A Quart of Ale± #28 Moving on over to craft. With A Variety of IPAs

A Quart of Ale± #28

Moving on over to craft. 

With A Variety of IPAs

Kinsale Black IPA 5%, 500ml bottle via O’Donovan’s Mayfield 

A hybrid beer, according to the Kinsale brewery, giving us the best of the IPA and Stout styles where West Coast US meets South Coast Cork. 

And that about sums it, this dark beer, another with a short-lived head (coffee coloured). Hints of the coffee and cocoa to come in the aromas. But the big ambush comes with the palate experience, the light touches from the IPA side, the dark deep stuff plus the creamy mouthfeel from the stout side, complex fruity elements holding their own as the coffee and chocolate notes push forward. Somehow there is a harmony right through the dry and very satisfactory finish. This has been spot-on since day one (2016), and a favourite here since first tasted.

They say: This bad boy is a beer lover’s dream come true. We have taken the amazing hoppiness of our IPAs, tuned it to perfection, and fused it together with the roasted malt backbone of a stout to create a hybrid beer that represents the best of both styles. Expect citrus, pine and berry notes to be suddenly ambushed by flavours of coffee, cocoa and liquorice. Pair with Blue cheese, Chocolate brownie. Hops used are Centennial, Citra and Vic Secret. The IBU number is 60.

Sierra Nevada “Northern Hemisphere” Harvest Wet Hop IPA 6.7%, 12 fl ozs bottle via Bradley’s

They promise hops and they deliver with a punch in a dark amber robe, an off white head quickly sinking to a lacy disc. And there are bubbles galore rising. Quite complex in the mouth, earthy and fruity and then a long and bitter finish. 

Quite a concentrated shakehands (it is 6.7% abv) from this Nevadan, one to remember. It took me a few sips to get comfortable with it but soon we were hanging like long-time buddies.

Easy enough to promise hops if your source is the Yakima Valley (Washington state) as it, according to Wikipedia, produces 77% of all hops grown in the United States. Sierra Nevada get theirs shipped to the brewery within 24 hours to “capture hop aroma and flavour when they’re most profound”.

They say: Northern Hemisphere drops you into a hop field, the beer’s profound flavor like strolling under the lush canopy. This year, we picked Centennial hops at their peak, rushing the harvest into our brew kettles the very same day to make a wet hop IPA loaded with notes of citrus blossom, rose, and pine.

Malts: Two-row Pale, Caramelized malts

Hops: Wet Centennial

Yeast: ale yeast

IBU: 67

Whiplash “Northern Light” Micro IPA 2.8%, 440 can via Bradley’s

Hazy mid-gold is the colour of this Whiplash IPA and yet another short-lived head. It may well be micro in terms of abv but nothing shy about the hops, both in the aromas and on the palate. There’s a full-on blast of the more exotic fruits thanks to the generous input of Vic Secret and Mosaic hops. Big on flavour, low on alcohol, an excellent beer and ideal for a session.

The introduction of  ‘Micro IPA’ was “one of our proudest moments of 2018”, according to the brewery. And we punters  lucky to have it. “When we dropped Northern Lights at Hop City last April we thought we’d be crucified for bringing a knife to a gun fight of 10%+ IPA’s. Instead, people came to us and said this stuff is rocking, fun, and accommodating of the sesh. We thought so too. So much was the fun of drinking our 2.8% hop bomb over those weeks that we decided, fuck it, let’s keep this beer on year round. That July we rolled out Northern Lights as a year round offering and man it’s fun to have around.”

So successful has it been that they’ve “built a brewery around being able to deliver this consistently and year round. Still packing a base of German Vienna, Wheat, Oats and a touch of super light Caramalt - this short arsed banger is tasting the best it ever has thanks to all the silly kit we’ve put in to make it sing.” 

Metalman Fracture Rye IPA 6.5%, 330ml can via Ardkeen QFS

Colour is a light amber, millions of micro-bubbles rising in the cloud. Aromas are slightly sour, perhaps that kveik yeast having its say. Fruity and lively on the palate, a tang of spice as well, and then a dry finish (almost Campari like). Probably the most impressive of the Metalman beers in recent weeks (the American style Pale Ale and the Equinox Wheat Lager were the others).

They say: brewed with a Norwegian farmhouse yeast called kveik, this rye is full of soft fruit notes, combined with the spiciness of rye and complemented by Azacca and Citra hops. Ah sure go on then! It’s not pasteurised or finely filtered, so store in the fridge if possible (but not for long).

A Quart of Ale± #27. Moving on over to craft with Pale Ale.

A Quart of Ale± #27

Moving on over to craft with Pale Ale.

Lineman “Vesper” Pale Ale 5.4%, 440ml can via Bradley’s

 

Colour of this Dublin produced pale ale is a light yellow, almost lemon, hazy too with shoals of micro bubbles seeking the surface. The early ones hit a big white head, latecomers just a thin lacy disc. Quite complex aromatics of the more exotic kind. And the impression on the palate is much the same, flavour galore but all’s in harmony here. So take your time and meditate on the good work of the farmer and the brewer and enjoy. No need at all to glug this dry-hopped pale down in a rush. Take it cool and easy, enjoy the fruit, let it linger.

Their story: Lineman had been a long-planned project of founder/owner/brewer Mark Lucey. Having been obsessed with beer and heavily involved in homebrewing for all his adult life, it was always an ambition to open a brewery or have a commercial brewing project that would allow him to produce a diverse range of beer. Stouts, Belgians styles, IPAs and Mixed Fermentations.

It soon became a proper husband and wife team when Vivienne joined shortly before the first beers were released. Being a graphic designer with lots of commercial experience she was able to bring the look for Lineman together just in time for their beers to be released. Vivienne produces all the artwork and looks after the marketing side of things.

St Mel’s “I will, yeah” Juicy Pale Ale 4.0%, 440 can via St Mel’s Online

Gold is the colour here, a very cloudy one! Soft white head is something of a keeper.  It is double dry-hopped and you get the message in the aromas. And also on the palate. But glad to report, while hop lovers will be happy, there’s nothing extreme here. Just a glassful of cracking flavour, rich and intense right through to the finish. 

Superb with food and they recommend Indian and Thai cuisine, “also works excellently for washing down those spicy chicken wings”. Great balance in this one, a pretty perfect pale ale, juicy all through with a dry and bitter finish. 

Came across the name St Mel’s when (don’t ask!) I was playing colleges hurling (Harty Cup etc..) but always thought Mel was a short version of something longer. But apparently not. Mel is the full extent of the name. No shortcuts in the brewery either. They go to the limit and pay attention to detail with every single beer. The customer wins.

Metalman American Style Pale Ale 4.3%, 330ml can via Ardkeen Store

A rather delicate, and shy, head on this American style pale ale,  the American bit reinforced by the use of Cascade and Summit hops. Hop induced citrus and floral aromas, even a touch of pine, feature before the same flavours (grapefruit and mandarin), again a product of the hops, take over on the tarty palate, veering towards sour rather than bitter, refreshing though. 

It’s not pasteurised or finely filtered, so store in the fridge if possible. Available in: Keg, Cask and Can. Named Beoir Beer Of The Year 2013. Much more competition around these days.

Metalman Brewing was born in 2011 when two beer enthusiasts decided they’d had enough of the outlandishly limited selection of beer available in Ireland. ..they decided to help do something about it. Gráinne chucked in her I.T. job and went about setting up the brewery. Meanwhile Tim stayed at the day job.

They availed of contract brewing initially, finally moving across to the Tycor brewery in early 2012 and things really started to get underway. Tim joined the brewery full time in 2013. At the end of 2014,  the first canning line was installed at an Irish microbrewery, and cans of Metalman Pale Ale hit the shelves in January 2015. And it’s busy busy these days.

Wicklow Wolf Avalanche NE Pale Ale 4.0%, 330ml can via Ardkeen Store

Light gold is the colour, quite bright too and clear with no shortage of bubbles rising towards the white fluffy head, a head that is in no hurry to clear off. Aromas are mildly hoppy as is the beer itself. And nothing extreme on the palate either because it is in balance between hop and malt. A well made beer that fits easily, if unassumingly, into its stated category.

They say: A New England pale ale dry hopped with a massive amount of Azacca & Idaho 7 hops to give a fresh, juicy burst of stone fruits, papaya & sweet citrus. A subtle malt character and creamy mouthfeel makes this East Coast style pale ale beautifully balanced and easy drinking. Malts are Pale, Melano, Flaked Oat and  IBU is 25.

A Quart of Ale± #26A. Moving on over to craft. A Variety of Lagers.

A Quart of Ale± #26A

Moving on over to craft

A Variety of Lagers

Hope Underdog Hoppy Lager 4.8%, 440ml can via Ardkeen QFS

This modern hybrid style lager has a hazy gold colour, lots of bubbles on show, with a delicate quickly fading white head. Hops make their presence known in the nose. Very impressive introduction on the palate, with a terrific mouthfeel, malt sweetness and hop bitterness get along very well indeed. It is deeply refreshing, full of flavour and persistent. A big and pleasant surprise for me and one to note for sure.

They say: The malts and the yeast we use are traditional, but the hops are not. We use lager malt and other European malt such as Munich malt for flavour, and we use a classic German lager yeast: a strain originally isolated from the oldest brewery in the world. We also use modern American hops for flavour, such as Citra, El Dorado, and Mosaic, furthermore we use the dry hopping technique which is associated with IPAs rather than lager. Underdog hoppy lager is the result.

When it comes to food pairing it’s a brilliant all-rounder, great with BBQs, pizza, spicy foods like curries and for anybody who doesn’t like wine with their food.

Malts: Lager, Munich, Melanoidin, Carapils, Acidulated.

Hops: Magnum, El Dorado, Mosaic 

Yeast: German Lager

IBU 25

The Brewery: Hope Beer started out in 2015 when the brewery was founded by four friends with a passion for beer and business. What began as a series of late-night kitchen table discussions is now a state-of-the-art brewery, producing an extensive range of award-winning premium craft beers. All Hope beers are brewed, bottled, canned and kegged at Howth Junction on Dublin’s Northside and are crafted to be the perfect accompaniment to food.

The Story: During the American invasion of Mexico in 1846, Irishman John Riley came to the aid of the Mexicans in their hour of need. He formed the famous San Patricios Battalion and willingly joined the underdog by fighting against the odds. Ok, they lost, but they became Mexican heroes, remembered especially on St. Patrick’s Day, and on every other day of the year by their nickname: Greengo’s.

Duvel-Moortgat “Vedett Extra Blond” 5.2%, 330ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Thought I was buying a golden or blond ale here but turns out this one is more of a lager, a bottom fermented beer, a speciality of the Belgian brewery.

It is straw coloured, lots of bubbles rising, and a fluffy white head that diminishes slowly.  The “extra” here is because of the higher than usual abv. There is a moderate hoppy element in the aromas and on the palate, you immediately realise you have a thirst-quencher in your hand, dry and smooth with a finely balanced hoppiness and a subtle bitterness towards the finalé, always with a mild malt character in the background.

They say: An excellent companion for mushrooms, asparagus, mussels, sushi (with a hint of spiciness), fried chicken breast, calves’ liver, noodle and rice dishes, lemon grass, coconut milk, creamy cottage cheese or a goat’s cheese made with unpasteurised milk. Best served at 3 – 6 °C. 

This Vedett has been in production since the 1940s and was “refreshed” and re-launched in 2003. Brewed with 100 % natural ingredients: water, yeast, pale barley malt, rice. Saaz-Saaz and Styrian Golding hops.

Cotton Ball Indian Summer 4.7%, 500ml bottle and on draught, Cotton Ball Off-licence

Fancy the freshness of a lager, the flavours of an ale? Then check out the Cotton Ball’s Indian Summer.

I was reminded of the qualities of the Cotton Ball’s Indian Summer, produced first as a seasonal but now very much a core beer, during a visit to one of Cork’s newest restaurants in MacCurtain Street. 

A delicious pint (left). The brewery indicate Indian Summer is “a hybrid beer made with lager and crystal malts but with an ale yeast and is an excellent thirst quencher….  great with an Indian Friday night take away.” 

I had my pint in the new Thompsons restaurant (where the Cotton have a micro brewery) and it paired very well indeed with a Nduja pizza. The recipe for this hybrid may be somewhat unusual but it has impressive character, giving the drinker the best of both worlds.

They say: Our Pale Ale made with Irish lager malt, crystal malt and ale yeast while being delicately bittered using three new world hops. 

This beer gives a citrusy aroma with a light clean palate and a lingering hoppy bitterness. This beer is for sure a thirst quencher! 

Metalman Equinox Wheat Lager 4.6%, 330ml can Ardkeen QFS

A beer for a sunny day! Even if that sunny day was just above freezing as winter sneaked in.

It’s a hazy mid-gold colour with a myriad of little bubbles rising towards a white head that doesn’t hang about. Orange and lemon peel have been added for a burst of citrus, along with some ground coriander to give a hint of spice at the end. It seems to have worked well as the wheat lager is very refreshing, full of flavour and totally quaffable with a clove-y hint there too. Nice finish also.

Very satisfactory overall and good too that you are able to get it in keg, cask and can.

Pearse Lyons Brown Bear India Pale Lager 5.2%, Aldi

Something of a hybrid like the Cotton Ball’s Indian Summer. A more serious beer than I first thought and quite a satisfactory one as well. Not a big fan of the discounts but credit where credit is due, so a big thumbs up for this particular Brown Bear. Colour is more amber than gold, the aromas are hoppy and the fruity finalé is more ale than lager.