CorkBillyBeers #4. Craft journey with IPA, including Cotton Ball’s first can, a Whiplash session , the famous Thornbridge Jaipur and Duvel Tripel Hop.

CorkBillyBeers #4

Craft journey with IPA, including Cotton Ball’s first can, a go-to session from Whiplash, and the famous duo of Thornbridge Jaipur and Duvel Tripel Hop. 

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Cotton Ball Fury Tropical IPA, 5.4%, 440ml can sample.

This is a Hazy East Coast style IPA, brewed with Irish malt, hopped with Galaxy (Australia), Columbus (USA) and “our favourite” Amarillo (USA) to give a tropical flavour and aroma. That’s the intro from the Cotton Ball Brewery for their Fury, the first of their beers to be canned (Dec 12th 2022) at the brewery, which is attached to the late 19th century pub in the north-east Cork suburb of Mayfield.

Colour is a dense orange with a fine bubbly white head. Aromas feature citrus, herbal notes too, even a hint of dank. The palate is a pleasure, more of the citrus, plus grapefruit, peach and a hint of resin, all in super balance, all before a very satisfactory finish. Very drinkable indeed.

The Cotton Ball is quite close to me and I often pass it while out walking the dog of a morning. On one of those jaunts, I met Eoin Lynch and he told me, that after a few minor tweaks, they went ahead with the canning of this, just a tiny batch as the machine is no bigger than your average sized kitchen table. He was happy with the outcome and I was happy when he handed me a can to sample and even happier now having sampled it!

This hazy IPA style has, over the past ten years or so, become one of the more popular beer styles in the world, thanks to the juicy exotic aromas and its smooth almost creamy texture, not to mention its bold fruity flavours and low bitterness. The Fury sits comfortably in the range.

Quite a few Irish examples at this stage, including Black’s “Ace of Haze” and Rascals’ "Hazy In Love” and the Heaney New England IPA. An American worth considering would be the Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing.

Very Highly Recommended.

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Whiplash Rollover Session IPA 3.8% ABV, 330 can Bradleys

Looking for a decent session beer? No shortage but my go-to is this Whiplash Rollover. Murky orange is the colour - no way you’re going to see through this haze - and it boasts a big foamy white head! Aromas are packed with ripe citrus-y fruits. It was our session beer of 2020 and this most recent tasting confirmed it’s as gluggable able as ever.

The quartet of hops dominate the palate. Amazing that this juicy beer has so much hops and still weighs in at less than 4.00% ABV. Quite a concentration of hops then, but all soft and smooth 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.

With its burst of aromas and flavours and low ABV, this is what a session beer is all about and is Very Highly Recommended.

Very Highly Recommended

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Duvel Tripel Hop Citra Belgian IPA, 9.5% ABV, 330ml bottle Bradleys

This Belgian beer pours a cloudy light gold, with an attractive white head. Looks like an IPA and smells like one too, citrus mostly with hops there also. Rich concentrated flavours, mostly tropical, flow across the palate, a subtle bitterness in the mix, and a hint of the high alcohol, yet all the elements combine in a very pleasant harmony indeed. An unanimous thumbs up for the folks at Duvel! They sure can make a devilish beer.

The Brewery says they noted the “trend towards more hoppy beers - thanks to our first brews in 2007 and 2010 - was set to continue. This Duvel Tripel Hop will please special beer lovers, while we will continue to ensure that the intrinsic characteristics of Duvel are preserved.”

It was in 2016 that Duvel went in search of the ultimate Duvel Tripel Hop. More than 5,000 fans tasted and voted, and Citra was clearly the favourite. And so they added Citra to the Saaz-Saaz and Styrian Golding already used in their regular strong ale.

Duvel is a natural beer with a subtle bitterness, a refined flavour and a distinctive hop character. The unique brewing process, which takes about 90 days, guarantees a pure character, delicate effervescence and a pleasant sweet taste of alcohol. The Beer Bible lists the Tripel Hop Citra as one of a handful of essential “beers to know” if you are trying to get a handle on IPAs.

The Duvel story though goes back well beyond 2007. It all began when Jan-Léonard Moortgat and his wife founded the Moortgat farm brewery in 1871. Around the turn of the century, Moortgat was one of the over 3,000 breweries operating in Belgium and is still going strong. The beer is still brewed with profound respect for the original recipe and the time it needs to mature. More details here .

Geek Bits

HOPS: Saaz-Saaz, Styrian Golding & Citra

Dry Hopping: Citra (Yakima Valley, Washington, USA)

TASTING PROFILE: Grapefruit and tropical fruit

EBU: 40

ALC: 9.5%

SHELF LIFE: 18 months

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Thornbridge “Jaipur” IPA, 5.9% ABV, 330ml can Bradleys

This beauty from the UK brewery, with six hops aboard, wears its complexity lightly and you’ll have no problem sipping your way through. 

It has a fairly cloudy pale yellow colour and hoppy aromas (whiffs of citrus and pine). Smooth on the palate, hoppy, citrus notes too, and a beautiful balance all the way to the lip-smacking hoppy lingering finish. Not too much more to say except that this is more or less the perfect IPA.

Match with Thai Curry, they say. No problem, I say, I love my massaman!

Thornbridge, based in Derby, are regarded by many as Britain’s leading 21st century brewery. Not surprised that their award tally worldwide has soared to over the one hundred mark

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. Low Colour Maris Otter is the malt used.

They say: Jaipur is our flagship beer, and the one that really put us on the map back in 2005 when we were just starting out.… We are often told “this is the beer, that got me into beer” and we are always very proud to hear this. It’s usually recognised as the first UK craft IPA, and was brewed with a huge amount of US hops at a time where this was very unusual.

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December's Very Highly Recommended Irish Beers

IPA: Third Barrel Electric Eyes Idaho & El Dorado IPA

Witbier: Whiplash Alma Witbier 

Stout: Cotton Ball Lynch’s Stout; Dungarvan Coffee & Oatmeal Stout; Lineman (with Craic Beer Community) Pulse Irish Extra Stout; Whiplash The Wake Export Stout; 

Ales with Wild Yeast: Black Donkey Underworld Rua Amber Ale; Black Donkey Underworld Allta Farmhouse Ale; Black Donkey Underworld Savage Farmhouse /Saison Ale.

A Quart of Ale± #12. Moving on over to craft with IPAs by Thornbridge, White Hag, Heaney, and Brehon.

A Quart of Ale± #12

Moving on over to craft. 

India Pale Ale

Thornbridge “Jaipur” IPA 5.9%, 330ml can Bradley’s of Cork

Pale straw is the colour of this modern (2005) classic. Jaipur comes with over 100 worldwide awards. This iconic American style IPA has a complexity of flavour created by a six-dimensional hop experience.

Funnily enough, this is held up as an example of the English IPA in the Brewdog book Craft Beer for the People. Hard for us amateurs to determine the style of a beer if the likes of Thornbridge and Brew Dog can't agree. Anyhow, we'll have fun trying.

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 (faint whiff of citrus, even fainter one of pine). Smooth on the palate, hoppy, citrus notes too, and a beautiful balance all the way to lip-smacking hoppy finish. Not too much more to say except that this is more or less the perfect IPA.

Match with Thai Curry, they say.

Hops: Chinook, Centennial, Ahtanum, Simcoe, Columbus, Cascade.

Malts: Low Colour Maris Otter.

The White Hag “Bran & Sceolan” 7.2%, 330ml can Bradley’s of Cork

A very pale amber, quite hazy. High levels of dry hopping in this one yield aromas of citrus. And that same citrus, now a juicy burst, makes for a delightful flavoursome palate, little if any sign of the high alcohol in the smooth mouthfeel. Terrific balance and an excellent drink overall. The IBU figure is 45 but, like the 7.2% abv, it is not a major factor for this drinker.

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They say: Bran and Sceolan were the two wolfhounds of warrior Fionn Mac Cumhaill, born to his aunt after she was magically transferred into an Irish Wolfhound by her husband’s ex lover. The story of these strong legends is as intense and complex as the flavours in this beer. An American-style IPA brewed with 100% Irish malt.

Heaney “Big Little IPA” 4.2%, 440ml can Bradley’s of Cork

Colour is yellow, a hazy yellow. The soft head is short-lived, not that it matters a while pile, unless you like the ice-cream look! Aromas are hoppy and fruity (exotic). Quite a hoppy fruity punch considering the abv, a big hitter for sure, and a bitter wash around the gums and lips with an edgy aftertaste. Wouldn’t recommend this if you were starting out on good quality ales but by all means go for it if you have been trying a few litres.

This is a farmhouse brewery and the water comes from the Heaney farm spring. Don’t think I’ve had a Heaney before. I can tell they’re in Bellaghy, Co. Derry. The Big Little is unfiltered, unpasteurised, and they recommend pairing it with spicy dishes. I don’t have an IBU for this but I’d imagine it is fairly high.

They say:  Big Little IPA. Only a little 4.2% but plenty of big hops to satisfy your hop desires. Soft bitterness, juicy citrus hops and a dry thirst quenching finish. Perfect for summer. Summer lol. It's summer right?

Brehon Brewhouse “Stony Grey” IPA 6.0%, 550ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

This has a close to amber colour. Nice mix in the aromas, floral notes and hints from the malt. And much the same elements combine on the palate giving a terrific balance, smooth all the way to the dry finish. A very pleasant beer indeed. A superb beer actually and probably closer to a real English IPA than the others. 

I should be paying more attention here and have some more notes for you but I’m trying to watch Analyse This on a movie channel and they aren’t talking IPA, more like KIA*. In any event, it looks like I have another brewery to add to my short list as the recently tried Brehon’s Ulster Black Oatmeal Stout is another star.

They say: Great on its own but just perfect with spicy foods like Indian, Mexican, chicken wings or mild blue cheese, lemon curd cake or key lime pie. Serve around 8 degrees. Our small brewery is housed on the farm, just a short distance from the old homestead.We are set amongst the rolling drumlins of County Monaghan, just a few miles from the birthplace of Patrick Kavanagh, the inspiration for our India Pale Ale –  Stony Grey IPA.

* KIA Killed In Action.

A Quart of Ale± #10. Moving on over to craft. American Style IPA

A Quart of Ale± #10

Moving on over to craft. 

American Style IPA

First, there was IPA. In the 18th century, English beer, on its way to India was highly hopped. It became known as India pale ale and went down well with the soldiers and later found favour with drinkers at home. 

Two hundred years later, just like the empire, it was slipping into oblivion, until the Americans revived it by using their more aromatic and flavourful hops and more of them. And so the American IPA was born. And that led to a revival in the UK.

In Part 1 here, we start with a 100% American IPA and an answer from the UK and a worthy effort too from our own Porterhouse. Both Lyons and Lough Gill have strong US connections. Part 2 will focus on some excellent American style IPA produced here in Ireland by the likes of Kinnegar, Whiplash, Blacks and Yellowbelly.

Founders All Day IPA 4.7%, 42 IBU, 355ml can, Bradley’s of Cork

Light amber colour, no shortage of bubbles, white head falls quickly. Aromas are sharply hoppy. Mouth-filling, with strong but not by any means overpowering hop input, not too bitter at all. Excellent, and certainly sessional as they indicate on the label. A classic Founders without all the alcohol.

They say: The beer you’ve been waiting for. Keeps your taste satisfied while keeping your senses sharp. An all-day IPA naturally brewed with a complex array of malts, grains and hops. Balanced for optimal aromatics and a clean finish. The perfect reward for an honest day’s work and the ultimate companion to celebrate life’s simple pleasures.

Brewer Jeremy Kosmicki  made the All Day his mission: “Not too malty, not too bitter, not too much alcohol. Something I would get satisfaction from. Pretty excited that the company got behind it and said go for it. It’s not a light beer.. the only thing light about it is the alcohol.” Reckon he cracked it! See his video onsite at www.foundersbrewing.com

Thornbridge Jamestown New England IPA 5.9%, 330ml can, Bradley’s of Cork

Lighter colour, a light hazy gold, than Founders, big white head, a bit slower to sink. Hoppy aromas. On the palate, you get a fruity greeting, little trace of bitterness. Very quaffable indeed. And if you’re inching your way into craft, you could do worse than try this English made beer.

Hops: Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin, Citra. Mosaic

Maris Otters, Wheat, Oat

They say: Jamestown is soft in body and huge in character. Expect a bouquet of stone fruit and citrus, followed by flavours of papaya and pineapple on the palate. Vegan friendly!

Porterhouse Renegade New England IPA 5.3%, 440ml can, Bradley’s of Cork

Again a hazy gold, a little heavier than the Jamestown, big white head that lingers a while. Hops peep through in the aromas. Well flavoured as you’d expect from the hops but this smooth New Englander from old Dublin is very drinkable, well balanced with hops enough but no overt bitterness.

They say: Renegade is our take on a NEIPA. With an extended whirlpool at lower temperature for a smooth soft finish. Unfiltered and heavily dry hopped with Amarillo, Galaxy and Mosaic for notable flavours of passionfruit, mango, lemon with a touch of blueberry. This NEIPA is fermented on traditional East Coast yeast.

Malts: Ale, Oats, Cara, Wheat.

Hops: Magnum, Citra, Mandarina Bavaria, Simco.

Lough Gill Native IPA 5.5%, 440ml can, Aldi

In Lough Gill, a couple of years back, with James (left) and Tony

The label shows a buffalo with the stars and stripes background. More than enough to indicate that this is more than likely an American style Indian Pale Ale. No big surprise really considering that head brewer Tony is a Lakota Sioux. It came into the Aldi offering about two years back and I hadn’t heard of it until a chance visit to the local store recently. The surprise is that this has some characteristics of an English style IPA.

It comes in a reddish brown colour with an off white head that doesn’t last as long as an Aldi queue. Aromas of moderate intensity with both malt and hops at level pegging. And that equilibrium is repeated on the palate. Nice bit of flavour though and a dry malty finish from a beer that falls somewhere between American and English, between pale ale and red. Pretty good one though.

With COVID-19 hammering small business right across the country James Ward, founder, Lough Gill Brewing Company, is delighted that Aldi has extended its usual summer contract for Native to last through the autumn. 

Pearse Lyons “Brown Bear” IPA 5.2%, 500ml bottle Aldi

The late lamented Pearse Lyons (clip from distillery tour video)

Amber is the colour of this Aldi beer. The soft white head soon sinks to a lacy disc. Hops and their floral notes feature in the aromas of moderate intensity. It has been dry hopped and that comes across clearly on the palate right through to the finish but the malt has a strong enough part to play here as well. 

Well-made, well balanced as you’d expect from the Pearse Lyons company who own a distillery and a brewery in the US. Their distillery in Dublin’s Liberties is a must visit while their beers are being produced, for Aldi, in the old McArdles brewery in Dundalk. I haven’t had the pleasure of a visit there yet.

A Quart of Ale± #3. An impressive trio from Thornbridge and one from Berkshire's Siren

Bliss

A Quart of Ale± #3

An impressive trio from Thornbridge
and one from Berkshire's Siren

Thornbridge are best known (to me anyhow) for their superb Jaipur, a classic Indian Pale Ale. They started life in a local stately home and are now based in Bakewell, a small market town in Derbyshire, and you’ll find them on the banks of the Wye.  Having associated the brewery with Jaipur, I thought they were long established and was surprised to see they started up as recently as 2005. Following an array of awards and national recognition, Jaipur (launched in mid-2005) catapulted Thornbridge into the spotlight and eventually into a brand new brewery.

Thornbridge “Shelby” India Pale Ale, 5.0%, 330ml bottle, Bradley's of Cork

Shelby, the official beer of Peaky Blinders the TV series, pours a golden amber, the white head vanishing as quickly as an opportunist thief. Surprisingly fruity nose and that continues onto the arresting palate. Here too the maltiness makes a discreet and pleasant appearance and there’s a citrus enhanced bitterness. Excellent mouthfeel too. This is full of flavour and character, and so much better than many celebrity drinks. 

Looks as if you were a beer drinker of 1919, the year in which the TV series is set, you did very well for yourself indeed. Once you weren’t doing porridge, of course.

Hops used are Fuggles and Bramling Cross while the malts are Low Colour Maris Otter, Crystal, Munich.

Thornbridge “Bliss Point” Hazy American Pale Ale, 5.0%, 330ml can, Bradley's of Cork

It is yellow and, just to confirm, a hazy one, more than slightly so.  Aromas see the hops float up with fruit coming through as well. Just a small little can but one with big juicy flavours from the backbone of a quartet of US hops, namely Cascade, Simcoe, Azacca, Citra. Malts, you may like to know are Low Colour Maris Otter, Wheat. Quite a combination. Lots of hazy stuff around nowadays but, clearly, this is one of the better ones. 

I see craftcentral.ie describe this as “extremely crisp” but I can’t agree with that assessment. This is as smooth as they come, packed with those expected tropical fruits, with the American hops performing prominently in both the aromatics and flavours. Relax and enjoy. This is what craft beer, good beer, is all about. Cheers!

By the way, having finished a wine session and feeling lazy, I drank this from a Lumin Arc balloon type wine glass and found it worked out very well indeed, the 330ml can fitting in precisely with room for a fine if short-lived white foamy head.

Thornbridge “Tupelo” Hazy Pale Ale, 5.5%, 440ml can

(in collaboration with Salt Beer) Bradley's of Cork

You can smell the hops almost at “social distancing” here as this hazy ale fills your glass with a pale yellow, a big white head too but, unlike the hops, that soon clears down to a sparse cover. Tropical fruits aromas come from the Sabro (“fantastic”) / Citra / Ekuanot / Galaxy / Chinook / and Centennial hops. Malts by the way are Maris Otter / Wheat / Oats.

The hops also make their presence felt later on but there is no jarring domination. The beer is harmonious, pleasant and easy drinking, quite an exotic fruity juice bomb in the mouth and refreshing for sure with a dry finish.

The Salt Beer Factory, the other party in this collaboration, are based in a disused power station in the Yorkshire village of Saltaire, about 90 minutes north of Thornbridge (which is in the Peak District). And Tupelo? Must be the city in northern Mississippi, most famous as the birthplace of Elvis Presley.

Siren White Tips Session IPA, 4.5%, 440ml can, Bradley’s

Pale yellow (hazy) is the colour of this session beer that lists wheat as one of the ingredients. The white foamy head beats a hasty retreat. Quite a lot of citrus, including sharp lemon, in the aromas. And, with the addition of a hint of clove, the story is much the same on the palate. Not surprising really, considering the brewers have added zest of orange, grapefruit and lime. Quite a distinctive beer to be fair and one sure to suit quite a few drinkers.  Yet there’s good harmony here and a lip smacking finish.

Siren brew this every spring and they say: “White Tips is our expression of a wit beer combined with IPA levels of hops. A traditional wit yeast works in harmony with the citrus peel and a healthy hop dosing to create a balanced IPA that is sure to pull you in wave after wave.”

Malts: Lager, Wheat, Malted Oats

Hops: Hallertau Blanc, Centennial, Cascade, Simcoe

Adjuncts: Orange zest, Grapefruit zest, Lime zest 

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.