A Quart of Ale± #117. On the craft journey with Rye River, Galway Bay, newcomers Outer Place, Porterhouse, Wicklow Wolf, Crew Limerick, Hopfully,

 A Quart of Ale± #117

On the craft journey with Rye River, Galway Bay, newcomers Outer Place and Porterhouse, Wicklow Wolf, Crew Limerick, Hopfully,

*********

Rye River (collab.with Old Street) Die Hundstage Köter Kölsch 5.0% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

This seasonal small batch beer is a collaboration between Rye River and East London’s Old Street Brewery. It has a pleasant light gold colour, tonnes of bubbles and a bubbly white head. Aromatics are fresh and fruity as you’d expect, more or less, from the hops. On the palate, it is crisp and clean, dry, with a sweet shot of fruit. Totally refreshing for sure.

Rye River: “Introducing our paw-some new Rye River Seasonal brew... Die Hundestage Köter Kölsch! A collaboration brew with our good friends over at Old Street Brewery in East London, this Kölsch is *chef's kiss* perfect to knock back on a hot summer's day. This one is for the dog days of summer! …Part of a seasonal range we developed as a way to explore our passion for our craft. Each beer is never like the last..”

Callista and Tango were used for the dry hops. Callista, as you may know, is from Germany and noted for its fruity qualities such as Melon, Strawberry and Apricot.

Tango, also German, is a relative newcomer, and is following in the footsteps of its grandmother “Hallertauer Tradition” while being the pacemaker into the future. It is also very versatile, something of an all-rounder. In kettle hopped beers: hoppy fresh aroma notes similar to Hallertauer Tradition and Perle − in late and dry hopped beers: fresh and fruity aroma (especially passion fruit) − pleasantly mild bitterness − excellent drinkability. What’s not to like?

This collaboration looks like a win win for Rye River though I’m sure they also played a full role in Die Hundestage Köter (The Dogs Days). 

Kölsch is the signature beer of Cologne, Germany, and has a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). “At first glance, kölsches seem to be doing a fine pilsner impersonation,” according to the Beer Bible. But there are delicate subtle differences, more yeast, more minerality. If you are drinking at source, The Bible recommends Gaffel, Früh (I got this in Bradleys 2021) and Reissdorf as top Cologne examples.

Otherwise, try the 9 White Deer one (gentle hops and malt character, it is easy-drinking, full flavoured with fruity hints and a crisp and lager style character); Rye themselves make the excellent Grafters Clocking Off Kölsch (available in Dunnes).

Galway Bay Goodbye Blue Monday Oatmeal IPA 6.6% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

Goodbye Blue Monday was first brewed in 2013.. in collaboration with Chicago’s Begyle. Galway Bay: “This oatmeal IPA is brewed with Irish Malt and lashings of Irish oats. Hopped continuously in the kettle with Citra and Columbus, then dry hopped several times with more Citra. A fan favourite on both sides of the Atlantic.”

That’s the story behind this trans-Atlantic collaboration. Quite a success story for this hazy light orange coloured IPA. Aromas are modest but, importantly (thanks to the Columbus) firm hints of dankness abound. And those hints are confirmed on the complex palate, lots of it and lots of citrus also, on its smooth journey to a dry and bitter finish. A fully grown up beer. Take heed of their own shout:  Super super stuff this year! Grab some while you can.

Outer Place Interstellar Pale Ale 5% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

Outer Place promote this as “a sip of sunshine in a can”. Colour is a light orange, hazy with a fluffy white head that soon starts to sink. Aromas, of moderate intensity, are of tropical fruits. Mouthfeel is smooth enough but hop reinforced flavours are anything but, so you get intense flavours, deep and refreshing. Not too sure about the “dank weedy goodness” that the producers claim but it is a characteristic of the Strata hops (used in the whirlpool and dry hop).

It is an excellent debut by Outer Place, a new Irish Craft brewery in Kildare, who are focused on hoppy styles of beer. And they began selling their beers in April 2022.“Interstellar is our new Pale Ale. It's a sip of sunshine in a can. Clocking in at a session-able 5% ABV this one is made for sunny days and summer nights. ….. Lashings and lashings of new 2021 crop Cascade and Strata in the whirlpool and dry hop.” 

The story of Outer Place begins at the home of Mark Clarke and Vivien Lough. Mark has home-brewed for years as a hobby and has always dreamed of opening a brewery to satisfy his desire for hoppy beer. Now is the time.

“For now we are going to create beer with friends and collaborators in breweries around Ireland and beyond.

Our vision is to create a destination brewery that is fiercely independent, ethically inclined and sustainable.

Our goal is to create modern, progressive, delicious beers inspired by friends, family, art, music, nature and whatever else takes our fancy along the way.”

Porterhouse Slvr Skin Barrel Aged Coffee Stout 13% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

“Our latest collab with the crew in @silverskin_coffee_roasters Is a 13% barrel aged, Imperial Coffee Stout cut with cold Brew coffee for an extra kick…..We don’t add any ‘extras’ – no additives, no enhancing chemicals. Just simple, pure ingredients.”

That’s the intro to Slvr Skin Coffee Stout by Porterhouse. It is a very dark brown verging on black with a tan coffee head that doesn’t hang about. Aromas are rich and coffee dominated, hints of vanilla too. And the same combo get to play on the palate as well, smooth, well rounded, yet with quite a punch (coffee and bourbon) and it lingers sweetly. Boy, does it linger. Terrific stout with amazing balance. Just about 7,000 cans were produced. I’ve got mine. You better get your hand up quickly!

It’s been Barrel Aged in Bourbon casks and the result is claimed as the first “Barrel Aged Imperial Coffee Stout in Ireland made with cold brew”.

The advice from the brewers is to serve it chilled and “savour the rich, distinctive flavour”. After fermentation, the resulting beer was matured for nine months in Dingle Distillery Bourbon casks and following this ageing process a second addition of coffee was made, this time as a cold brew into the conditioning tanks before canning”.

All the hard work and precision yields an increased flavour profile and the result is an imperial stout full of rich flavour. Quite a treat!

*********

Wicklow Wolf continue on the sustainability trail...

This year we have taken our commitment one step further, we have commissioned the installation of over 120Kw of solar panels, covering the entirety of our 17,000 sq ft brewery roof to become the First Solar Powered Craft Brewery in the Republic of Ireland.

More here. 

*********

News from Limerick's CREW

The Crew's Ale Talk series continues in August with a representative of Hopfully Brewing coming to share some beers and stories. You might know Hopfully from some of their belters like Inside Out, Boo, and their No Cars gose selection. Limited tickets are available from the bar for €20, which gets you a seat at the event including four cans of delicious Hopfully beer. More at @crewbrewco on Facebook.

A Quart of Ale± #114. On the craft journey with Dot Brew, Wicklow Wolf, Rye River, Abbot's Ale House, and Whiplash

A Quart of Ale± #114

On the craft journey with Dot Brew, Wicklow Wolf and Whiplash, Rye River and Abbot's Ale House.

*********

Dot Brew Loose Session IPA 3.5%, 440 ml can Bradleys

Dot are happy with this one:  ”A perfect all year round thirst quencher.” Think I could go along with that.

A light orange colour with a fleeting white head. Citrus-y aromas, notes of pine there too. And the bold hoppy stuff marches on through the palate. Low ABV yet mid to full bodied with high refreshment values. One to look out for when organising a session.

Dot indicate there’s a place for Loose Session as a “new core”. “Full thundering hits of fresh stone fruit, built with flaked & malted oats / low rider yeast whirlpool & dry hop additions of Idaho7 & Centennial.”

*********

Dot Go Go IPA 6.0% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

Closer to orange than lemon is the colour of this Dot Brew IPA. It is of course hazy and is classed by some, though not the brewery (at least not on their limited social media info), as a New England IPA.

Used my usual finger in the (short-lived) foam to test for flavour, and citrus was the first to show. But there’s more as we progress to actual drinking including mango and other sweet fruits. The reinforcements lift the Go Go from a middle of the road beer and it chugs amiably, if not over impressively, but never really threatening the leaders of the IPA pack.

Geek Bits:

Hops: Mosaic, Citra and Centennial (all USA)

Suitable for vegans.

Ingredients included malted and flaked oats.

*********

Wicklow Wolf West Side Story West Coast Kveik IPA 6.6%, 440 ml can Bradleys

Wicklow Wolf seem to be on quite a run this year and this West Coast IPA, featuring the popular Kveik yeast, is another quality beer.

Colour is an amber/orange, hazy of course. Aromas on the dank side, citrus and pine. Strata is one of the hops used and has been described as described as “Passion fruit meets pot.” So maybe I’m on the money with dank.

And that dank quality is found on the palate also, along with citrus-y traits and floral notes. It is bitter but not overly so, as any extremes are smoothed down by the dank influence. 

The other hops used by the way are Idaho7 and Talus and malts are listed as Golden Promise, Pilsner and Cara Clair.

American Ale Yeast and the British Brett may be tops of the pops in yeast but Kveik is coming up fast, another illustration that “brewers and beer drinkers owe everything to these single-celled fungi”, that quote from Craft Beer for the Geeks. Kveik is getting popular here: Eights Degrees, Metalman, and Wicklow Brewery have been among its users in recent times.

The endangered species brews (this is #29) are a series of small batch, limited edition crafted beers from Wicklow Wolf. "These beers are so rare that only a lucky few will get to experience them in the wild before they become extinct.”

By the way, Wicklow Wolf have been in touch about their taproom news. "We've just added a whole new list of tour dates for the rest of the Summer! Book in for your tour and beer tasting now. We're delighted to now offer flights of beer at the taproom, the perfect accompaniment to a pizza from our friends in the firehouse!" 

*********

.

Whiplash Alma Witbier 5.0%, 440 ml can Bradleys

Bright fresh lemon peel, tangerine, white wine, limes, white pepper and a hint of clove dominate the initial aroma while the body and flavour is airy, silky, fluffy, gently sweet and reassuringly citrus forward.

A Belgian style beer from Whiplash, a Witbier. Amarillo is the main hop and it is used in the dry hop while the other two,   Nelson Sauvin (gooseberry, Grape, passion fruit) and Moteuka (tropical, lime, lemon), both from New Zealand, are small additions to the brew at the whirlpool stage.  Just before finishing they add fresh lemon zest to the tank, “electrifying the whole affair and transforming this Wit into something extremely special.”

Colour is a light orange, hazy for sure. Aromas are zesty as is the first impression on the palate. The lovely and lively lemony zestiness continues strongly on the palate, with peach and pine there also. 

Whiplash say they “always approach our Belgian style beers in a less than traditional way” and the divergence continues throughout, though you may find little hints of clove in the aromas and at the end. Something different, something special as they say themselves. 

Geek Bits

ABV 5.0%

440ml Cans & draught

Artwork by @sophie_devere

Pilsner Malt

Wheat Malt

Amarillo

Lemon Zest

WLP550 (yeast)

*********

News from Cork's Abbot's ale house

@HouseAbbot

Event Alert!! We are proud to welcome our old friends Rye River for a tap takeover weekend!! This event will take place all weekend long from Thursday 11th August - Saturday 13th. There will be 9 taps pouring ! And free giveaways too!

A Quart of Ale± #106. On the craft journey with Rye River Brewing

A Quart of Ale± #106

On the craft journey with Rye River Brewing

******

Rye River Celebrate Extended Core Range.

And that is where you’ll find McGargles. In bottles!

Rye River, the independent craft brewery have extend their core range to include their number one selling McGargles (with the new name of course). And more good news for McG fans is that they can still get the same beer and another plus is that it will be in bottles! 

A new name - look out for the Kingfisher - but the same popular beer. Rye River have assured their fans that while the name has changed, "the beer recipes are staying exactly as they are!" And Rye River have very much enjoyed their first ten years. "We have grown to become Ireland's #1 retail brand and for two years in a row, we are also the world's most awarded brewery".

Rye River is an independent Irish craft brewery in Celbridge, Co. Kildare and home to Rye River Seasonal, The Crafty Brewing Co., Grafters and Solas. 

"New name for McGargles, same great beer!" Below are my thoughts on three samples of the extended Rye River range.

Rye River Dam Buster Double IPA 8.00%, 500 ml bottle

This Dam Buster DIPA comes in a hazy gold robe with a soft white head that hangs about a bit (having been poured from the bottle). Pine and grapefruit lead the aromas. And those flavours are also prominent with some tropical accompaniment also on the palate and a supple bitterness always a contributor. No real sign of the alcohol as this well balanced beer goes about its pleasurable business right through to the refreshing finalé (as Sean Kelly might say. By the way when is Le Tour starting?).

They say: Dam Buster Double IPA is not one to be taken lightly! This big beer weighs in at 8.00%. It also has a bundle of amazing hops including Cascade, Columbus, Centennial, Chinook and Mosaic. The taste is perfectly balanced between pine bitterness and biscuity malt. It's a whopper of a beer!

Geek Bits:

Malts: Maris Otter, Vienna Malt, Wheat.

Hops: Cascade, Columbus, Centennial, Chinook and Mosaic, all American.

Rye River Big Bangin’ IPA 7.1%, 500 ml bottle

This was a very popular bottled beer under the McGargle’s label and now it is part of the Rye River core and, of course, in a bottle.

It has got a bright mid-gold colour…. bubbles galore…has been hopped to hell and you get that first via the aromas as the typical tropical fruits appear. And that exotic assault, with an alcohol powered extra edge, also appears on the palate where the Maris Otter malt also shows up well. A fruity yet dry finish follows. Quite a good finish actually, quite a good beer but do note that high alcohol count that smoothly powers it along. It’s not called Big Bangin’ for nothing. 

They say: “A long standing favourite, Big Bangin' IPA is the same great beer you know and love… but now with a bangin' new look!” Just so you’ll know, it’s the one in the white and navy bottle!

They say: Our take on the US West Coast IPA style, using only the finest Maris Otter barley and heavily hopped with tropical aromatic hope varieties.

Geek Bits:

Characteristics: Bitter and strong, tropical fruits.

Malts: Maris Otter.

Hops: Columbus, Mosaic, Simcoe, 

Rye River Backwaters American Wheat 6.2%, 500 ml bottle

Light orange colour, white head that stays around.  Mild aromas of passion fruit and citrus, a hint of pine perhaps. The immediate impression on the palate is crisp and clean and you’re inclined to think lager rather than wheat beer. Wheat though is included in the ingredients and this is pretty well packed with refreshing flavours including passionfruit, citrus, melon and grapefruit. 

No sign of the banana or clove in this American style wheat that you get on regular European wheatbeers (where special strains of yeast are used that produce notes of banana and clove as by-products of fermentation).

The hops used are both from the US, the well-known Cascade and the newer Strata. Strata has been described as “Passion fruit meets pot” and has been increasingly popular with brewers since its official release in 2018.

The brewers say: “Our Backwaters American Wheat is a crisp and clean easy sipper featuring Strata and Cascade hops. Perfect for those lazy summer days in the sun with friends”. Here’s to the sun and to the friends!

By the way. the malts used here are Carapils, Vienna Malt, Wheat and Ale Malt.

A Quart of Ale± #101. On the craft journey with Whiplash, Wicklow Wolf, Western Herd, Larkins

 A Quart of Ale± #101

On the craft journey with Whiplash, Wicklow Wolf, Western Herd, Larkins

Wicklow Wolf Tundra Tropical Pale Ale 5.6%, 440ml can Bradleys

This Tropical Pale Ale from the busy Wicklow Wolf comes in a cloudy orange-y colour with a white top. Aromas are more or less all tropical: pineapple, mango, papaya and grapefruit; there’s a hint of pine there also.

And those same fruits provide the flavours on the palate. Indeed the flavours have the run of it as there is just a modest bitterness. It is a smooth one, almost creamy. Very very drinkable though!

Geek Bits:

Style: Tropical IPA*.

IBUs: 30

Hops: Idaho 7, Mosaic, Citra & Sabro 

Malts: Pale, Wheat, Flaked Oats, Cara

*  The label also says New England IPA, and I’m inclined to go with that but I won’t be getting too hung up about it. As the Beer Bible says: “Styles trigger endless debates..across the planet. Approach them lightly.” 

Whiplash True Love Waits Dry Hopped Pils 5.0%, 440ml can Bradleys

This is how Whiplash introduce, sorry reintroduce, True Love Waits: “We’re taking it back to the very start of the Whiplash story today, to the halcyon days of 2016. Before we had a brewery, before 440ml cans & white labels. What we did have though was True Love Waits, a dry hopped Pilsner and our third ever release.”

And now it’s back. Clean and bright light gold with a foamy white head that lasts a bit. Aromatics are engaging, not at all heavy, light white/yellow fruits, citrus (including Bergamot). And that citrus influence is also strong on the clean refreshing palate, the unusual mix of the US Columbus hops (for the dry hopping) and their German lager yeast pulling it off to come up with a crisp, sessional, light and piney lager. Superbly balanced between malts and hops. Top stuff indeed.

Whiplash make as many beers as other prolific breweries but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dud from the Dublin based outfit. Quality control seems to be in-house here rather than putting the punter to the expense of finding out for him or herself. Kudos for that. The kind of brewery worth supporting.

Not the only one thinking that some breweries should hold off for a period of refinement before sending a new issue into the public domain. Here's part of a recent tweet by Jeff Alworth (@beernirvana): ..Breweries spin out so many IPAs that the vast majority taste like beta versions of a beer that might come into focus in another three batches... 

Geek Bits

Malts: Pilsner Malt, Carapils

Hops: Hersbrucker (German), Columbus (USA)

Yeast: WLP833

ABV: 5.0%

Format: 440ml Cans & limited kegs

Artwork: @sophie_devere

Western Herd Flora and Fauna 10 Hop Double IPA 9.45%

During a recent discussion online, the presenter said this was an absolute bomb of a beer and “has really put Western Herd on the map”. 

It certainly made a huge impression during its launch year of 2021 and the Beernut blog made it their Best Canned Irish Beer: “The apotheosis of the West Coast revival, this brought me back to a time when big and punchy American hops on a clean malt base, served brewery-fresh, was the most perfect thing ever produced for humans to drink.”

This can, marked #158, is from Batch No 4.  Last year's production: Batch 1 was 137, 2 was 152 and 3  was 154. Like the others, Batch 4 has ten hops but here they have dropped Strata for Galaxy. Brewer Bridger Kelleher says he wanted “to see how Galaxy played in there.” It is a limited release, mainly in Clare, with limited distribution outside of the Banner.

In the style of a West Coast DIPA, it is gold in colour and you can see zillions of micro bubbles rising through the clear juice towards the white foamy head. Aromas, with pine needles and pineapple prominent, are intense (some would say dank).

With the Strata hops (described as “Passion fruit meets pot”) missing from the current line-up, is it perhaps a little less dank? Maybe so but I’d need the two versions together to even hazard a guess. When not describing something as “moist” and “humid” like a basement, dank is a slang term describing something as “excellent,” especially marijuana.

Certainly, the impressive posse of tropical flavours remains strong on the palate. Such flavours often get lost when the ABV is high but that is not the case here so major credit to the brewery. And the umami just goes on, the hop-packed juice giving complex flavour right to the very satisfactory finalé. 

They say: ..we’ve packed in the largest number of hops ever into this Double IPA. Designed to let the hops shine through, we’ve built a complex and layered flavour profile.”

Eight of the hops listed below have been used in the kettle and then they double dry-hopped it “heavily” with Nelson Sauvin and (now) Galaxy. To be fair, the malts also keep their end up, even if outnumbered on the credits list.

Hops
Columbus, El Dorado, Cascade, Citra, Centennial, Nelson Sauvin,
Strata, Amarillo, Chinook. Galaxy has replaced Strata for Batch #4

Malts
Pale, Stout Mix

Adjuncts
Dextrose

Yeast
LAX

Original Gravity
1.075

% ABV
9.45%

Larkins Chocolate Passion Imperial Stout 8.5%, 440ml can Bradleys

This Larkin’s stout, brewed with “our friends @dot_brew", is as dark as can be with a quick-vanishing tan head. Best served warmer than chilled they said and that is what I did. Passion fruit purée is included as an ingredient and so too is vanilla and the dessert impression continues on the palate. Not for me, I’m afraid to say.

Full ingredients list: Barley, Lactose, Oats, Hops, Water, Yeast, Passion Fruit purée, Vanilla.

**** 

Beer Bits!

Beoirfest and Barrels in Brewing:

Brian has been in touch about the latest online session: "I think I'm safe in saying that if you have any interest in barrels in brewing you'll want to watch this more than once. It's hard to imagine a panel with more expertise and passion for the subject than the one we were very luck to have; The Wild Beer Co., ASC Barrels, Zmajska Pivovara, and Brasseria della Fonte

If you haven't seen it yet be sure to make time. It's now available at BeoirFest.com"

***

News from Cork, as reported by the ECHO, is that Elbow Lane Brewery is to double its tiny capacity. Small but the beers are excellent.

***

Rye River have A little slice of sunshine just for you.

Wondering where you can find our latest Rye River Seasonal Kahuna Krush Tropical Sour near you? Check out our website here for a current list of stockists https://ryeriverbrewingco.com/introducing-kahuna-krush.../ We'll continue to update our list as it rolls out, so check back!