The Little Milk Company and Their Great Cheese

The Little Milk Company.

And their great tasting cheese!

Cheddar

Last week it was Salon du Fromage in Paris and a bunch of export orders. This week, the Little Milk Company, with the aid of some lovely wines from Tindal Wines was trying to crack the Cork market.

And Conor Mulhall, from the Little Milk Company, came yesterday to Jacob’s on the Mall, armed with a line-up of terrific cheeses, all made from organic cows’ milk supplied by the ten farmers, spread over Munster and South Leinster, that make up the company. The herds include a mix of Jersey and Montbeliarde cows and even some rare breed.

John Liston from Croom, one of the farmers, explained that just because they are organic doesn't mean they are a bunch of fuddy duddies. Far from it; they are cutting edge, some of them ranked in the very top tranche of Irish dairy farming. Indeed, one is introducing a robotic milking system (powered by alternative energy), a system that apparently is very well liked by the cows.

John did say that generally they are small farmers and their milk is being turned into cheese by small cheesemakers and they are Knockdrinna (Kilkenny), Mossfield (Offaly) and Knockanore (Waterford).

Organic Brie

The tasting started with the Organic Brie, soft and creamy, rich and full of flavour. Superb. The new Brewer's Gold, a star in Paris and a top seller at Christmas, was semi-soft and, its rind washed daily by a local ale, might well have been better paired with a local beer, but there was no denying the beautiful flavours contained in this rich and creamy cheese. Watch out for it!

Then we were on to the multi-award winning 9 month cheddar, this made in an 18kg wheel from pasteurised milk. The body may be firm but the cream is till there, mild and gorgeous with earthy tones and a nutty aroma.

Next up was a 12 month Cheddar, 13 months actually. Harder for sure but still that creaminess is there. This too has picked up its share of awards and was a favourite at the Jacob's tasting. In fact there is no stopping these guys as their last cheese, the 18 month Vintage Cheddar, is also a medal winner. This is that bit drier, that bit more flavoursome, maybe a bit too strong for some but well worth a try.

All the cheeses are hand-made and hand-turned using traditional methods. No fewer than 17 awards have been won in the past year, most of them internationally. The judges like them and I'd have to agree that these cheeses are all very good indeed.

Brewer's Gold

The wines too were quite interesting as they were described by Billy Henchy as own-brand wines. He explained: “Anthony Tindall has been flying round the world since the company's launch in 2004, visiting our producers and sourcing the best wines for our customers. In 2007 we decided to fly solo by producing our own range of wines from South Africa. Swallows Tale was 'hatched'. Puna Snipe from Chile and Hooded Plover from Australia migrated to Ireland over the next couple of years expanding our avian collection and increasing our offering of consistently high quality, good value wines to our customers.”

You’ll see Puna Snipe in quite a few restaurants and that is the name that Tindals use to market their Chilean own-brands. We enjoyed a Sauvignon Blanc and a 2011 Chardonnay and both came across really well, the Chardonnay going down well with the Brie. And the two Chilean reds, the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Merlot, both 2012, were also very acceptable, especially with the Cheddars.

Two Tindal blends came from South Africa, both really good, the Swallow’s Tail Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 and Swallow’s Tail Sauvignon Blanc Chenin Blanc 2012. Again the red was better with the cheddars while the lively if lightly flavoured white paired off well with the Brewers Gold. Would have liked to have tried that with either a beer or a cider.

So well done to Conor, to Billy and to John for the information and insight they brought to our little corner of Jacob’s on the Mall on Tuesday afternoon.

A Quart of Ale± #50. On the craft journey with Dungarvan Brewing and their move into canning.

 A Quart of Ale± #50 On the craft journey with Dungarvan Brewing and their move into canning.

Dungarvan Brewing Company Move to Canning

Claire Dalton, one of the four founders of Dungarvan in 2008, is delighted with their very recent move to canning their beers. 

We asked the beer sommelier and Irish Food Champion why Dungarvan were a bit behind the curve with regard to canning. What persuaded you to make the move? 

Claire: We've always been a bottled product and considered ourselves 'bottled
first' and use a bottle conditioning process where the beer undergoes a
second fermentation in the bottle, which gives the beer its fizz. We
could see the growth in cans over the past few years and it was
something we wanted to look at doing, and the question was whether we
changes our process, invest in conditioning equipment etc to give it a
go, outsource the production to another brewery or look at using our
current conditioning process and seeing if that works in a can. The
issue was getting a small enough piece of equipment to trial it on
before 'going big' so this is why it's taken until now to get our beer
into a can! We've been able to rent a hand canning system to do trials
and get our first batches out on which is great as it's meant that we've
kept our production in house, which is something we've always been proud
of, and been able to keep using our natural carbonation process.

Q2: Can conditioning was the aim. It took you a while to crack that? Did the experience of any other brewers help you come to a decision.

Claire: We started looking into the can conditioning process initially by

trying out as many can conditioned beers we could get our hands on and

reading up on the process and the stories of other brewers who'd done

it.  We chatted to a few people in the industry who were doing can

conditioning in the UK and we also had a good conversation with Shane

from Dot Brewing who'd filled his barrel aged beers into cans using the

same system as us.  Shane was a great help, even taking a late night

phone call when the machine was being temperamental for us!  Can

conditioning is done a bit in smaller breweries in the US and UK but

other than Dot Brewing there's been no other can conditioned beers in

Ireland so there was a great sense of pride in this as well.

Q3 - You are obviously happy with the outcome? How have they been received by customers?

Claire: We're delighted with the outcome, both with the beer and the

branding.  We had a clear idea of what we wanted with our branding,

without knowing what the final look would be, in that we wanted elements

of our existing bottle branding but a much more pared back, contemporary

look.  I think we've really gotten back what we asked for, and the

bottles and cans can sit side by side with each other. The reaction to

both the beers and branding has been great so far, it's been so lovely

reading all the kind words people have sent about them.

Q4 - What’s your own favourite? What beers are next in line for canning?

Clare: Never like choosing a favourite!! But of the three we released it was

lovely to have Mahon Falls again as we've not done it for two years, and

I do like a rye beer.  Our plan is to launch more of our core range into

cans each month and then get some one offs and new brews going!  Our

June releases are scheduled to be our Greenway beer, which has kind of

become our summer seasonal for the past couple of years, and our alcohol

free beer Main Sail which we've been working on new bottle and can

branding for and are looking forward to that one.

Q5 - Do you have a mobile canning contractor calling or did you invest yourselves? 

Claire - We started off on a rental unit, which we are still using, to test

out the market and based on the reaction so far I would say that cans

will be a big part of our future so we will be looking into purchasing

our own system.

****

The first beers to be released by the brewery in cans are core range beers Helvick Gold and Mine Head plus the re-release of springtime favourite Mahon Falls, a Rye Pale Ale at 5.1% abv. The beers are widely available via Fourcorners; I bought my trio at Bradleys

Dungarvan “Helvick Gold” Irish Blonde Ale, 4.9%, 440ml can

Light gold is the colour of this Helvick Head, a Dungarvan blonde ale, named after a local landmark. The old finger test on the frothy white head, indicates a balanced beer with fruit and hops to the fore, the fruitiness in the aromas, the hoppiness more on the palate. “Our blonde ale is not a bland ale,” they, rightly, declare. It’s a flavour-packed ride all the way to a refreshing dry finish. The craft beer beginner will find some other beers better to start off with but this will keep the more experienced very much onside.

They say: Helvick is a great summer’s day drink, perfect for cracking out at the barbeque. Enjoy at cellar temperature (8—14°C) or cooler for a great warm weather thirst quencher. It’s an excellent beer to pair with food and works particularly well with spicy food.

And that food? Good with spicy foods, or try it with seafood — the citrus of the cascade hops provides the perfect accompaniment to fish and shellfish without overpowering the flavours. Goes well with a variety of cheese also. Check it all out here .

Geek Info -
Style: Blonde Ale
ABV: 4.9%
Hops: Cascade, East Kent Goldings, Northern Brewer
IBUs: 41

Dungarvan “Mahon Falls” Rye Pale Ale, 5.1%, 440ml can 

Mid gold with a touch of amber is the colour of this Rye pale ale from Dungarvan, again named after a local landmark. This is a seasonal release and the first such to be canned by the brewery. It’s got a soft slightly off-white head that hangs about as the bubbles power up. Aromas are citrus-y with a touch of spice. It is fruity and fresh on the palate with a malty background. Lots of irresistible flavour here, amazing harmony throughout, and a refreshing rye bite at the finale. 

They say: March 2019 saw the fifth bottle release of our spring seasonal, Mahon Falls Rye Pale Ale, which was first served at festivals in 2012 and went on to become our annual spring release after. Following a two year hiatus, we are delighted to welcome the spring once again with this punchy rye ale in can form.

Best served lightly chilled, from 8-12°C. Try with lighter-flavoured foods  like chicken, pork and fish or even with salad dishes. Its fruitiness works really well with the tang of a Wensleydale or Caerphilly style cheese. Try Knockdrinna‘s Laviston or The Little Milk Company‘s Brewer’s Gold.

Geek Bits - 

Style: Rye Pale Ale

ABV: 5.1%

Hops: Galaxy, Summit, Ella

IBUs: 50

As with all Dungarvan beers Helvick Gold contains a vitamin-rich yeast sediment in the can which is a by-product of the natural carbonation that occurs in the can. To pour a clear pint, pour out in one go and leave the last drop in the can. However, this is purely for aesthetic reasons and the sediment is absolutely fine to drink.

Dungarvan “Mine Head” American Pale Ale, 5.5%, 440ml can 

If you’re going make an American Pale Ale, then it’s going to contain Cascade. Dungarvan though went solo, only Cascade here, and you notice it straightaway with that initial hoppy hit in the aromas, rising from a cloudy body topped by a soft and sinking head. That hoppy hit is easily confirmed by the old finger in the head test - stick it and suck it!

They say: This is a classic American style pale ale made using only cascade hops, and also dry hopped with Cascade to impart fresh hop aromas. Released in summer 2014, this is now a full time part of of our core range and available in keg, bottle and now in can year round.

And it is citrus all the balanced way, a teeny touch of marmalade sweetness later on and nothing really bitter at that stage. A pleasant and harmonious bottle, sorry can, indeed. Another one for your short list.

Best served lightly chilled, from 8-12°C and you’ll find it versatile at the table,  working well with lighter fish or with earthy meats such as lamb or beef. Also excellent with spicy Thai or Vietnamese food, or keep it American with a burger! Great with a creamy camembert-style cheese or a tart sheeps cheese.

Geek Bits - 

Style: American Pale Ale

ABV: 5.5%

Hops: Cascade

IBUs: 38

Why Not Take the Dungarvan Brewery Tour!

Why Not Take the Dungarvan Brewery Tour!

Tours to the Dungarvan Brewing Company started last Friday, with Claire and Cormac doing the honours.  It is the first of what is billed as a summer series and you can get further info here.

It is well worth it. The tour caters both for the person with a casual interest in the process and for those with more technical interests. Cormac, who learned the “trade” through his home brewing, is the man for the technical stuff.

He took us through the various malts and hops that they use. Malted barley, for instance, is nothing more or less than barley "soaked in warm water". That is your basic ingredient but then there are various degrees of malting, right up to “roasted”, essentially burnt. This latter has a coffee taste and aroma - you do get to touch and taste it - and is used in their stouts, concluding my favourite Coffee and Oatmeal, a winter stout.

He explained the use of hops. Hops used early in the process is mainly for bitterness while it increases flavour when added in the later stages. Challenger is their basic hops but they also use the well known (and much in demand) Cascade with its more concentrated flavours (which means you use less of it).

The glamour side of the drinks business, demonstrated by brewer Cormac

Claire, one of two accredited Beer Sommeliers at the brewery (husband Tom is the other), then introduced us to the company's beers. What a great line-up they have!

Pale Ale fans are well catered for and Claire started with the Comeragh Challenger, a seasonal English Pale Ale. “Floral, light… easy-drinking..” she said. And so it proved.

The Cascade hops are used in Helvick Gold, a regular in the portfolio. This popular Irish Pale Ale is full bodied, generously hopped and “good with seafood”.

Next up was an American Pale Ale style called Mine Head, also featuring the Cascade hops. It has citrusy flavours and is not as bitter as an IPA and is great with food.

Perhaps the best known of the Dungarvan beers in restaurants is their Copper Coast Irish Red Ale. This will tell you that it is an excellent food beer. And Claire had the perfect match, producing the lovely organic Brewer’s Gold Cheese by the Little Milk Company. This locally produced cheese is washed a few times during production with Copper Coast!

Then on to the Blackrock Stout, a favourite since Dungarvan was founded four years back. Here the roasted malt was prominent and it went very well indeed with the dark chocolate that was handed around and quickly scoffed.

All the beers are traditionally brewed and bottled on-site in Dungarvan, and made using only four ingredients – barley, hops, yeast and water. No chemicals are added to the beers, they are unfiltered, unpasteurised and vegan-friendly. The core range consists of three beers – Black Rock Irish Stout, Copper Coast Irish Red Ale and Helvick Gold Irish Blonde Ale – which are complemented with a selection of seasonal and festival beers throughout the year.

It has been a terrific four years for the brewery and production has been boosted recently, a major factor being the pre-Christmas installation of a mechanical bottling plant (previously, it had all been done by hand!). Now that capacity has increased, so too can the volume and the export market is being explored with sales to Italy, the UK, Scandinavia, Germany and even further afield on the horizon.

The Brewery was the final stop in a "foodie" mini-tour to the east from Cork City. See a short account of the other stops here.

Cascade hops

CorkBillyBeers #49. Craft with Hope, Western Herd and Dungarvan Brewing

CorkBillyBeers #49

Craft with Hope, Western Herd and Dungarvan Brewing

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Hope Pass If You Can Pale Ale, 4.6% ABV, 440 ml can Dunnes Stores

A great all-rounder

A classic Pale Ale in the American style, synonymous with the current worldwide craft beer explosion since the 1980s. It is an easy-drinking beer, with a clear hop character, but not as hoppy or indeed as bitter as an IPA.

That’s the brewery’s summing up of their Pass Oif YouCan Pale Ale.

It has a lovely gold colour, a hazy one but not enough to hide the fountains of bubbles rising towards the big soft white head. The fruity character of the hops comes through in the aromas. And also on the palate. Not overly fruity mind you nor overly bitter either. The well-judged harmony between the fruity hop flavours and the medley of Irish and European malts defines the beer.

Hope is quite happy with it. “An easy drinking malty and slightly fruity pale ale with a subtle hop kick. A great all-rounder that combines well with most main dishes, such as chicken or prawns, BBQs and pizza.”

I’m also very happy with it. Very Highly Recommended.

The Ale is named after Michael Collier, a notorious 19th-century highwayman who was North County Dublin’s answer to Robin Hood. He was so successful that his townland was dubbed Passifyoucan. Finally arrested in 1807 in his favourite haunt The Cock, he was transported and returned home only to die of cholera! Still, the name remains.

Geek Bits

Hops: Magnum, Mosaic, Citra,

Yeast: US-05

Malts: Pale Ale, CaraHell, Munich, Acidulated.

Core Range: Yes

Bought 20.09.23.

BBD 27.10.23

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Western Herd Islander Session IPA 4.2% ABV, 440 ml can No 21 Midleton

“Inspired by the hazy, juicy beers made famous by Vermont brewers, this is Islander. Embrace the haze.”

That’s the intro to this session beer by Count Clare brewery Western Herd, which stands on a picturesque hilltop farm in a converted shed built over 80 years ago by “our great-grandfather”. The grandchildren, siblings Michael Eustace and Maeve Sheridan, founded the brewery and it was then “found” in 2018 by Montana-born Bridger Kelleher and he “kept turning up” and eventually took over as brewer.

The Islander has a hazy light orange colour with a fluffy white head that stays around for a spell. Aromas are mild, tropical and ripe. On the palate, the beer is soft with citrus and melon showing. The producers indicate that the intention is “to provide a hop burst of flavour that is easy to drink and won’t weigh you down”. Reckon they have succeeded here.

Highly Recommended. The Best Before date had not expired here but there were just a few days to go. 

Geek Bits

Style
Session IPA

Colour/Appearance
Golden, hazy, juicy

Hops
Amarillo, Citra, Simcoe

Malts
Pale, Stout Mix, Malted Oats, Flaked Oats, White Wheat, Torrified Wheat, CaraPils

Yeast
House

Original Gravity
1.045

% ABV
4.2%

*********************

Hope Handsome Jack IPA, 6.6% ABV, 440 ml can Dunnes Stores

Citrusy - malty - bitter. A full-flavoured citrusy and double dry hopped IPA. Great with burgers and pizza.

That’s the brief intro to Handsome Jack by brewers Hope.

This golden beer, with a soft white head, is a little on the hazy side. There’s a supple hint of orange in the aromas but the sweet malt is also holding its own here. And that duel continues on the palate with juicy citrus coming to a duet that also involves the sweetness of the Irish Pale malt. In the end, it's all square between the bitterness of the hops and the mildness of the malt. No losers here of course and the punters are the winners with another excellent beer from Hope who indicates that it pairs well with burgers and roast meat, pizza, Indian dishes, strong, salty cheese and carrot cake.

.

And who was Handsome Jack? Jack Criss, the 17th-century Irish pirate, was tall and handsome with blonde hair and eyes as green as the sea. He set sail from Ireland, plundering his way to Spain and Italy. He didn’t die in battle but someone got cross with Criss and stabbed him to death in a Naples hotel. Probably one of his four wives. Some bachelor!

Highly Recommended. The beer that is, not the pirate!

Geek Bits

Hops: Magnum, Cascade, Sorachi Ace, Simcoe, Citra

Yeast: American Ale

Malts: Minch Hook Head Ale, Weyermann CaraMunich II, Weyermann CaraPils, Weyermann Acidulated

EBU 49

Bought 20.09.23.

BBD 25.04.24

Core Range: Yes

*********************

Dungarvan Mahon Falls Rye Pale Ale, 5.1% ABV, 440 ml can No 21 Midleton

Dungarvan is a family-run independent microbrewery in Dungarvan with over a decade of brewing experience and this is one of their regular seasonal beers, appearing annually in the springtime.

The colour is a murky orange/red with a soft white head that hangs about a bit. Aromas are a bit on the punchy side, with the rye leading the attack, the hops bringing the fruit posse onto the palate before a moderately bitter finish with the spicy rye always a player in the background though it is more hoppy bitter overall than malty sweet.

Highly Recommended. Not bad for a beer that was disappointingly almost six months past its Best Before date.

Food Pairings: This full-flavoured punchy fruity ale works great with lighter-flavoured foods like chicken, pork and fish or even with salad dishes. The brewery also says that the fruitiness of this Mahon Falls works really well with the tang of a Wensleydale or Caerphilly-style cheese. Try Knockdrinna‘s Laviston or The Little Milk Company‘s Brewer’s Gold.

Geek Bits

Style: Rye Pale Ale

ABV: 5.1%

Malts: Malted Rye (Pale, Cara)

Hops: Galaxy, Summit, Ella

IBUs: 50

Allergens: Contains barley.

Calories: 230 per 500ml

Serve: 8-12°C