A Quart of Ale± #29 Moving on over to craft. Lager Variations

A Quart of Ale± #29

Moving on over to craft.

Lager Variations

Kinnegar's Rachel knows her Rye! - Brewery pic.

Cotton Ball “Mayfield 5” Pilsner Lager 5.0%, 500ml bottle via Cotton Ball off licence

Mid amber colours, fountains of little bubbles, white head hangs around for a good spell. A modest touch of hops in the aromas. The refreshment factor immediately appears on the smooth palate, spot on balance between hops and malts. A thirst cutting clean bitterness rounds off an excellent lager experience.

They say: This beer sure does have character! The classic brew to compliment party food.This inviting pilsner goes down smoothly with gourmet burgers, pizzas or wings. A perfect hit at BBQs and a great choice for alfresco dining. Now available in cans.

My local brewery

In their Brewery Room, the family pay tribute to the bar founder, one Humphrey Lynch, who left Ballyvourney at 15 years of age and settled in an American town known as Byefield which he later used in naming his Cork estate house. 

After working for two years with Joseph Longfellow, cousin to the famous poet, he worked for a year in the shipyard at Newburyport until the American civil war broke out. 

He was one of the first to enlist in the 4th U.S regiment light artillery battery and served through 27 general engagements principally in the army of the southwest and along the Mississippi valley. Then he worked for 14 years as a foreman of the picker room in Newburyport cotton mill. 

This would later give him the name for the public house (where you’ll now find the small brewery) he purchased in now Mayfield after returning to Ireland in the 1870’s. Nowadays, each bottle bears an image of American Civil War veteran Humphrey paying tribute to the man who showed the way. 

12 Acres Pallet Jack India Pale Lager 5.0%, 440 can via Ardkeen QFS

While the hops shine in the aromatics, it looks very much like a lager, golden, bright and bubbles galore.  Soft head has a fair bit of staying power. Hard to beat their own summation on the label: a hoppy Pilsner style lager, light, crisp and fruity, with an excellent mouthfeel. It is indeed and quite refreshing too.

They say, on the website: “Pallet Jack” is a 5% India Pale Lager. A clean crisp fruity Pilsner style Lager beer with the hoppy bitterness and flavour of an IPA. Not too sure I’d agree with that bit: flavour of an IPA. Strong hints of it for sure but this is still more lager than IPA and a pretty decent lager, a very decent drink, at that. 

They say: 12 Acres Brewing company is the first craft brewery in Ireland that can provide traceability for its malting barley. This is possible due to our long-standing relationship with their local malting company. We are also brewing with our own spring water, which originates from a source deep beneath the same land.

Stone Barrel “Get Some” India Pale Lager 4.6%, 440 can via Bradley’s

Another hybrid with elements of ale and lager in your mid amber coloured glass. It is an American hopped lager, double dry hopped with Loral, which has been noted as good for sessional and lager-type beers.

The base is lager, clean and crisp. Aromas and flavours have a punch of pepper, citrus notes too along with some floral wafts as well, all followed by a dry finish. Quite a decent beer, approachable and balanced, though I think my local brewery’s Indian Summer is perhaps the best of this hybrid type. You could say I’m biased!

Niall Fitzgerald and Kevin McKinney are the founders, brewers and driving force behind Stone Barrel Brewing. “We both have a huge passion and appetite for all things in craft beer, from making to drinking and everything in between.We launched Stone Barrel in November 2013 with one simple aim, to brew the kind of craft beers we love drinking. The good thing is that we love them all! Like most homebrewers, we dreamed of one day opening a brewery. So, after a lot of planning, stress, blood, sweat, tears and hugs, we’re here. We’re living the dream and dreaming of beer!”

Kinnegar “Brewers at Play “10” Rye Lager 4.4%, 440 can via Bradley’s

Rye. Brewery pic.

Colour of this excellent lager from Letterkenny is a light gold and if you look closely you’ll see lots of little bubbles (not bunnies) rising through the cloudiness. In the mouth, it is immediately refreshing, crisp and clean as most classic lagers with a little spicy zest coming through from the rye along with a distinctive flavour. Good sharp-edged finish on this well-balanced one. It is a once-off by the way!

They say: The Brewers at Play series presents new beers designed to keep our brewers on their toes and our customers on tenterhooks. Kinnegar’s love affair with rye began with our iconic Rustbucket. With No.10 in the Brewers at Play series we find out what happens when we continue the adventure with a rye lager.

I often mention the head when talking about beers here. It is not of course a really crucial part but it does make the beer look better especially if it stays for a while. Sticking your finger into the head and sucking can sometimes give you a clue as to what you can expect when you start drinking (it may also get you some curious stares), as I was once shown by the Belgian beer sommelier Marc Stroobant.

A Quart of Ale± #3. An impressive trio from Thornbridge and one from Berkshire's Siren

Bliss

A Quart of Ale± #3

An impressive trio from Thornbridge
and one from Berkshire's Siren

Thornbridge are best known (to me anyhow) for their superb Jaipur, a classic Indian Pale Ale. They started life in a local stately home and are now based in Bakewell, a small market town in Derbyshire, and you’ll find them on the banks of the Wye.  Having associated the brewery with Jaipur, I thought they were long established and was surprised to see they started up as recently as 2005. Following an array of awards and national recognition, Jaipur (launched in mid-2005) catapulted Thornbridge into the spotlight and eventually into a brand new brewery.

Thornbridge “Shelby” India Pale Ale, 5.0%, 330ml bottle, Bradley's of Cork

Shelby, the official beer of Peaky Blinders the TV series, pours a golden amber, the white head vanishing as quickly as an opportunist thief. Surprisingly fruity nose and that continues onto the arresting palate. Here too the maltiness makes a discreet and pleasant appearance and there’s a citrus enhanced bitterness. Excellent mouthfeel too. This is full of flavour and character, and so much better than many celebrity drinks. 

Looks as if you were a beer drinker of 1919, the year in which the TV series is set, you did very well for yourself indeed. Once you weren’t doing porridge, of course.

Hops used are Fuggles and Bramling Cross while the malts are Low Colour Maris Otter, Crystal, Munich.

Thornbridge “Bliss Point” Hazy American Pale Ale, 5.0%, 330ml can, Bradley's of Cork

It is yellow and, just to confirm, a hazy one, more than slightly so.  Aromas see the hops float up with fruit coming through as well. Just a small little can but one with big juicy flavours from the backbone of a quartet of US hops, namely Cascade, Simcoe, Azacca, Citra. Malts, you may like to know are Low Colour Maris Otter, Wheat. Quite a combination. Lots of hazy stuff around nowadays but, clearly, this is one of the better ones. 

I see craftcentral.ie describe this as “extremely crisp” but I can’t agree with that assessment. This is as smooth as they come, packed with those expected tropical fruits, with the American hops performing prominently in both the aromatics and flavours. Relax and enjoy. This is what craft beer, good beer, is all about. Cheers!

By the way, having finished a wine session and feeling lazy, I drank this from a Lumin Arc balloon type wine glass and found it worked out very well indeed, the 330ml can fitting in precisely with room for a fine if short-lived white foamy head.

Thornbridge “Tupelo” Hazy Pale Ale, 5.5%, 440ml can

(in collaboration with Salt Beer) Bradley's of Cork

You can smell the hops almost at “social distancing” here as this hazy ale fills your glass with a pale yellow, a big white head too but, unlike the hops, that soon clears down to a sparse cover. Tropical fruits aromas come from the Sabro (“fantastic”) / Citra / Ekuanot / Galaxy / Chinook / and Centennial hops. Malts by the way are Maris Otter / Wheat / Oats.

The hops also make their presence felt later on but there is no jarring domination. The beer is harmonious, pleasant and easy drinking, quite an exotic fruity juice bomb in the mouth and refreshing for sure with a dry finish.

The Salt Beer Factory, the other party in this collaboration, are based in a disused power station in the Yorkshire village of Saltaire, about 90 minutes north of Thornbridge (which is in the Peak District). And Tupelo? Must be the city in northern Mississippi, most famous as the birthplace of Elvis Presley.

Siren White Tips Session IPA, 4.5%, 440ml can, Bradley’s

Pale yellow (hazy) is the colour of this session beer that lists wheat as one of the ingredients. The white foamy head beats a hasty retreat. Quite a lot of citrus, including sharp lemon, in the aromas. And, with the addition of a hint of clove, the story is much the same on the palate. Not surprising really, considering the brewers have added zest of orange, grapefruit and lime. Quite a distinctive beer to be fair and one sure to suit quite a few drinkers.  Yet there’s good harmony here and a lip smacking finish.

Siren brew this every spring and they say: “White Tips is our expression of a wit beer combined with IPA levels of hops. A traditional wit yeast works in harmony with the citrus peel and a healthy hop dosing to create a balanced IPA that is sure to pull you in wave after wave.”

Malts: Lager, Wheat, Malted Oats

Hops: Hallertau Blanc, Centennial, Cascade, Simcoe

Adjuncts: Orange zest, Grapefruit zest, Lime zest 

A Quart of Ale±. #2 Featuring Blacks Brewery, Yellowbelly, Trouble Brewing and Wicklow Wolf

A Quart of Ale± #2
Featuring Blacks Brewery, Yellowbelly, Trouble Brewing and Wicklow Wolf

Number Two in a new series on beer. I'll be doing the best I can to cover a broad range but, if I'm missing out on your brewery, just let me know. While the focus will be mainly on Irish craft beers (and ciders), I'll also dip into the best of imports. Today's selection roams over the range, with beers from Blacks of Kinsale, Yellow Belly of Wexford, Trouble Brewing Dublin and from the Wicklow Wolf brewery.

Blacks “Ace of Haze” DDH Cryo New England IPA, 4.2%, 440ml can, Bradleys Cork

We came to this one, our lips still wet from drinking a bottle of Blacks KPA during a meal at the excellent Cornstore in the heart of Cork City. I have to say straight up that we agreed that this New Englander is a lovely beer, very drinkable, but also agreed that the KPA is our favourite of the two.

Okay. KPA stands for Kinsale Pale Ale, so a pale ale. But what’s a New England IPA? Blacks say: Characterised by juicy, citrus and floral flavours and a smoother less piney taste than some other IPAs you might be familiar with, New England IPA is a style that became popular in Vermont USA in the 2010s. Hazy in appearance with a soft mouthfeel, NEIPA's are brewed without adding hops to the boil and with the use of specific yeast strains to achieve the desired result. Often described as a more fruit forward IPA with lower perceived bitterness but massively hop forward with flavours and aromas derived from the use of dry hopping techniques.

This NEIPA (hardly an abbreviation!) is a hazy yellow. It weighs in at 4.2% (as against 5 for the KPA) so it certainly a session contender. No shortage of hops in the mix but it’s the fruit, citrus and exotic, that makes its mark rather than any bitterness (which is there, in the background). Very drinkable though and sure to gather up lots of fans. By the way, Blacks have at least one other Haze edition.

They say: This banging beer was brewed with passion and an absurd amount of cryogenically frozen Mosaic, Citra and Simcoe hops not forgetting a touch of inspiration from some rock classics that are commonly heard on the brewery floor on brew days. The malt bill of Barley, Oats and Wheat gives plenty of body and character but we have kept the ABV on the lower end for IPA's so you can enjoy more than 1 or 2 in a sitting.

Yellowbelly “Citra Pale Ale” American Pale Ale, 4.8%, 440ml can, Bradleys Cork

Hazy yellow is the colour here, a white head (size and length depends a lot on how you pour, probably best if on draught). You’ll probably de-juice that Citra Hops are used here. Head Brewer Declan Nixon has also employed German and Belgian malts. I think he’s judged this to a “T” and has come up with a really well-balanced beer.

A hint of pine in the aromas and this smooth drinking beer has citrus flavours, is very pleasant on the palate and, with all that, plus the help of a modest enough alcohol count of 4.8%, has that second glass appeal for sure.

Let us hear what the Wexford crew have to say for themselves: Our Citra Pale Ale is brewed with the finest German & Belgian malts, fermented with a super clean American ale yeast and dry hopped to the gills with Citra. The resulting beer should be enjoyed as fresh as possible to appreciate the grapefruit and pine aroma and super clean finish.

They regard it as a flagship beer. Citra Pale Ale can be enjoyed year-round on draught or in can from your favourite bars, restaurants and off-licences. It was voted Best Beer in Ireland 2019 – Beoir Awards

Trouble Brewing “Dark Arts” Porter, 4.4%, 500ml bottle, Bradleys Cork

Pours black as you’d expect and you can get quite a head (coffee coloured) if the pour is more rapid than usual. Chocolate, caramel and coffee among the aromas. And they also feature in the flavours, balanced by a freshness, almost like acidity in wine. Indeed this lighter bodied black reminds me of those well made light dry red wines that have become very popular in recent years. A very decent porter even if I still retain a preference for stouts.

Trouble Brewing are very happy with the early success of this one, and why not. Their Facebook: Dark Arts is the second beer we ever brewed here in Trouble and has stood the test of time to become one of Ireland's outstanding porters. 

I’m regularly amazed as to how often brewers get things right from the get-go. Howling Gale by Eight Degrees, Black’s KPA are early examples and Trouble say they never touched the Dark Arts recipe since the initial production. Eight Degrees also started with a porter but that has been sidelined and replaced with their Knockmealdown Stout. Perhaps there’s a message there. 

Wicklow Wolf Mammoth IPA, 6.2%, 440ml can, O'Briens Wines

Colour of this West Coast IPA is close to amber with a nice fluffy head that sinks quite slowly. It gets its name because a mammoth amount of Simcoe, Chinook, Cascade and Eureka! have been used to pump up the fruit. And the hops take the lead in the aromas as well. Very much floral and citrus in the palate as you’d expect but no shortage of malt either (Pale ,Cara Ruby the varieties used). Rather a muscular beer (compared, say, to Trouble Brewing’s Ambush) but the muscle’s not out of control and the Mammoth will find a welcome in any good beer circle.

Dingle Magic. And other superb Irish & Belgian Beers. Session #7

Dingle Magic. And other superb Irish & Belgian Beers. Session #7

West Kerry Brewery “Béal Bán” Golden Ale, 5.0%, 500ml bottle

You savour the minutes you spend drinking this Golden Ale. It’s the languid time in summer: you have a glass in your hand and the sun is going down. Not quite there yet. Hanging on. Between pale and dark. Those golden moments. When the Blaskets and its seagulls are in silhouette. 

Sip and savour and put your arm around his or her shoulder. And whisper: “This is the best golden ale in the world”. And, if she or he is sipping the same paradisiacal beer, there’ll be no argument. For what you both are enjoying in these magic peaceful twilight minutes is truly the umami conjured up by the goddess from the Ballydavid brewery of the wild peninsula. Béal Bán, an beoir órga is fearr ar domhain. Draíocht an Daingin.

Gold is the colour of this magical ale from West Kerry. Creamy rather than crisp, yet light and refreshing with malt prominent earlier on, the hops making a show at the finish. A distinctive beer indeed, very impressive.

I drank this in 2012 at Blair’s Inn and also during a visit to Tigh Bhric where the brewery is based. It was then being described as a pale English style bitter. It was then, still is, a light and refreshing golden ale with a slight malty sweetness and a bitter finish, imparted by a generous helping of hops. Indeed, one could see why the English aficionado would feel at home here.

Paul and Adrienne (the brewer) told us that they use water from their own well to brew the beers, both cask and bottled. The malt is predominantly Irish and the beers are brewed naturally, with no additives or preservatives. By the way, they use local botanicals in the brewing, such as rosehips, elderflower, blackberries and black currants “added to our seasonal beers”. 

Beoir Chorca Dhuibhne is the Irish name for the brewery in the Dingle peninsula. It was established in 2008 to make traditional yet progressive beer. You’ll find them in their brew pub: Tigh Bhric (which also offers accommodation). .

Béal Bán is one of their core range and like the others, Carraig Dubh (porter) and Cúl Dorcha (red ale), is called after local place names. Adrienne is Ireland’s first female brewer.

Elbow Lane Elbow Lager, 4.4%, 500ml bottle

Light gold (cloudy), fountains of bubbles rising, nice white head stays for a spell. Mild aromas. Refreshing on the palate, sharp citrus led flavours reaching the parched parts. I was impressed with the early version of this lager, in 2012, and impressed with this 2020 edition too. Best served at 7-8 degrees.

All the Elbow Lane beers are relatively lightly hopped, mainly because of food matching considerations. With five restaurants in the group, you don't want an over-hopped beer upsetting the food flavours.

This continental style lager is particularly refreshing and owes its flavor to Pilsner and Munich malts and "Noble" hop varieties imported from Germany & Czech Republic. It will complement most lighter dishes, a great treat for beer lovers.

They say: We’re really proud of the beers that we make here in our tiny brewery. There are no additives and we proudly brew according to the principles of the German Purity Law which means that we use four ingredients to make our beer. We hope you enjoy.

The White Hag “Atlantean” New England IPA, 5.4%, 330 ml can

A beer from the north west with an eye to the next parish across the foamy ocean.

A cloudy light gold, but cloudy, is the colour here. Lovely fluffy head but soon there’s little left of it (the head, that is). It’s juicy and fruity for sure, with a creamy mouthfeel, the hops slightly subdued but still a notable presence. Excellent balance though and this smooth ale finishes well and certainly has that second-can appeal. New England may be a long way off but this lovely ale is easily found locally. Go for it!

They say: Drink this beer as fresh as possible, when all the Alpha & Beta oils from the hops are the most powerful. Little to no hop bitterness at the end, utilising hops that impart a tropical, juicy sweetness rather than the classic bitter.

St Bernardus Pater 6, 6.7%, 33cl bottle

It’s a dark brown colour, not quite the chestnut they say on the website. The foamy head is off white and it soon contracts to a very thin cap. A touch of coffee in the aromas. And coffee hints too amidst the fruit on the palate. Time and again in these high abv Belgian beers - and this is far from the highest - you find a delicious harmony between the alcohol and the flavour, and that harmony here extends to the finish.

They say: St. Bernardus Pater 6 is brewed according to the classic dubbel style with a recipe that dates back to 1946. The name of this beer has become a reference for its style, and it is commonly referred to as ‘een Paterke’.

As ever the Belgians recommend a food pairing: St.Bernardus Pater 6 is a great choice to complement pork recipes or contrast against zesty cheeses. It is bottle fermented and best to serve it at 8-12 degrees.

If you come across the Pater 6, and if you see The Bernardus Abt 12 on the same shelf, then don’t hesitate. The Abt 12 (10%) is a quadrupel, full of complex flavours, great fruit and with a superb finish. It is regarded as one of the best beers in the world. In this context, quadrupel means it is stronger than a tripel which is stronger than a duppel like Pater 6!

Ulster Black Sparkles in Irish-Belgian Beer Session #5

Ulster Black Sparkles in Irish-Belgian Beer Session

#5

Brehon Ulster Black Oatmeal Stout, 5.0%, 500ml bottle

This stout is black (you knew that!), black as a wet sod of turf on a rainy day in the bog, and the fleeting head is coffee coloured. Aromas also from the dark side: coffee and dark chocolate. And that theme continues on the palate. But it is not exactly like other oatmeal stouts, not over-richly smooth. There is a balance, a harmony that lifts this stout about the normal. All before a lip-smacking finish. Try it out for yourself! Best served around 8 to 10 degrees.

The brewers say it is “Ideal with game or strong red meat, smoked meats and hearty stews, desserts with chocolate, caramel or dark fruits.” I reckon they’ve tried them all! Me, I’d say it goes best with another one.

“Our small brewery is housed on the farm, just a short distance from the old homestead.We are set amongst the rolling drumlins of County Monaghan, just a few miles from the birthplace of Patrick Kavanagh, the inspiration for our India Pale Ale –  Stony Grey IPA.

Our aim is to create distinct beers that are brewed with care and affection.  Our brewer has created a range of well balanced and flavoursome ales that reflect the changing face of the beer market in Ireland.”

Chouffe Cherry Beer, 8%, 330ml bottle

Dark cherry is the (not unexpected) colour. Cherries all the way, really, even though there seems to be something sweetish in the aromas (Port is mentioned). And the aroma characters follow through on the palate, cherries again, and hints of sweet and sour. Nicely rounded and soft, it is rather nice and balanced, enough acidity there to do the trick. 

They say: “delights the gourmands among us” and recommend pairing with tomatoes, red peppers, red cabbage and fennel, oysters too, duck breast and stewed game dishes and in addition almond, raspberries, cherries and strawberries.

Very different indeed, an amazing beer, and I must try it with Bushy’s Strawberries next time! Or Skeaghanore Duck Breast. Not the kind of beer you’ll be drinking all night.

Always enjoy visiting the Chouffe website - they enjoy a laugh. Check it out yourself at https://chouffe.com/en/discover-our-brews/

Huyghe Delirium Argentum IPA, 7.0%, 330ml bottle

Amber’s the colour here with quite a large white head that does linger. Spice and citrus on the nose. Full of flavour, soft citrus the main element, complex though yet pleasantly fresh with a long hoppy finish. Combining softness and character, this Hopped Amber IPA is yet another superb beer this evening.

Brewing beer is a centuries-old tradition at the site of the Appelhoek in Melle. The earliest evidence of brewing comes from 1654. In 1904 Léon Huyghe started working at the local brewery.

They say: ”Delirium tremens" was brewed for the first time on December 26, 1988. The brewing team produced this blond beer (Alc. 8.5% Vol) at the insistence of Italy. The uniqueness of Delirium is in addition to its 3 different yeasts, its very original packaging that reminds you of Cologne pottery. The label portrays the different phases of the delirium in an original way. 

It was amazingly popular, the pink elephant was born and a series of Delirium began and this Argentum in its silver wrap, is one, a very good indeed.

Today, Alain De Laet, the fourth Huyghe generation, stirs the brew kettles. The little elephant that was born in 1989 has grown into an international icon.

Sierra Nevada “Hazy Little Thing” IPA 4.6%, 355ml can

Not to sure how this American got in but we enjoyed having it.

It has a cloudy, lemonade colour. Hoppy aromas. Hoppy on the palate too with citrus fruits. Easy drinking “session edition”, tropical and citrus fruits, pretty flawless really and a very welcome addition to the category. It’s the little sister to the normal Hazy Little Thing (6.7). This version is slightly lighter but not less intense.

They say: The low alcohol content and heavy-handed hopping in this unfiltered session IPA required some brewing finesse to achieve a pleasant balance. Never one to back down from a challenge, we were able to coax just the right amount of body from the malt to support the bold American hops. Hazy in appearance and golden in color, this easy-drinking ale is loaded with piney citrus notes, quenching your thirst without sacrificing flavor.