CorkBillyBeers #11
Craft with APA style beers by Western Herd, West Cork Brewing, Ballykilcavan, Larkins
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Western Herd Spanish Point APA, 5.9%, 440ml can, The Cru
In September 1588, the Spanish Armada came to grief on the Clare coast in a savage storm. The legend lives on in the name of the place and in the name of this American Pale Ale (APA) from the Western Herd brewery.
The pungent aromas of the all-American hop quartet make their presence felt at the outset, even as you pour this mid-golden American Pale Ale with its white head that doesn’t hang around too long. Notes of pine and citrus shine in the dank background of the palate. Good thing! (I’ve been listening to Roland Gift recently). The impression has been building, time to sit back and enjoy (and put away the notebook and maybe play the FYC on YouTube).
The Western Herd brewery stands on a picturesque Clare hilltop farm in a converted shed built over 80 years ago “by our great-grandfather”.
“We are a brother and sister team brewing beer the way nature intended. Our great, great, great, great, great, grandfather farmed the land where our brewery now stands. Every time we would visit the farm growing up we would think ‘if only we could bottle this’!!! We aspire to brew beers that embody the charm and character of this idyllic hilltop farm on the west coast of Ireland.”
The brother and sister are Michael Eustace and Maeve Sheehan and the brewer, who just turned up and walked in one day in 2018, is Bridger Kelleher from Montana.
Geek Bits
Style: American Pale
Hops
Colombus (Dank, pepper, pungent), Centennial (blossom, orange, resinous), Chinook (Grapefruit, pine, spice), Simcoe (pinem grapefruit, berry)
Malts
Stout Mix, Crystal
Very Highly Recommended.
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West Cork Brewing Beacon of Hops American Pale Ale, 4.1% ABV, 500ml bottle Ballymaloe Craft Fair
Sherkin Lass has been a favourite with West Cork Brewing customers since they opened in 2014. Now the long standing favourite is reportedly under pressure from this relative newcomer.
Colour is a hazy orange with a soft white top that soon sinks down too to a slim disc. It’s got quite an attractive aroma, citrus and malt. And that sets the scene for the palate where the flavours are citrus led with the malt (with a slight hint of caramel sweetness) again providing the balance so it turns out fruity and just mildly bitter. Excellent body feel and a lip smacking finish. The brewers recommend pairing it with fish, white meats, mild cheese and salads.
Like all of their beers, this is brewed using their own spring water, is bottle conditioned, unfiltered and vegan friendly. The 2014 brewery is the first Brew-Hotel to set up in Ireland.
Highly Recommended
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Ballykilcavan Line Blocker Hazy Pale Ale, 4.9%, 440 ml can, CraftCentral
Ballykilcavan tell us this New World hazy pale ale “is packed with Citra and Amarillo hops”. By the way, did you know Citra is one of the top three most grown hops in the world and is also in the US top five?
The Line Blocker was one of first ever canned beers at Ballykilcavan. A hazy pale ale, double dry hopping helped promote the aromas and flavours of citrus and tropical fruits that you’ll find.
Colour is a murky amber/orange with a white head that soon runs out of depth. Hops are certainly evident in the aromas with exotic fruits (mango, pineapple, grapefruit and guava) fighting with citrus for space. And it is much the same on the packed palate with mango getting its nose in front of the hop posse. A good stiff drink though (with a resinous backbone), strong lip-drying finish too, thanks to all those hops.
The other ingredients are Malted Barley, oats, water, and yeast. IBU is 54.
If you'd like to join visit the brewery, they’d love to show you around. “You'll hear the family stories from the more than 380 years that we've been at Ballykilcavan, and see the 18th century farmyard behind the brewery. Weather permitting, we'll bring you to the old stable yard, the champion black walnut tree of Ireland and the remains of the walled garden. Then we'll bring you into the brewery itself to find out how we make our beers.”
A few tips here from suppliers CraftCentral
- Refrigerate on delivery. Especially the hoppy ones.
- Store beers upright
- Avoid light
- Enjoy with friends!
- Do not age for too long - hoppy beers are very sensitive!
The Line Blocker is Highly Recommended.
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Larkins Hustler Pale Ale 4.5% ABV, 440ml can CraftCentral
Larkins tells us this is their “classic best-selling pale ale rebranded for the new range. Hoppy but low in bitterness this beer has been a craft beer favourite since 2018.”
Pale it is, almost lemon in colour, and also very hazy, certainly not see through. The bubbly white head sinks slowly. Aromas are of the hoppy citrus kind and the hops are also in charge of the refreshing palate. For all that though, the finish is not as grippy as you might expect. Not a bad balance at all and a decent refreshing drink indeed.
Recommended
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