion for beer and business. What began as a series of late-night kitchen table discussions is now a state-of-the-art brewery, producing an extensive range of award-winning premium craft beers.

Hope produces a core range of five distinct beer styles which are available all year round as well as two seasonals and a wide range of limited-edition beers.

All Hope beers are brewed, bottled, canned and kegged at Howth Junction on Dublin’s Northside and are crafted to be the perfect accompaniment to food. Each beer has its own distinct name, story and taste experience.

White Hag “Magic Mist” Juicy Pale Ale 5.0%, 440 can CraftDirect

Always a bit of magic attached to the White Hag. Here it’s of the misty variety, hazy under a white foamy hat. And aromas enough to wake the spellbound, citrus in there with the mango and passionfruit and a basket of other lovelies. And all the exotic flavours burst onto the palate in a stream of oozy bitterness, soft and juicy. Play misty for me. Again. And again. 

The Label explains:  The tribe of the water goddess Danu, the Tuatha De Dannan enshrouded themselves in a mystical fog rendering their presence invisible to human eyesight.

Tom Crean Druids Wheat Beer 4.2%, 440 can Brewery Sales

The unmistakeable aroma of smoked bacon rises from the lemon coloured body, the head already vanished. You’ll notice quite a crowd of bubbles rising through the slight haze. The aroma continues but not a trace of the clove or banana usually associated with wheat beer as the liquid spreads cool across the palate. Brewer Bill is his own man; he has eased up on the hops and allowed the grain and the yeast the leading roles here. The route may not be the usual one but the result, refreshment, is certainly there. And the smoky aspect diminishes as you sip.

They say: A beer that gives acknowledgement to our rich local ancient history, we used delicately smoked oak malted barley, the reduced hop bill allows the full wheat and yeast flavours to dominate…We use just a tiny amount of hops here in this refreshing beer… let the grain and the yeast do all the work.”

Everyone at the tasting was surprised by the “smoky” ambush but all seemed to enjoy the refreshing element of this Kerry wheat beer.

By the way, if you’re heading towards Kenmare you could do worse than make Tom Crean’s your base camp as you’ll score highly on three fronts: B&B, restaurant with bar/brewery. And even higher on the hospitality front as the brewer Bill and chef Aileen are terrific hosts.

Whiplash Rollover Session IPA 3.8%, 330 can Bradleys

This was session beer of the year last time and this most recent tasting confirmed it’s as likeable as ever.

Pale yellow colour with a  short-lived white head over a hazy body. Citrus fronts the aromatics. And the quartet of hops dominate the palate. Amazing that this has so much hops and still weighs in at less than 4.00% abv. Quite a concentration of hops then, before a lip-smacking finalé.

They say: Same hop rate as our DIPA’s, less than half the alcohol. A very heavily hopped Session IPA: this comes at you with buckets of Simcoe, Ekuanot, Citra and Mosaic hops with a light touch of malts and an easy crushable body. Unfiltered, hazy, hoppy and juicy – Rollover is a New England inspired IPA without the heavy alcohol in tow.

A Quart of Ale± #64 On the craft journey with a session of Hope, Black's, Tom Crean and Rye River's Grafters

A Quart of Ale± #64

On the craft journey with a session with Rye River, Tom Crean, Hope and Blacks 

Rye River Grafters Working Day IPA, 6.5%, 440 can Dunnes Stores

This 2020 Blas na hEireann Gold Medal winner comes in a gold colour with hints of amber. A bit on the cloudy side but you can’t miss all those bubbles rising. Citrus in the aromas and also in the mouth. More fruity and bitter than malty and sweet and also making an impression that is more alcoholic than the 6.50%.

They say: Big, bold and tasty, this American style IPA is full-on flavour, delivering a big hit of juicy, citrus fruits. Perfect to accompany a spicy Indian or Mexican dish. Great with salads too.

Rye River are the brewers here and they make exclusive beers for some of Ireland’s biggest retailers including Lidl (the Crafty range), Tesco and Dunnes… “We’ve no plans to stop growing.” Grafters is one of their brands.

Geeks Bits

Malts: Wheat, Pale Wheat, Torrified Oats.

Hops: Columbus, Ekuanot and Mosaic.

Just wonder who is the guy on the label. He looks familiar.

Rye River Grafters Clocking Off Kölsch Style, 5.0%, 440 can Dunnes Store

Zillions of bubbles race through the slightly hazy gold to the top where a soft foamy head slowly shrinks.   Citrus notes, plus a hint of honey, in the aromas and that continues on the palate where an orange bitterness comes into play as well; no shortage of flavour yet nicely balanced, this World Beer Award winner is crisp and clean with the malt sweetness a factor. Excellent mouthfeel as well. The finish is moderately bitter. But drinkability is high - you want to repeat the experience. Very high quality indeed - a beer that’s top notch and definitely one for the short list.

Geek Bits

Malts: Carapils, Pilsner, Vienna.

Hops: Mandarin Bavaria, Tradition

Tom Crean St Bridget’s Irish Lager, 4.5%, 440 can Brewery Sale

During our brewery tour at Tom Crean’s in Kenmare, one of the first beers that Bill Sheppard mentioned was this lager named in honour of St Bridget who was a brewer. In fact he said quite a lot of the early brewers were women and the church wasn’t very happy with that situation. The brewers wore a special hat for the trade and kept a cat (to protect the grain from mice) and that eventually led to some of them being called witches with dire consequences.

Bill also told us that the Celts would go to war for a good brewer and I was wondering to myself if perhaps Bridget and St Patrick’s right hand man and brewer Mescan knew one another! My Mayo mother was called after the saint. Cheers Bridgie!

Lager of course ties up your brewing kit for longer than ale and maybe that was why there was a shortage of lager from the current wave of craft breweries in the early stages. No shortage now though.

A lovely golden colour on this one, bubbles galore and the bubbly head is not retained for very long. Good balance of hops (Slovenia) and malt (German) on the palate with the malt getting an edge on the finale. Not quite the “cut” that you’d expect from your normal modern lager. Bill has his own methods - take that tour! - and this is a very satisfying lager indeed that reminds me of the traditional Central European style.

They say:  We allow six weeks to bring this classic to perfection. St. Bridget, known in Ireland for her saintly status, her feast day (1st Feb) and her cross made from reeds, is less well known for being a fine Irish brewer.

Hope Pass If You Can Pale Ale, 4.6%, 440 can Dunnes Stores

A bubbly gold ale invites you to “try me”. While its head doesn’t hang about, its pleasure does. It is billed as a classic American style Pale Ale, a pretty wide definition. You‘ll note the citrusy aromas. The hop element of pale ale can vary a lot and this comes in that bit down the scale, certainly much less of a hoppy kick than an IPA. 

The producers describe it as an easy drinking malty and slightly fruity pale ale with a subtle hip kick. I’d go along with that. If you’ve been drinking craft lagers, then this could well be your next step! Worth a try for sure.

It is well balanced; the expressive malt and hop flavours complement one another. It is also an all rounder at the table (indoors or out) and chicken, prawns, BBQs and pizzas are among those pairings recommended.

Pass If You Can was the dare of Michael Collier, a notorious 19th century highwayman, who was North County Dublin’s answer to Robin Hood. He was so successful that his townland was dubbed Passifyoucan. Finally arrested in 1807, in his favourite haunt The Cock, he was transported and returned home only to die of cholera! Still, the name remains.

Geek Bits

Hops: Magnum, Mosaic, Citra,

Yeast: US-05

Malts: Pale Ale, CaraHell, Munich, Acidulated.

Blacks Golden Ticket Pineapple DIPA 8.2%, 440 can

The intensity of this IPA introduces itself the second you pull the tab. Take it easy is the message as the aromas surge upwards.  Colour is a hazy orange, not easy to see the bubbles though there are herds of them. The head, starts at about the 3-finger mark, but soon it thins to skin thickness (or thinness).

So back to those strong aromas, featuring pineapple of course. A lot going on here, even a hint or two of pine (the evergreen). And flavour?  Pineapple for sure, “super prevalent” as they say themselves, apricot too and citrus-y elements as well. 

Quite a punch, yet the alcoholic power is well reined in here, no all-enveloping black hole where everything is so concentrated that you don’t recognise anything. Iron fist in a velvet glove comes to mind. Just keep it in mind, respect the power, proceed with caution and a great deal of pleasure. Less caution = less pleasure.

They say: Amazingly fruity scrumdiddlyumptious Pineapple Double IPA. Packed with honey malt, Citra, Mosiac, Azaccea and El Dorardo hops! IBU = 90.

A Quart of Ale± #57 On the craft journey with a session of ales and a zero% cider.

 A Quart of Ale± #57

On the craft journey with a session of ales and a 0% cider.

Hard to beat variety from Sullivans, 9 White Deer, West Kerry and Stonewell.

Sullivan’s “Irish Gold” Golden Ale 5.2%, 440ml can O’Briens Wine

Colour of this Kilkenny contender is a mix of copper and gold; if you say there’s amber there, I won’t disagree.  I’ve seen it described as a tastier ale with a gentle bite and wouldn’t disagree with that either.

The label reveals it, modestly, as “traditionally brewed With Lightly Roasted Cara Malt And Finished With First Gold Aroma Hops.” And I must say, the result is pretty good, a rather unique beer, rich with roasted flavour from the malt and with a dry finish thanks to the hops. Goes to show, a modern beer doesn’t have to be an IPA of either coast to hit the spot.

They say: The beer we craft today is inspired by traditional Kilkenny recipes and brewed the way the family has always brewed – the way real Irish beer should be brewed – by local experts, by hand, in small batches, with enormous heart and the finest locally sourced ingredients. Brewed by a true master, the beauty of this ale lies in its balance, sessionability and subtle apricot & tangerine tasting finish. 

The barley used to produce Sullivan’s Golden Ale is sourced from four local Kilkenny farms ensuring the utmost quality and flavour. Pizza is the suggested match but I’m sure this ale, with an almost plush mouthfeel, can do better for itself.

Malts: Irish Ale, Vienna, Cara.

Hops: First Gold, Admiral.

9 White Deer “Stag Ban” Pale Ale 4.5%, 500ml bottle O’Briens Wine

Mid amber is the colour of this dry refreshing Pale Ale from the West Cork Gaeltacht. This is the first ever beer from 9 White Deer in Ballyvourney and one they more or less got spot-on from the beginning (2014). It has been gluten free since 2018.

Soft white head here and a finger taste of this will tell you that the spicy citrusy hops are key. But it’s not a “hop bomb”. This is about balance. They say they designed this beer with summer in mind and the hops used (First Gold, Admiral and Cascade) emphasise that. It is a harmonious drink with citrus, floral and spice notes all combining well in the golden glass. The result is a top end Pale Ale.

Basically, it’s an easy drinking beer, brewed at lower temperatures to create a cleaner profile; the malt profile is uncomplicated, neither heavy nor cloying. It is a dry and refreshing beer with a light malt body mixing well with the contribution from the hops.

They say: Throughout the world a white deer is seen as sacred and something very special and 9 White Deer Craft Brewery holds the same view. In Baile Bhuirne the people of the community greatly respect the holy and historical value of the well and the stories of St Gobnait. Determined to honour the local landscape and folklore, we craft beers from native barley and the purest of water sourced from the Cork and Kerry mountains.

Long may the 9 White Deer continue brewing beers like this!

West Kerry “Blue Rose” Pale Ale 5.1%, 500ml bottle Bradleys

A light bright amber is the colour of this “Blue Rose” Pale Ale from the West Kerry Brewery, the original and first microbrewery in the county. It’s got a soft white head and fountains of little bubbles rising through that bright amber. It has a soft mouthfeel and that gentle feeling goes right through to the long finish, a very satisfactory refreshing one. 

A beautiful easy-drinking ale with muted citrus in both aroma and palate - it has been dry-hopped with Cascade. Don’t let the summer go by without trying one or two of these.

And if you get really serious about these beers, why not go to the source. Paul and brewer Adrienne have rooms to let in Tig Bhric, located in the beautiful in the Dingle Peninsula.

The brewery, established in 2008, is still at its original base at Tig Bhric where the portfolio continues to expand with “traditional yet progressive beers”. “These include the Renegade Series, Limited Collectors Edition and the Riasc Range, named after the town-land of our location. These are seasonal beers where we add both local and garden botanicals.”

Stonewell 0% Non-Alcoholic Cider, 330ml bottle O’Donovan’s, Bradleys

Light gold colour, no shortage of bubbles rising up. And there’s a fresh fruit aroma. The first thing you notice in the mouth is that this is refreshing, it is dry-ish, crisp, and very much a real cider, a terrific drink after a long walk or a drive. And, of course, you can have a few of these and still drive. They have used typical bittersweet apples here so it’s not lacking in flavour, on the contrary. Very drinkable and very acceptable. Fit for purpose, for sure.

So how do they do it? “Traditionally we’ve been an alcoholic beverage maker, namely cider. So in order for to us to produce a non-alcoholic beverage we’ve had to go back to the drawing board and return to our studies to find out what was the best way to square this circle. Instead of simply trying to make a concoction with fresh apple juice, we opted for the more complex route of removing alcohol from a normal cider.

We fermented a cider using typical bittersweet apples. Once fermented, we then used a process of osmosis, or to be precise reverse osmosis to extract the alcohol from the cider. This leaves a lot of the characteristics created by the fermentation process but with the added bonus that there’s no alcohol. At this stage of the process the cider is still “dry” in other words contains no sweetness, so to finish off this blend we add a small amount of apple juice which broadens the mouthfeel…. Made and blended by us in Cork, Stonewell 0% is a refreshing alternative for all those looking to avoid the sickly sweet mocktails or fizzy rock shandys at a social occasion.”

I have tasted quite a few non-alcoholic Irish beers and fewer Irish ciders at this stage and it seems to me that the cider-makers, with Stonewell and Highbank (with their Drivers Cider) showing the way, have made a better fist of the genre than the beer makers!

A Quart of Ale± #27. Moving on over to craft with Pale Ale.

A Quart of Ale± #27

Moving on over to craft with Pale Ale.

Lineman “Vesper” Pale Ale 5.4%, 440ml can via Bradley’s

 

Colour of this Dublin produced pale ale is a light yellow, almost lemon, hazy too with shoals of micro bubbles seeking the surface. The early ones hit a big white head, latecomers just a thin lacy disc. Quite complex aromatics of the more exotic kind. And the impression on the palate is much the same, flavour galore but all’s in harmony here. So take your time and meditate on the good work of the farmer and the brewer and enjoy. No need at all to glug this dry-hopped pale down in a rush. Take it cool and easy, enjoy the fruit, let it linger.

Their story: Lineman had been a long-planned project of founder/owner/brewer Mark Lucey. Having been obsessed with beer and heavily involved in homebrewing for all his adult life, it was always an ambition to open a brewery or have a commercial brewing project that would allow him to produce a diverse range of beer. Stouts, Belgians styles, IPAs and Mixed Fermentations.

It soon became a proper husband and wife team when Vivienne joined shortly before the first beers were released. Being a graphic designer with lots of commercial experience she was able to bring the look for Lineman together just in time for their beers to be released. Vivienne produces all the artwork and looks after the marketing side of things.

St Mel’s “I will, yeah” Juicy Pale Ale 4.0%, 440 can via St Mel’s Online

Gold is the colour here, a very cloudy one! Soft white head is something of a keeper.  It is double dry-hopped and you get the message in the aromas. And also on the palate. But glad to report, while hop lovers will be happy, there’s nothing extreme here. Just a glassful of cracking flavour, rich and intense right through to the finish. 

Superb with food and they recommend Indian and Thai cuisine, “also works excellently for washing down those spicy chicken wings”. Great balance in this one, a pretty perfect pale ale, juicy all through with a dry and bitter finish. 

Came across the name St Mel’s when (don’t ask!) I was playing colleges hurling (Harty Cup etc..) but always thought Mel was a short version of something longer. But apparently not. Mel is the full extent of the name. No shortcuts in the brewery either. They go to the limit and pay attention to detail with every single beer. The customer wins.

Metalman American Style Pale Ale 4.3%, 330ml can via Ardkeen Store

A rather delicate, and shy, head on this American style pale ale,  the American bit reinforced by the use of Cascade and Summit hops. Hop induced citrus and floral aromas, even a touch of pine, feature before the same flavours (grapefruit and mandarin), again a product of the hops, take over on the tarty palate, veering towards sour rather than bitter, refreshing though. 

It’s not pasteurised or finely filtered, so store in the fridge if possible. Available in: Keg, Cask and Can. Named Beoir Beer Of The Year 2013. Much more competition around these days.

Metalman Brewing was born in 2011 when two beer enthusiasts decided they’d had enough of the outlandishly limited selection of beer available in Ireland. ..they decided to help do something about it. Gráinne chucked in her I.T. job and went about setting up the brewery. Meanwhile Tim stayed at the day job.

They availed of contract brewing initially, finally moving across to the Tycor brewery in early 2012 and things really started to get underway. Tim joined the brewery full time in 2013. At the end of 2014,  the first canning line was installed at an Irish microbrewery, and cans of Metalman Pale Ale hit the shelves in January 2015. And it’s busy busy these days.

Wicklow Wolf Avalanche NE Pale Ale 4.0%, 330ml can via Ardkeen Store

Light gold is the colour, quite bright too and clear with no shortage of bubbles rising towards the white fluffy head, a head that is in no hurry to clear off. Aromas are mildly hoppy as is the beer itself. And nothing extreme on the palate either because it is in balance between hop and malt. A well made beer that fits easily, if unassumingly, into its stated category.

They say: A New England pale ale dry hopped with a massive amount of Azacca & Idaho 7 hops to give a fresh, juicy burst of stone fruits, papaya & sweet citrus. A subtle malt character and creamy mouthfeel makes this East Coast style pale ale beautifully balanced and easy drinking. Malts are Pale, Melano, Flaked Oat and  IBU is 25.

The 9 White Deer Brewery. Pale Ale and Kölsch. And Sanitiser!

The 9 White Deer Brewery
The Pale Ale and Kölsch. And Sanitiser!

Pale Ale

Is beer essential these Covid19 days? 

As much as it ever was! Cider and wine too. And spirits, of course, even if only as a sanitiser! 

And, these strange days, you may order hand sanitiser along with excellent craft beer from your local brewery. Well, from Ballyvourney's 9 White Deer at least. 

Their beers can be found in outlets all over the island. But with all the Covid19 restrictions and particularly if you are cocooning, you may need a delivery to the house. 

Check out their online shop here to order your beer and their recently released alcohol based hand sanitiser.

The 9 White Deer Brewery was brought into being by two people, Gordon Lucey and Don O’Leary. They each have a passion for quality beer and, between them, they have a lot of experience in all aspects of beer from growing barley to front of house customer experience and everything in between. More details here .

Stag Bán Pale Ale 4.5% abv

Stag Bán was their first beer and has been gluten free since 2018.

Basically, it’s an easy drinking beer, brewed at lower temperatures to create a cleaner profile; the malt profile is an uncomplicated design, neither heavy nor cloying.

For me, the attraction here is the hops, though it’s far from being a “hop bomb”. This is about balance. The lads say they designed this beer with summer in mind and the hops used (First Gold, Admiral and Cascade) emphasise that. It is a harmonious drink with citrus, floral and spice notes all combining well in the golden glass.

9 White Deer’s Stag Saor Kölsch, 4.2% abv

Kölsch is a style of beer originating in Cologne, Germany. In appearance, this Cork produced example is bright and clear with a yellow/amber colour.

The 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 beer has become one of their biggest selling beers.

Stag Kolsch, which is also gluten free, has a gentle hop and malt character, a classic German style of beer brewed with German Noble Hops, Premium Irish and German Malt and German Yeast. It gets an extended lagering time where it can develop and mature.

* For details of all their other beers (all brewed, bottled and kegged in Ballyvourney, Co. Cork) and brewery tours (when restrictions are lifted), please check here.

A Few Beer Classics. Four of the Best

A Few Beer Classics

Four of the Best

St Bernardus Abt 12, 10% abv, 33 cl bottle €4.50 Bradley’s of Cork

This extra strong Belgian barley wine style beer has a large creamy head; colour is golden brown and there are fruity and hoppy elements in the aromas. It is complex and full-bodied, packed with flavour and then a long finish with a hoppy bite. Well balanced overall and no wonder they call it “the pride of our stable”.

Indeed, this quadrupel is regarded as one of the best beers in the world. In the Belgian scheme of beer, quadrupel indicates it is stronger than a tripel, which is stronger than a dubbel. One for sipping then, but each sip packs a beautiful punch. 

St Bernardus, by the way, run a B&B in the brewery. Now that, combined with a tour and tasting, would be some visit. In addition, “B&B Het Brouwershuis is a place to enjoy a gastronomic breakfast buffet, to take the time for a chat and to make use of the unlimited possibilities to explore the region”. Check it out here.  

Thornbridge Jaipur IPA, 5.95%, 33 cl bottle, €3.50, Bradley’s of Cork

The complexity of this multi award winning American style IPA is down to no less than the six hops used: Chinook, Centennial, Ahtanum, Simcoe, Columbus and Cascade. Thornbridge, based in Derby, are regarded by many as Britain’s leading 21st century brewery.

It wears this complexity lightly though and you’ll have no problem sipping your way through this beauty from the UK brewery. It has a fairly cloudy pale yellow colour and hoppy aromas. Smooth on the palate, hoppy, citrus notes too, and a beautiful balance all the way to hoppy finish. Not too much more to say except that this is more or less the perfect IPA. Not surprised that the award tally worldwide has soared to over the one hundred mark.

Saison Dupont (Belgium) 6.5%, €2.95 33cl bottle Bradley’s Cork

Beer has been brewed here for centuries but it is only in the last 20 years or so that the Dupont Brewery has become a global reference for saison. As Michael Creedon of Bradley’s told me “if you don’t like this, you don’t like saison”.

It is a cloudy mid-amber, fountains of micro-bubbles. Aromas of citrus. Light and fruity, zesty and refreshing, yet no shortage of hearty flavour. Reckon any labourer, even a keyboard one, would be happy with this impeccable beer. Superb finish also with the bitterness now to the forefront.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, 5.6abv, 355ml can at Bradley’s of Cork

This 100% whole-cone Cascade hops beer, with its piney and grapefruit aromas, is a classic, all natural, bottle conditioned and refreshingly bold. And still going strong after 35 years.

Bitterness comes in at 38 and suggested food pairings are grilled steak, citrus salad, Thai curry and roasted veg.

So what does this “turning point for American beer” taste like? Well, it looks like hazy amber in the glass and smells like its well hopped, pine notes coming through. By the time I had written that, the frail white head had more or less vanished. Time for the first sip which was superb, hops and fruit, a terrific mouthful. No wonder it has become a classic, setting the standard for start-up breweries across the world. Viva Nevada!

Just noticed that this Pale Ale has been voted No. 1 in Food & Wine's 25 Most Important American Craft Beers Ever. See the full list here.