On the craft trail with Kinnegar and The White Hag

On the craft trail with Kinnegar 

and The White Hag

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The White Hag Little Fawn IPA 4.2% ABV, 400 ml can Bradleys

White Hag certainly hit the mark. Again!

I have encountered Little Fawn quite a bit over the last few years in pubs and restaurants across the country, and I am always glad to see it. I appreciate any White Hag beer available in a pub or restaurant. Its widespread availability affirms its status as a classic Indian Pale Ale, and its lower-than-usual ABV makes it an excellent go-to session beer.

 

Little Fawn has a sessionable ABV of 4.2% and features grapefruit aromas balanced with 100% Irish malt. It is clean and fruity, thanks to the Mosaic hops, but not overly hoppy due to its mild lingering finish. As they describe it, it’s “an easy-to-drink American-style session IPA” that is a great option to start with at any time.

 

The White Hag is rightly proud of its modern independent craft brewery located in Sligo, along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. They state, “We brew innovative and groundbreaking beers, inspired by ancient and classic styles.”

 

With Little Fawn, they certainly hit the mark—it’s an easy-to-drink American-style session IPA, brewed with 100% Irish malt for a pale, very clean base.

Kinnegar Black Bucket Black Rye IPA, 6.5% ABV, 440 ml can, O’Briens

A twist on the traditional IPA style

This beer is Kinnegar's twist on the traditional IPA style. It balances dark maltiness and hoppy bitterness, resulting in a unique blend and an attractive IPA.

 

On first glance, you think you’ve got a stout in the glass, but a closer inspection will reveal quite a lot of brown under the coffee-coloured head. On the palate, the fresh American hop flavours are balanced by the sweet roasted malt, and there’s a spicy hint of rye.

A Gold Medal at the World Beer Cup 2022, it is one of Kinnegar's impressive core beers. The company call it “the bigger, darker brother to our Rustbucket Rye.” This full-bodied and complex black beer, with its distinctive, rich flavour profile,  is available all year round. The Rustbucket, by the way, is an “old reliable”, well into its second decade now.