On the craft trail with Eight Degrees, Connemara and Trouble Brewing
Eight Degrees Déjà Vu Hopfenweisse, 7.5% ABV, 440 ml can No 21 Coburg St
Buy-Back Brewers Bounce Back
This Hopfenweisse is the welcome-back shot from the Antipodean founders of Eight Degrees, who had just bought back the brewery. It may be
Third Barrel Day Drinkin Simcoe Session IPA 4%, 440 ml can Bradleys
Day Drinkin is the first of a series of “summer slammers” by Third Barrel. It’s a hazy lemon colour with a soft bubbly head that loses volume slowly. And with Simcoe taking the solo hops role, you can expect aromas of citrus and pineapple.
And it starts with the nose, pineapple and orange zest popping out of the glass. And more of the duo on the palate as the engagement gets a little more serious (in a good way!). No letting go now, as Wayne Wonder might have sung. Well he did sing it:
Got somebody she's a beauty
Very special really and truly
Take good care of me like it's her duty
Want you right by my side night and day.
Not too sure about night and day but Day Drinkin, at the 4% abv, would certainly make for a good session, night or day. As they say themselves: “be sure to pick up a few for your next bbq, camping trip or even just sitting on your own in the kids paddling pool.”
Kinnegar Brewers at Play #24 Summer Ale 4%, 440 ml can Bradleys
Colour is close to lemon, topped by a soft foamy head that sinks slowly. And a soft citrus breeze wafts up from your glass. This is summertime and the soft and supple citrus continues its merry way on the palate.
You deserve refreshment at the end of a hard hot day and this Donegal Summer Ale opens the door to a relaxing interlude whether in the newly opened Kinnegar taproom or in your own back garden. And, at four per cent, you and your buds could well have a summertime session. It’s a won won situation as someone might say.
One thing that is not immediately apparent, not that anyone is trying to hide it mind you, is that this beer, number 24 in the excellent Brewers at Play series, is a wheat ale. But be aware too that this is a once off. You get one chance. Jump aboard and sip in that rounded citrus experience.
They say:“Brewers at Play presents new beers designed to keep our brewers on their toes and our customers on their tenterhooks.” I say: “Keep ‘em coming!”
Ingredients: Water, barley, wheat, hops, citrus peel, yeast.
(No bergamot then?)
Clonakilty Foxy Red Ale 5.0%, 500ml bottle O’Donovan’s
Clonakilty’s “fierce” independent brewery are the producers of Foxy, a Red Ale. They have stopped short of proclaiming it as an Irish red ale.
Colour is a murky red brown with a bubbly white head that won’t keep you company for long. Aromas are pleasant and mildly malty; they have oats in here as well as barley. And it continues on its modest way on the palate, smooth of texture and smooth of flavour, the malt, with the slightest hint of sweetness, leading the way to a refreshing and satisfactory conclusion. One to note, methinks.
Ingredients: Well water, Irish malted barley and oats, hops, yeast and lots of passion.
Just one hop used, the East Kent Golding, brewer Frank Fredriksen told me.
He had bad news: It’s was a seasonal beer last autumn, only did a few batches of it, you might still find it a few places, but we're not stocking it at the moment.
And he had good news: Might brew it again in a few months though as many are asking for it.
They say: We are passionate about making beer with no compromise, brewing small batches with big personality. Using locally sourced grains, the best hops and water from our own well, our beers are handcrafted with care in our Brewhouse in Clonakilty by head brewer ‘Thirsty’ Frank Fredriksen and his team.
Clonakilty is at the centre of such a positive mix of beautiful scenery, amazing food, interesting characters, quirky local stories and strong town spirit. We consider ourselves hugely lucky to be able to make our beer here and become part of the tapestry of this place. It also pushes us to brew beer that stands with the best and make the town proud of what we do.
Trouble Brewing Trick Of Light IPA 6.3%, 440 ml can Bradleys
This recent Trick of the Light IPA from Trouble pours a hazy orange in the glass and there’s a soft white head that stays around for a spell. Tropical aromas rise up to greet you. And there’s a tropical posse on the palate also, along with the none too subtle spice of the rye, no shortage of citrus either, as all the hops contribute. Quite a forceful palate actually before a lip smacking finish.
The Kildare brewery, who also added oats here, say: “…Trick Of Light, a 6.3% IPA that has been dry hopped with Azacca, Cascade & Idaho 7 to deliver a big fruity blast of orange & grapefruit pith. The Idaho 7 gives a hint of pine that balances beautifully with the spiciness of the rye malt.”
Trouble Brewing was founded in 2010 by three friends: Paul, Tom and Stephen. Tom had been homebrewing for years (there’s always one!) and insisted on sharing the fruits of his labour with Paul and Stephen. On nights out, he dragged them to drink pints of various styles and flavours at pubs like the Porterhouse and the Bull and Castle beer hall, both Mecca’s for great beer in Dublin.
Paul soon developed an interest in brewing himself, and it wasn’t long before he realised making beer was a relatively inexpensive process and buying it was quite the opposite. With this in mind he approached Tom and Stephen with the idea of setting up a brewery of their own. It could provide an income for the three and get them out of the unfortunate situation of working for “the man”. They gathered up all the money they could (about €45k between them) and borrowed the same from the bank with the help of a well prepared business plan. Then they set about putting together a functioning brewery.
And they are functioning very well indeed, thank you!
A Quart of Ale± #90
On the craft journey with Franciscan Well, Killarney Brewing, Trouble and Wicklow Wolf.
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Killarney Scarlet Pimpernel IPA 6%, 500ml bottle Bradleys
There is a statue of a priest, dressed in an older fashion, at an entrance to Killarney National Park. He is striding out, a man in a hurry. They seek him here, they seek him there - he is O’Flaherty, the Scarlet Pimpernel. And this IPA is named in his honour.
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It has a deep red colour. “Best served with a thick frothy head so pour with vigour.” I missed that bit of advice so my head, a bit like the Pimpernel, didn’t hang about. Got “rough” with the second one and a better longer-lasting head was the result.
Built “on a smooth malty base”, it is not a million miles away from our Franciscan Well. Aromas are moderate, citrus and pine. There’s a light caramel sweetness on the palate. Overall, a good balance is found, hop bitterness is moderate, and they boldly recommend it as “a perfect partner for full flavoured dishes”.
During WW2, Rome based Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty saved over 6,500 people by hiding them in monasteries, farms, and other locations. After the war, he was awarded the US Medal of Freedom and Commander of the British Empire.
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Franciscan Well Chieftain Irish Pale Ale 5.5%, 330can O’Donovan’s
Franciscan Well Chieftain IPA, then described as “a great stepping stone into the land of big and bitter”has proved quite a popular beer since launched by the Cork brewery. Colour is amber, not a million miles away from their Rebel Red. Indeed, when I posted an early photo of the IPA, a reader challenged me saying I got it wrong, that is the red in the pic.
Certainly hoppy in the aromas, a burst of tropical.There’s a malty theme there too and both continue onto the palate. Citra, Tettnanger and Magnum are the hops and they make their presence felt here, with Pine and Citrus, but the malts (Ale Malt, Crystal Malt) ensure a flavoursome balance, meeting the brewer’s aim of “casual enjoyment” for the drinker rather than the “intense hoppiness” that some IPAs deliver, sometimes to the consternation of the casual craft drinker.
Serve at 6 degrees and pair with fried chicken. Mature Irish cheeses and cured meats are also recommended.
By the way, Franciscan Well is looking forward to the coming year. ‘ It’s been a long road for everyone over the last couple of years. Our focus has been on surviving but now we want to bring memorable moments and experiences back to the centre of what we do, ’ says Kate Clancy (right), marketing manager of the Franciscan Well bar. More details here, even the promise of a beer festival.
Trouble Brewing Nocturne Milk Stout 5.5%, 440ml can Bradleys
This limited release looks well in the glass. Black with a creamy tan head that is unhurried. A big whiff of coffee in the aromas. And the coffee again, with sweet chocolate notes now, on the smooth palate. Sip away all that delicious creaminess to a very satisfactory ending. Smooth and easy all the way. No Trouble at all!
Ingredients – Water, Malt, Oats, Wheat, Lactose, Cacao Nibs, Hops and Yeast
Founded over 10 years ago Trouble Brewing is a 100% Irish-owned and independent brewery, located in Kill, Co Kildare. “Everything we do is driven by the desire to produce the highest quality, best tasting beer for our fellow beer lovers. …We mainly brew hop forward, session beers to be enjoyed by all, but we’re always happy to experiment — only a few ideas are too dumb.”
Wicklow Wolf Moonlight Non Alcoholic Hoppy Ale 0.5%, 330can Bradleys
The search for a really good Irish non alcoholic beer continues.
Geek Bits
Hops: Cascade, Hallertau Blanc, Citra
Malts: Melano, Cara Gold
Brewery News
Fidelity's Back
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Hope Tours Return!
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********* Wicklow Wolf
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A Quart of Ale± #87
On the craft journey with Whiplash, Journeyman, O Brother, Trouble Brewing
Whiplash Immolator Triple Decoction Smoked Dopplebock 8.6%, 440ml can Whiplash Online
This lager, for that’s what it is, has a red colour, thanks in part to the treble decoction. Treble what? Look decoction up here. And this dopplebock is also smoked! And that means you get quite a bit of bacon in the flavours! According to the ever enthusiastic, ever inventive crew at Whiplash this is the lager you need but don’t deserve this winter! Not your common garden lager. One to enjoy though.
That smokiness is down to the Beech Smoked Malt, straight from the German town and beer pilgrimage site of Bamberg.
I’ll let the Whiplash gang tell you the story: A simple base of Light Munich and Beech Smoked Malt straight from Bamberg, this one is a homage to a Bamberg classic. We’ve brought our own flair to the party by lashing this one into our dedicated decoction vessel not once, not twice, but thrice. The benefit of which has added colour and caramel malt richness to this one without incorporating any cloying sweetness. A touch of Magnum in the boil, a ferment on our house lager yeast WLP833, and a very long cold maturation has delivered something that’s both huge and strangely nuanced and all the while is like living in smokehouse, supping big German lagers in the middle of a bacon fight.
Geek Bits
Malts: Smoked Malt, Munich Malt.
Hops: Magnum
Yeast: WLP833 (house lager yeast)
Artwork: @izzyrosegrange
After opening on the red colour, you may well sniff out a little bacon in the modest aromas. Modest then goes out the window on the intense palate. Intense but not at all overly so. That caramel malt richness is certainly there. And the bacon is there but not a dominating factor. Overall, there’s a good balance, a Marzan style richness, between the main actors, the malt and smoke, right through to the finish. Be sure and try one for this is a beer to shift you from the routine.
Better again, try this along with Kinnegar’s Rauchbier, Galway Bay’s Marzen to the Fire Smoked Marzen and Wicklow Wolf’s Ranchero. Could be quite a session especially if you add the Bamberg classic Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen (fairly widely available in Ireland).
Wikipedia describes an immolator as “One of a sect of Russian fanatics who practised self-mutilation and sacrifice”. Would the lash of a whip have anything to do with that self-mutilation? Don’t see anything on the can’s small print emoticon!!! In any event, I’m up for a can of this Whiplash anyway!
Journeyman Session IPA 4.5%, 500ml bottle, X-Mas present
Pale orange colour, a hazy one, but lots of bubbles visible. Nice soft head is not for hanging around. Aromas are fresh and tangy, citrus led, hints of pine. Fruity enough on the palate and here too the malt shows up well and then a bitter-sweet finish. Refreshing with good balance, easy-drinking and well fitted out for that session.
Based at the Station Works in Dundalk, the Pearse Lyons Brewery is known for The Foxes Rock range of Irish Craft Beers. Foxes Rock is produced alongside well known Irish brands such as our Journeyman and Brown Bear. Lots of brew specials hit the bars and shops throughout the year. Station Works and the Pearse Lyons Distillery (near St Jame’s) are part of the family owned Alltech Beverage company that is also brewing and distilling in the USA.
O Brother The Chancer APA 5.4%, 440ml can O’Briens Wine
“The Chancer is our American-style pale ale, a bold and fresh one.”
It has a straw/orange colour, a soft white head with little staying power. More pleasant than bold in the aromas with citrus leading the way, pine notes in there too, the hops having their say. And the grapefruit flavours, now with more exotic companions, are found on the palate but quite a bit of balance there too thanks to the light malt base of Irish Pale and Cara Malt. All in all quite a refreshing thirst quencher, with a clean crisp finish. Go on and take a chance!
The hops are Galaxy and Cascade. The American Cascade gets much of the credit for the Grapefruit and floral notes while the Cascade (from Oz) shows its paces with Passionfruit and Peach and also some citrus.
Trouble Brewing Park Life, Helles Lager 4.9%, 440ml can O’Briens Wine
Light amber is the colour of this Helles Lager from Kildare’s Trouble Brewing; the white fluffy head is quick to vanish. Aromas are light, just a touch of citrus. It is though full-bodied on the palate with malty biscuity-flavours, very refreshing. Pretty true to type and one of their core beers.
Helles is a type of lager, traditionally produced around Munich in Germany. The Trouble version was originally brewed in collaboration with The Taphouse in Ranelagh
Ingredients – Water, malted barley, hops & yeast
A little bit on Trouble, in their own words: When we started making beer ten years ago, there were less than ten craft breweries in Ireland. From the get-go we set ourselves apart by brewing styles that no one else was producing. Take our now legendary Pumpkin Ale, a first for Ireland and brewed with pumpkins grown by our founder Paul’s mom Deirdre. We were also at the forefront of bringing the east coast pale ale style to these shores and we continue to push the boundaries with new styles. We mainly brew hop forward, session beers to be enjoyed by all, but we’re always happy to experiment — only a few ideas are too dumb.
Beer of the Year 2021 - the list!
Brehon Brewhouse Oak & Mirrors Two Stacks Whiskey Cask Aged Imperial Porter 7.5%
Dungarvan “Mahon Falls” Rye Pale Ale
Eight Degrees “The Pilgrim’s Path” Lager
Eight Degrees Irish Oak-aged Barleywine 12.2%
Galway Bay NZ Pils Motueka Dry Hopped Pilsner
Heaney New England IPA
Hope “Limited Edition No 25“ Classic Gose
Land & Labour Crimson Kriek Framboise
Lineman “Vesper" Pale Ale
Mescan Brewery Old Brown
O’Hara’s Irish Stout Nitro
Trouble Brewing Lights Out DIPA
Western Herd Flora and Fauna 10 Hop DIPA
Whiplash “Melodie Noir” Baltic Porter
Yellow Belly “Red Noir” Dark Red Ale
- Will be "working" on this long list of my favourite beers in 2021 over the Christmas break. Soon, a short list will be published and then my champ!
Will also name a selection across the various style.
December (short list)
Coffee and Oatmeal Stout: Dungarvan
Cask-Aged: Brehon Brewhouse Oak & Mirrors Two Stacks Whiskey Cask Aged Imperial Porter 7.5%
Porter: Whiplash The Sup
Session: Eight Degrees Seisíun IPA 4.5%
Rauchbier: Kinnegar 20÷2 Anniversary Rauchbier 5%
Barleywine: Eight Degrees Irish Oak-aged Barleywine 12.2%
A Quart of Ale± #78
On the craft journey with a session of Trouble Brewing, Brehon Brewhouse and Brú.
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Trouble Brewing Lights Out DIPA 7.6%, 440 can Bradleys
Trouble Brewing latest DIPA comes in an opaque orange colour, when the lights are on. And there’s a strong measure of tangerine in the aromas.That vibrant fruit (and other exotic ones) just doubles up in the mouth, strong, smooth, rich, yet balanced and fresh. Bitterness is mid-scale, soft and present into the finish.
This very impressive Double IPA is brewed with Sabro, Mosaic & Columbus and is available in cans with very limited availability on draught. My next aim is to get some of that draught! Perhaps an Asian dish on order from next door.
Trouble Brewing was founded in 2010 by three friends: Paul, Tom and Stephen. Tom had been home-brewing for years and insisted on sharing the fruits of his labour with Paul and Stephen. On nights out, he dragged them to drink pints of various styles and flavours at pubs like the Porterhouse and the Bull and Castle beer hall, both Mecca’s for great beer in Dublin.
Paul soon developed an interest in brewing himself, and it wasn’t long before he realised making beer was a relatively inexpensive process and buying it was quite the opposite. With this in mind he approached Tom and Stephen with the idea of setting up a brewery of their own…. Then they set about putting together a functioning brewery.
Trouble Brewing Little Monster Pale Ale 3.5%, 440 can Bradleys
Colour of this Little Monster is a light orange, brilliant white head and shoals of bubbles rushing towards the top. Aromas are citrusy and tropical, plus a hint of pine. Flavours are unexpectedly intense for the abv and follow the aromas closely enough (with mango and pineapple among the tropicals). In addition, there is quite a bitter element from the use of the El Dorado hops. Refreshing with a lip-smacking dry finish. Quite a handful for a 3.,5% and would more than hold its own in a session. Ingredients include oats, wheat and rye.
Trouble launched the Little Monster on Facebook on October 18th last: Little Monster is heading out into the world this week! A 3.5% Pale Ale brewed with Sabro, Mosaic. Azacca & El Dorado. Available in cans, and very limited availability on draught over the next while.
Brehon Brewhouse Bright & Light Session Ale 3.5%, 440 can Bradleys
This Brehon Light and Bright is an Irish craft beer with a light texture, mild flavour and low ABV. “Our new low Abv ale is dedicated to the life story of my Grandparents James and Roseanne McMahon,” says Seamus McMahon, brewer, farmer and drinker at Brehon.
Colour is a light golden/amber, with a slight haze through which you see the bubbles in action on their way to the white head. Aromas are of light intensity and with citrus notes. Citrus too on the zingy palate. No shortage of refreshment though and there’s a subtle touch of bitterness at the finish.
Very pleasant and excellent company, just like James and Roseanne.
Hopped with Saaz & Magnum with lager malts.
Brú Hop Bomb #4 IPA 5.5%, 440 can Carryout Ballyvolane
This is a hazy orange colour. Aromas are mainly citrus-y but on a layer of tropical fruits. On the palate, the fruity element continues with quite a mix including mango, passionfruit, citrus, plus a touch of pine. Fruity and refreshing.
This Brú Hop Bomb, part of their urban jungle series, was produced using Strata and Simcoe hops while the malts were Lager and Carapils.
This is Hop Bomb #4 but others will have different hops! “An IPA packed with aromas and flavours from an ever-changing blend of hops, meaning that Hop Bomb is always evolving. No matter what the recipe, it will be generously dry-hopped to get the most intense aromas possible. A simple malt base ensures that the hops take centre-stage, right where they belong. Any bitterness is balanced with sweetness from the malts, coming together for a juicy beer..”
Brú Head Brewer, Francesco, describes what makes this beer series unique:As a brewer, I love to describe this product as a didactic IPA: the malt base is even easier than the BRÚ Lager (90% Lager malt!), plus a touch of dextrin and some barley flakes. But the fun in this beer is that for every single batch, we choose a different blend of powerful hops and add them generously at the end of boiling, flameout, whirlpool and in dry hopping.
