A Quart of Ale± #14. Moving on over to craft. Weihenstephaner. To Øl. Brooklyn. Wicklow Wolf. Dungarvan. Kinnegar.

A Quart of Ale± #14

Moving on over to craft.  

The Non Alcoholic Alternative

Weihenstephaner “Original Helles” <0,5% abv, 0.5l bottle Bradley’s of Cork

“Our Original Helles – even without alcohol, it is refreshing and enjoyable.” That’s what they say and I’d have to agree. Bright gold colour, fountains of rapidly rising bubbles. Fluffy white head, in no rush to fade away. Slightly hoppy notes, slight spice also, introduce this thirst quencher. Light and crisp with excellent full flavour. Not quite all-out lip-smacking but pleasantly refreshing for sure with a mild bitterness and a clean dry finish. That the bitterness is mild is confirmed by the IBU number of 20.

Germany breweries regularly suggest food pairings and here Weihenstephaner, the world’s oldest brewery, provide the full recipe for Swiss Wurstsalat (Sausage Salad). All the details here.  

They say: Our bright sunny-yellow alcohol-free lager “Original” with minerals, vitamins and micronutrients is an isotonic, low-calorie alternative to our lager and also a thirst quencher for active people. The pleasant spicy hops note and the full light and sweet flavor, with a slight bitterness, makes it an ideal companion for snacks, hearty salads or simply a refreshment on hot days. Brewed according to our centuries-old brewing tradition on the Weihenstephan hill.

Almost a thousand years ago the Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan was the monastery brewery of the Benedictine monks. Then, the Royal Bavarian State Brewery stepped in and it is now operating as a state directed enterprise under the control of the Bavarian Government.

To Øl “Implosion” 0.3%, 33cl can Bradley’s of Cork

This Danish ale is a pale and hazy yellow. Citrus in the delicate aromas. No explosion of flavours on the crisp palate but quite a pleasant balance and a good dry refreshing finish. May not be quite perfect but is one of the better non alcoholic beers. And the Danish brewery isn’t finished with the style yet: “You'll love where this non-ABV craft train is headed, I promise.” These brewers have a habit of living up to their promises!

The hop varieties used are Hallertau Blanc, Citra, Tettnanger and Mosaic, promising fruity and floral flavours. But it is the yeast that’s key here; it doesn’t produce alcohol though it does leave a little more sweetness than usual.

They say: It is light and chuggable, with nice peachy notes from the yeast. Slightly sweet, but not too prominent, nice and fresh hop aromas, and absolutely NO hangover! Alcohol-free beer as it should be.

I caught a recent Facebook post by the makers, sympathising with all of us who have tried some of those awful non-alcoholic drinks over the years.”You tried that beer in the bar years ago, against your better judgement - and it tasted like awful, sparkly bread water. You were horrified. Scarred for life. You swore to stick to the strong stuff, where it was safe. But, my friend, times - they are a-changing.”

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So they threw out the rule book with this non-alcoholic Implosion beer. “We used a yeast that, when it ferments, doesn't create alcohol but still gives off amazing, ale esters. We then added hops to create a delicate, aromatic profile - and therefore didn't need to boil off the beer at the end of the process and risk losing all those amazing flavours.”

Brooklyn Hoppy Lager “Special Effects” 0,4% abv, 355ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Quite a warm amber colour, essentially clear. Must admit I didn’t get on at all with this one. Must try another bottle sometime, to be fair. If you had one of these as part of a session involving regular alcoholic ales, it might well pass. A bit disappointed with the Special Effects. Doesn’t have second glass appeal for me, though my drinking partner enjoyed it.

They say: Special Effects is a hoppy lager with an unexpected piney aroma and pleasantly bitter finish. It tastes like a regular beer but therein lies the special effect. It’s only 0.4% abv

Brooklyn Special Effects tastes just like a regular beer, but therein lies the special effect. We use a special fermentation method that develops the flavors, aromas & character of beer with none of the alcohol, and a generous dry hopping resulting in lively hop notes and a clean finish.

They have quite a long recommended food list: Spinach Salad, Grilled Chicken, Omelettes, BLT sandwiches, Toast Skagen (Brooklyn do have breweries in Scandinavia), Hot Wings, Working Lunches (it’s not a saison though), Weeknights, Fresh Goats Cheese (Ardsallagh, I reckon, rather than Shepherds Store).

Irish Contenders

Wicklow Wolf “Moonlight” Hoppy Ale 0.5%, 330ml can Supervalu

Brewed with speciality malts, this Wicklow Wolf states a claim to a high ranking among Irish non-alcoholic beers. Nice gold colour with a short-lived head. Citrus aromas in the hoppy head, hoppy all through really, well flavoured and an excellent fruity finish. One of the better ones for sure, neck and neck with the Dungarvan entry below, maybe marginally ahead.

Hops: Cascade, Hallertau Blanc, Citra

Malt: Melano, Cara Gold

IBU: 20

Dungarvan “Main Sail” <0,5% abv, 500ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Ireland’s first micro-brewed alcohol free beer has a gold colour, a white fluffy head with little staying power. Hoppy aromas are followed by a stiff backbone of the same on the palate where notes of citrus also show, all before a lingering bitter finish. Ireland’s first and one of the better ones.

They say: Our head brewer, Cormac O’Dwyer, believes that it takes quality ingredients, time, care and attention to detail to create the perfect brews and this is the methodology that he employs when brewing our Dungarvan beer.All the beers are traditionally brewed and bottled on-site in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford made using only four ingredients – barley, hops, yeast and water. No chemicals are added to the beers, they are unfiltered, unpasteurised and vegan-friendly.

Hops used for Mainsail: Amarillo, Challenger

Malts: Munich, Caramalt, Crystal Malt, Cararoma

And  where did the name come from? From the Pogues’ “When The Ship Comes in”

A song will lift

As the mainsail shifts

And the boat drifts on to the shoreline

Kinnegar “Low Tide” Pale Ale 0.5%, 44cl can O’Briens

This aptly-named Low Tide from Kinnegar is a mid-gold, with a close to clear, white head that slowly fades away. Aromas feature hops. Indeed, it’s moderately hoppy all the way through. Don’t think I’d stick with this for a session but it could come in handy if taking it easy for a night, one Limeburner, one Low Tide and repeat!

They say: Low Tide is our traditionally brewed zero-point-five per cent pale ale, created to make life with less alcohol enjoyable, even for beer lovers.

To Øl City - A Brewer's Paradise

To Øl City - A Brewer's Paradise

A pilsner worth waiting for.

To Øl started life in 2005 when founders Tore Gynther and Tobias Emil Jensen “pirated” their high school kitchen facilities during closing hours and began turning it into a brewing lab.

It wasn’t until 2010 when they released their first commercial beer. They quickly gained attention and were named in the Top 100 breweries in the world in 2012 and in 2014 To Øl was awarded the world’s 9th best brewery. For a decade they operated as gypsy brewers, brewing their beers in other breweries with spare capacity, but they have now set up their own brewery in Zealand, Denmark, called To Øl City.

Like to take the brewery tour? Just click here. And, if you're a brewer, you may well get a chance to use the facilities. After all, Tore and Tobias were gypsy brewers themselves. 

Pronunciation "rough" guide for To Øl: An bhfuil tú ullamh? 

To Øl 45 Days Organic Pilsner 4.7%, 44cl can, Bradley's Cork

Showers of bubbles race up through the pale gold (slight haze) of this pilsner. And what a pilsner. Superbly fresh and clean as promised, well-flavoured too and absolutely refreshing. The slower the fermentation, the better a pilsner tastes, they say, and the proof is on any palate lucky enough to be washed in this beauty. Not sure I’ve tasted anything better in this style. Crisp, complex and golden - do watch out for it!

Lager is always the slow-coach in the brewery but this one, the fourth product in their new Core Range, is an authentic German Pilsner, lagered for 45 days at -1 degree Celsius. It is also organic and the malts used are Organic Chit, Organic Golden Light and Organic Pilsner.

To Øl City Session IPA 4.5%, 44cl can, O'Briens Wine

This Danish Indian Pale Ale is a “New England style thirst quencher for the hop-heads” in disguise. It has a pale gold colour and is cloudy; white head vanishes quickly. Aromas are mild, slight citrus and floral notes in there. On the palate it is crisp, with juicy exotic fruit, before a quite dry and refreshing finish. Named after the new brewhouse To Øl City (Tool city, I think!), this is certainly easy-drinking and one (or two) for a session, in the city or elsewhere.

They say: “In the land of Denmark and small town of Svinninge, To Øl City is our new home. The vision is to brew the best beers in the world, and build a craft beverage hub of diverse and talented producers….the industrial rhythm of progress pulsating beneath our feet - as all the creative minds get together over the kettle once again to brew up something special.”

The hops are Mosaic while the hops line-up is Carahell, Flaked Oats, Golden Promise, Pilsner and Wheat.  A terrific combination and well worth looking out for.

To Øl City “House of Pale” Pale Ale 5.5%, 44cl can, O'Briens Wine

A step up in alcohol for the Pale Ale but the colour and the head is much the same as the Session. A little more hop in the aromas. More flavour and less crisp but as they say themselves come here to “get your full-bodied juicy fix”.  That smoothness shows a lot of malt but the hops is not shy either and that juicy stuff is a treat. Put this on your short list for sure.

They say: House Of Pale is one of the recipes we’ve taken from our beloved mad laboratory (brewpub!) in Copenhagen, BRUS. It’s seen many changes and tweaks over this year, experimenting with hop doses and overall ‘crispiness’ - and now we’re pretty sure we’ve got exactly what we’ve been looking for. 

Hops in the ale are Mosaic and Simcoe while the long line of malts consist of Chit Malt, Flaked Oats, Golden Naked Oats, Melanoidin, and Pilsner.

To Øl Whirl Domination IPA 6.2%, 44cl can, O'Briens Wine

To Øl are going for world domination with this IPA, the first to be brewed in their shiny new brewhouse. Colour is a lemon/yellow, with a thin white head that has more staying power than you’d expect. Aromas are hoppy and citrusy and there’s more of the same on the smooth palate. 

The word “extreme” is used as regards the amount of hops used in it yet the hops, while certainly evident, are moderately intense. Just to be clear, the hops come through, no mistaking the Simcoe, with its exotic citric fruitiness. Overall the IPA is quite exquisite, a very enjoyable drink indeed, right the way through to a lip-smacking finish. 

So much so that you can see how To Øl hope to make this one of their core beers. “We pushed the hops to the limit, packing in as much aroma as possible to this fresh beauty. Thus begins a new era of our hoppy world domination - drink it, and embrace the future.” The hops, by the way, are added not early on but at the “whirlpool” phase, hence the name.