On the craft trail - with Lineman, Western Herd and Lough Gill

On the craft trail - with Lineman, Western Herd and Lough Gill 

Lineman Reflector Pils 4.2% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

Lineman resurrected their Reflector Pils recently. “And why not?”, they ask: “We absolutely love this stuff, and it seems you do too, because you voted it #1 in style in 2023 on untappd.”

It certainly looks the part in the glass. That golden colour you'd expect from a pils and a soft white head (not that the head stays around for long). And it is indeed brimming with flavour as they've promised. The zesty New Zealand hop, Motueka, and the ever-reliable Bohemian Pilsner malt have played a blinder here, including coming up with a very refreshing finish. Very Highly Recommended.

Lineman has worked hard on this Czech-style pale lager, balanced by a good dose of hops in the kettle for bitterness and flavour. “Finally, a little dry-hop before we lager it for 65 days for incomparable smoothness, that's the icing on the cake.”

Western Herd Loop Head Pilsner, 4.5% ABV, 440 ml can Matsons

Three years back or so, I had one of these Loop Head Pilsners. It was supposed to be crystal clear. It wasn’t. This one is. It was as clear as it could be, with many little bubbles streaming to the short-lived white head. Highly Recommended.

Yeast and malt are on the slightly sour nose, for sure. Clean mouthfeel and malt forward with a slightly fruity and dry finish. The anticipated crisp, clean Pilsner style comes through, and we’ve got a central European lager to enjoy from the west coast of Ireland. That was the plan, as they confirmed: “We brewed it with a single malt and simple hop bill to let the crisp, clean Pilsner style shine through.”

Geek Bits

Style
Pilsner

Colour/Appearance
Straw colour and crystal clear.

Aroma
Yeast and malt on the nose

Flavour
Clean mouthfeel and malt forward with a slightly fruity and dry finish.

Hops
Saaz, Perle

Malts
Pilsner malt

Yeast
Lager

After enjoying this beer or any of the well-made brews from Western Herd, you may like to take up their invitation: “Come and visit us in Flanagan’s Bar and Restaurant in the world-famous town of Lahinch in Co Clare.”

Lough Gill Shaka Session IPA, 3.8% ABV, 440 ml can Matsons

This light gold-coloured IPA comes from the excellent Lough Gill Brewery in Sligo. It is hazy. Look hard, and you’ll note fountains of bubbles rising up to the soft white head. At 3.8% ABV, it fits comfortably under the session bar. Aromas are moderate, tropical, and very pleasant. 

It continues smoothly on the palate with more tropical notes, some citrus, and an almost creamy mouthfeel that “has been amped up with the addition of Oats and Dextrin malts.” 

Shaka is brewed with Amarillo and Vic Secret Hops. These add tropical aromas and fruit flavours; the Australian Vic Secret is noted for its Passion Fruit, resinous and Pineapple characteristics, and the Amarillo for grapefruit and peach and is also resinous.  And they both deliver here. Aside from the aromatics and flavours, Shaka has quite a firm backbone for a 3.8 percenter. Overall, it punches above its weight and is Highly Recommended.

It is often touted as ideal for the BBQ but will also fit in very well at your Christmas party. Enjoy!

Café Velo Settling Well In Carrigaline

Café Velo Settling Well In Carrigaline

Chicken Ciabatta

Café Velo in Carrigaline offers an impressive variety on its menu. I had the pleasure of enjoying lunch in the newly opened venue last Saturday. Deciding what to

Taste of the Week. Hegarty's Cheddar Cheese

 Taste of the Week

Hegarty's Cheddar Cheese

Brothers Dan and John Hegarty are the fifth generation of Hegarty dairy farmers. At the turn of the century, they faced a familiar problem on Irish farms. And like many before them and since, they found a way to diversify and add value by going into cheese production, a solution that allowed both to stay on the farm.


Dan is the frontman for the cheese operation, and the Whitecross farm is now renowned for its magnificent cheddar that has been snapped up by restaurants and retail customers alike over the past two decades years or so. I regularly enjoy a wedge and once again it is our Taste of the Week. It is widely available, so go on and treat yourself!

* Some of the stockists are listed here.

Meyer-Fonné Gentil Alsace...the ideal choice to kick off an evening

Meyer-Fonné Gentil Alsace (AC) 2022, 12.5% ABV 

RRP €20.95. Stockists: Le Caveau, 64 Wine, Greenman Wines, Bradleys Cork

the ideal choice to kick off an evening

This Gentil, a traditional blend originating in the 1920s, captures all the magic of each component part. This 2022 vintage comprises Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Riesling (mostly) and Gewurztraminer.

Gentil is made from the estate’s white grape varieties. It is not hit-and-miss. You are not allowed to throw in just any old grape. It is done carefully, to a very high and controlled official standard.

It’s the ideal choice to kick off an evening as it makes a delightful aperitif. Later in the evening, importers Le Caveau recommend it with umami-focused dishes, like Sushi. It lends itself to sweet and aromatic spices, from North African to Indian/Pakistani and South East Asian. “Truly Versatile!”

It has a beautiful, clean golden colour. It is quite aromatic, with apple, pear, and a touch of sweetness (from the Muscat), and draws you in. And so it continues in the mouth with a beautiful balance and texture. The subtle fruit notes and, again, that persistent honey-suckle-like sweetness engage your senses right through the lingering finish.

I have been enjoying this for years now, and once again, it is Very Highly Recommended.

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Check out our Top 2023 Wines here.

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Check out the Good Value Wine List here

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On the craft trail with a gluten-free double and a juicy ale. Wicklow Wolf, Lough Gill, Third Barrel.

On the craft trail with a gluten-free double and a  juicy ale. Wicklow Wolf, Lough Gill, Third Barrel

Wicklow Wolf Arcadia GF Lager 4.3% ABV, 440 ml can https://wicklowwolf.com/shop/ 

“Slowly conditioned to ensure an exceptional taste”

Lovely gold/amber colour on this lager, with a soft white head. Great display of bubbles rising. Aromas are more malt than hop. Straightaway, you notice the refreshing edge, “great cutting in it”, as was said some decades back! But it has. Smooth also with a subtle balance of fruit and hop, a little sweetness and a hint of spice. Add in that crisp finish. What more could you want?

They say: We

Emiliana Novas Riesling Gran Reserva. Stunningly complex and a real deal at this price!

Emiliana Novas Riesling Gran Reserva 2021 Val Del Bio Bio (DC) Chile, 13.50% ABV

€16.95 O’Briens Wine

stunningly complex and a real deal at this price!

This organic Chilean Riesling from Bio Bio* is clear golden yellow in colour. It features lifted aromas of apple, pear, and lime, a waft of diesel (common in Rieslings wines the Bio Bio Valley, one of Chile’s most

Market Lane Knows Its Onions

 Market Lane Knows Its Onions

I’ve been enjoying the French Onion Soup at Market Lane since 2009. The current version, featuring Coolea cheese and sourdough croutons, is one of the best yet and was served as a fantastic starter during

Beer of the Week: Whitefield Old Smoke Porter. Explore its dark, delightful depths.

Beer of the Week: Whitefield Old Smoke Porter, 5.4% ABV

500 ml bottle Bradleys

Explore the dark, delightful depths of an exceptional brew!

Delve into the dark depths of Whitefield’s Old Smoke porter, an exceptional brew by Cuilán Loughnane that stands as a testament to the art of balance in craft beer. 

With its pitch-black pour and tantalising smoky aroma accented with

Calling All Aspiring Chefs! Bag your hands-on experience opportunity at Trigon Hotels' Open Kitchen Week.

Calling All Aspiring Chefs! Bag your hands-on experience at Trigon Hotels' Open Kitchen Week.

Alex Petit 

Do you dream of whipping up culinary masterpieces in a professional kitchen? Well, aspiring chefs in Cork, this is your chance to realise

Visit to the Anglers Rest sparks a Schnitzel odyssey

 Visit to the Anglers Rest sparks Schnitzel odyssey

Some unusual versions: Quail (Tannery) and Cod Tail (Goldie)

Last week’s lunch call to the Anglers Rest set me off on a Schnitzel odyssey. The Leemount had a beef version on offer, which is a bit unusual as Schnitzel is mostly made with veal or pork.

Jacques

Schnitzel, the beloved breaded cutlet traditionally associated with

On the craft trail in the west with a session of Lough Gill, Western Herd and Galway Bay

On the Wild Atlantic Way craft trail with a session of Lough Gill, Western Herd and Galway

 Lough Gill Sligo Bay Pale Ale APA, 4.6% ABV, 440 ml can Matsons

This white-soft-topped American Pale ale is pale gold and quite hazy. It is brewed in Sligo with a mix of cereals and American hops for a hop-forward yet

Yalumba Organic Shiraz South Australia. Additions? Only what’s required to preserve the natural flavours.

Yalumba Organic Shiraz South Australia 2020, 14% ABV

€17.00 Matsons (Bandon, Grange and Youghal)

Additions? Only what’s required to preserve the natural flavours.

It has been quite a while since I had the pleasure of drinking an Australian Shiraz, an organic and vegan-friendly one at that. The grapes are gathered from various vineyards in the area. No oak is used. Very few additions are

Domaine Lacour “Sous Le Clos” Côtes Du Couchois, a superb Pinot Noir from a relatively unknown area of Burgundy

Domaine Lacour “Sous Le Clos” Côtes Du Couchois Bourgogne (AOP) 2021, 13% ABV

RRP €25.50. Stockists:  64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau

A superb Pinot Noir from a relatively unknown area of Burgundy

The Côtes du Couchois is a tiny appellation in Burgundy. Although it is a relatively unknown area, it is the source of authentic and very well-priced wines. This “Sous Le Clos” by Domaine Lacour is