A Quart of Ale± #20. Terrific Irish Ciders. "Lucky to have each of them"

A Quart of Ale± #20

Moving on over to craft.

Terrific Irish Ciders.

"Lucky to have each of them" 

Cider is one of the most ancient of the alcoholic drinks, made wherever apples are grown. Yet some countries, Canada for example, has a law preventing people calling a liquid cider unless it has apples in the ingredients. There is a huge variety of ciders, from dry to sweet, from clear to cloudy. Once at a gite in France, the owner came over with a cloudy bottle, oil to ease a sticking front door we thought, but no it was a delicious homemade cider and there was a basin of strawberries as well!

Normandy and Brittany (where I then was) are well known for their ciders but it is only in recent years that craft cider has hit Irish shelves. And even here now, there is an amazing variety, especially from Munster, Leinster and Ulster. I have just a few examples below, including a non alcoholic gem from Highbank, and they illustrate the variety and quality available.

Con Traas of the Apple Farm, who produces a superb example himself, was asked a few years ago to give his verdict on a couple of the then new ciders, Longueville and Stonewell. He declined, saying we were lucky to have each of them. I feel the same way about the quintet below and others such as those coming from The Cider Mill in Slane, Dan Kelly (also in the Boyne Valley), and others that you can find here at  Cider Ireland .

Stonewell Medium Dry 5.5%, 500ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

This County Cork cider is approaching its 10th birthday and is tasting as well as ever. It was their first and  “remains our most popular cider”. It is a classic, very popular here too, and we often order it in restaurants as it goes well with a variety of dishes.

You’ll know it’s Irish by the eye catching Celtic design on the front. Aromas of the orchard invite you in. Light gold colour and squadrons of little bubbles flying up to the top. Terrific wash of sweet apple flavour on the attack and then you note a balancing acidity before a satisfying finish.

They say: We don’t complicate things by using artificial additives, apple concentrate, glucoses syrup or dilute with water. This carbonated cider is best enjoyed as a refreshing thirst quencher, chilled to 7 degrees (watch the ice – whilst it will maintain the chill it can conceal the full flavour!). 

With winter approaching, you can put this out the back for chilling as an overlong spell in the fridge would also hamper the flavour. This medium dry contains approximately 20% cider apples and 80% eating apples. The cider apples provide the astringency in the cider and the structure on which the full, rounder and more citrus characteristics of the eating apples depend. The cider is made from Irish grown apples and the varieties used are Dabinett, Michelin, Jonagored and Elstar.

Highbank Organic  “Drivers Cider” 0%, 330ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

I’m walking through long rows of apple trees, all in blossom, pink and white abound. The grass between is ankle height, lush and liberally populated with white daisies. Lush, but recently topped. Had I been there a week earlier, I would have seen battalions of dandelions.

I was in Kilkenny, in the healthy heart of Highbank Orchards, an organic farm owned and managed by Rod and Julie Calder-Potts. It is here they grow their apples and make their ciders (and more), including this one.

Made from organic cider apples from the Highbank farm, Drivers Cider is a refreshing non-alcoholic drink for the designated driver with no added sugar or chemicals. This Blusher apple limited vintage is Single Estate (grown, distilled and bottled at Highbank Farm) and no sugar or sweeteners have been added. 

It is a bit sweeter than the Stonewell but finishes dry. It’s a delicious well-flavoured drink and really works well with food as we found out during the Sunil Ghai Special Lunch in Sage last year. Any drink that pairs well with Asian is worth noting, especially when you’re driving home afterwards. In fact, we enjoyed the pairing so much, we bought a second round of the Highbank! Probably one of the best of the Irish non alcoholic drinks.

Johnny Fall Down “Late Apples” 2017 5.5%, 500ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Light gold colour, no shortage of bubbles. No mistaking the orchard aromas. This one comes on strong, packed with complex flavour, smoky and spicy with a lingering dry finish. One for your short list for sure, from the new kids on the block at Killahora. 

At a tasting earlier in the summer, Killahora’s Barry said this Late Apples is driven by 30% Dabinett and lots of French varieties, some inedible as a fruit. And that this is designed “for food”. They suggest it is also one for the red wine drinkers and point the white wine drinkers in the direction of their Early Apples issue.

They say: "We work on what the year gives us. In the cidery, we do as little as possible to it. This deeper bittersweet, medium-dry cider is made from the late ripening, rare varieties of apples in our Cork orchards. Pair with darker meats, spicy food, cheese and oily fish.” Serve chilled, no ice!

Killahora was founded by two cousins, Barry Walsh and Dave Watson, with the goal of growing the best rare apple and pear varieties on Irish soil and to use artisanal techniques to turn them into award winning drinks. 

Dave brings a passion for and encyclopaedia-like knowledge of apple and pear trees, while Barry brings the wizardry of fermenting, blending and creating new drinks. “We make everything as naturally as possible with minimum intervention and use wild fermentation.Everything is handmade on site with 100% fresh juice and we take our time, allowing our products to mature for up to a year to get the most complexity of flavour.”

Highbank “Proper Irish Cider” 2016 6%, 500ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

This organic cider from Kilkenny’s Highbank Orchard has an amber colour, with fountains of bubbles rising. Aromas are tart and true to the orchard fruit. On the palate, it is just amazing, this masterpiece of deliciousness and refreshment and then that dry finalé. If Bach had made cider, he’d have been happy to put his name to a bottle like this, precise and satisfying from first drop to last.

They say: This traditional, dry cider grown and produced by Highbank Orchards Matured on its wild yeasts Highbank Proper Cider has no added sulphites, no added sugar and is Irish Organic with naturally high tannins. A delicious, refreshing drink, Proper Cider should be served chilled over ice particularly with a fish course.

Highbank Organic Orchards, owned and run by Rod and Julie Calder-Potts, produce their ciders in small batches with an emphasis on pairing ciders with different foods. All organic, with no added sulphites and gluten free, the cider apples are from Highbank’s own organic trees grown on Highbank Organic farm in County Kilkenny. It is a beautiful farm and this is a beautiful cider.

Longueville “Mór” Cider 8%, 500ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Longueville harvest

This Longueville House cider had a clear amber colour and pleasing orchard aromas. This is a medium cider with a delicious full flavour, slight touch of tannins (on the lips) and a satisfying finish. Rubert Atkinson of Longueville: “No ice! It waters down the flavours and kills the sparkle. Enjoy this like a wine, in a wine glass.”

Longueville House (near Mallow, Co. Cork) grow two varieties of cider apple, the Dabinett and the Michelin - “No chemicals and no pesticides”. The regular Longueville House Cider, has an abv of 5.9%. The sugar is natural and they use no extra sulphites. 

Longueville’s Mór gets its higher abv (8.00%) and distinctive flavour from fermentation (1 year) in their just-emptied apple brandy casks. “It is the same juice as the regular cider but is more robust, has more character, more flavour, well rounded, well balanced, really lovely.” I couldn't agree more! Made from 100% fresh apples. Contains only naturally occurring sulphites.

They say: William O'Callaghan and his father Michael before him have been fermenting exceptional craft cider and distilling Ireland's only Apple Brandy now for almost 35 years. We have brought the cider and brandy production to another level while maintaining the very natural and respectful processes of our fore fathers, the terroir and sustainability - crushing, pressing, fermentation, filtration, light carbonation, pasteurisation - all while using no pesticides, fungicides, insecticides or any other ‘cides in our orchards. 

One way they counter the aphids, a tiny bug that can do enormous damage, is to encourage the hoverfly by planting the likes of Fennel, Angelica and Yarrow. These attract the hoverfly, a natural enemy of the aphid.

A Quart of Ale± #19 Moving on over to craft. Wheat Beers (Part 2)

 A Quart of Ale± #19

Moving on over to craft. 

Wheat Beers (Part 2). Check out Part 1 here

The most famous wheat beers come from Germany and Belgium where the refreshing drinks are known as Weissbier and Witbier both of which translate as white beer, hence the Westport and Kinnegar whites in this and the previous post. The style normally contains a large proportion of malted wheat. Like all beer styles, Wheat Beers are on the move. Just when you think you know something about it, your brewer thinks of a variation and, according to Craft Beer for the Geeks, “fruited wheat beers are the new normal”.  San Francisco’s 21st Amendment Brewery has the ultimate: Hell or High Watermelon! I was wondering if there were any Irish contenders and then along comes Hope’s Grunt below. 

St Bernardus Wit 5.5%, 33cl bottle Bradley’s of Cork

This famed Belgian, a classic, has a hazy golden/yellow colour, not too easy to see the bubbles but they are there; nice head at the start but won’t be around for long, a lacy veil is all that remains. 

Audaciously aromatic with clove notes standing out, touch of orange and coriander too. Very refreshing, your perfect thirst quencher as herbs and fruit mingle merrily in this traditional unfiltered Belgian white beer. 

It was developed in collaboration with Pierre Celis, the legendary master brewer who founded the Hoegaarden brewery, brewing their signature beer that was the driver of the resurgence of white beer in the 1950s.

They say: This incredibly versatile beer can be paired with almost any recipe from anywhere in the world. Its most outstanding role is perhaps that of a refreshing contrast when served with creamy dishes - a risotto for example - or in combination with shell fish and white fish. Do you serve a slice of lemon with your fish? You can echo that or a lemon sauce or dressing with this beer with its strong hints of citrus.

Note:

The unusual lower serving temperature of 2 - 6 °C.

Bitterness: 15 EBU.

Elbow Lane “Arrow Weisse” 5.0%, 500ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Brewed according to the German Purity Law, this Cork wheat beer has an amber robe with a fairly ample white head that stays full for a minute or two, then shrinks to a narrow disc. Typical aromas of clove and banana and those flavours also on the palate which has a refreshing citrus-y streak. Apparently the clove and banana come from the special yeast used to brew this satisfying beer. No artificial preservatives or additives are used and they indicate it is best served at 7-8 degrees.

Somewhat heavier on the palate than both the Japanese and the German (in Part 1) but do remember that Elbow brew their range of beers to match the dishes in the group’s five restaurants in Cork City. The Arrow Weisse was the critics’ choice  recently to pair with ox tongue and kimchi salad. By the way, you’ll note that the staff in the various restaurants are well versed in the merits of each of the beers. 

Elbow Lane is one of the smallest breweries in Ireland and you’ll find it in the restaurant of the same name. All the beers are called after lanes (some of them no longer exist) in the city. Market Lane is the “mothership” restaurant and the others are ORSO, Castle Café, Goldie and Elbow Lane itself.

Kinnegar White Rabbit Session White IPA 4.5%, 440ml can Ardkeen Store, Bradley’s of Cork

Citrus leads here and there is little enough evidence of the clove and banana that is prominent in some wheat beers in this cloudy lemon coloured IPA, a very well made one, from the innovative Donegal brewery. There’s a generous fluffy white head that lasts a fair bit. 

No let-down in the mouth where the malt and hops get together in an impressive juicy fruity amalgam. A lovely balance indeed and an excellent dry lip-smacking finish with a slight bitterness in evidence. Second can appeal for sure.

They say: This is a classic American wheat beer that blends fruity malt with fruity hop flavours and opens them up with a voluminous, puffy white head.We don’t filter or pasteurise, and we let our industrious little friends, the yeast, carbonate the beer naturally during fermentation.” 

There may be a bit of sediment, so pour this cloudy beer carefully but if some ends up in the glass, don’t worry about it. “It’ll put hair on your chest,” as my mother used to say when she spotted someone’s reluctance to try something new.

Hope Grunt Citrus-y Wheat Beer 4.8%, 440ml can Ardkeen Store

Craft Beer for the Geeks say “fruited wheat beers are the new normal”. Well, here’s an Irish one, so let us see what’s going on in the tin. On the tin itself, there’s  rather fanciful yarn as to how the beer got its name.

The beer  though is not fanciful though the short-lasting head is a bit of a tease. The liquid  is a slightly hazy light gold. It is quite assertive on the palate, bone-dry, citrusy and a little spicy, the citrus coming from the hops plus the adjuncts lemongrass and bergamot. Good refreshing finish too though you have to concentrate hard to find the notes of juniper, the other addition. An excellent beer but I’m not sure I’d be guessing its style correctly in a blind tasting.

EBU, by the way, is 21 and they say Grunt is an excellent accompaniment to most food, in particular fish, to replace a traditional dry white wine, but also spicy food, where the strong flavours and refreshing quality of the beer can hold its own where a wine could not. It is also good with both strong cheese, and creamy cheese.

Had I not known about wheat as an ingredient (listed on their website, but not on the can), I’d have been inclined to class this as an IPA rather than  wheat beer. In any case, it’s a very decent drink indeed.

Ingredients: Water.

Malts: Pale Ale, Wheat, Acidulated

Hops: Citra, Cascade

Yeast: European Ale Yeast, American Ale Yeast

Spices: Juniper, Lemongrass & Bergamot

Check out Part 1 here

A Quart of Ale± #18 Moving on over to craft. Wheat Beers

A Quart of Ale± #18

Moving on over to craft. 

Wheat Beers (Part 1)

Click here for Part 2

The most famous wheat beers come from Germany and Belgium where the refreshing drinks are known as Weissbier and Witbier both of which translate as white beer, hence the Westport and Kinnegar whites in this and the following post. The style normally contains a large proportion of malted wheat. Like all beer styles, Wheat Beers are on the move. Just when you think you know something about it, your brewer thinks of a variation and, according to Craft Beer for the Geeks, “fruited wheat beers are the new normal”.  San Francisco’s 21st Amendment Brewery has the ultimate: Hell or High Watermelon! I was wondering if there were any Irish contenders and then along comes Hope’s Grunt (Part 2).

Mescan “Westport White” 5%, 330ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Malts, hops and yeast for this Wheat Beer come from Belgium and the water (holy water?), comes from the slopes of Croagh Patrick where the brewery is situated.

Pale gold is the colour. Frothy white head atop the hazy body. Plenty of carbonation noticed even in the cloud. Aromas mild, clove is a modest element. Crisp is the first tactile sensation, the clove again and then citrusy and floral notes before the lingering dry finish. A terrific beer, well balanced, refreshing with a lip-smacking finalé.

They say: Yeast in suspension in wheat beer is at the origin of its trademark haze but may eventually settle at the bottom. A gentle swirl near the end of the pour will restore the beer’s traditional appearance.

The suggested serving temperature is a lower than usual at 4 - 6 ° C. The Belgian style beer comes, as Belgian beers normally do, with food pairing recommendations. In short, light dishes such as fish and salads are just the job. Also recommended as a thirst quenching aperitif! For the full details check here. 

Mescan Brewery is named after Mescan the monk who was St. Patrick's friend and personal brewer. It is situated on the slopes of Croagh Patrick and is owned and operated by Bart Adons and Cillian Ó Móráin, two Westport vets, who have been friends and colleagues for nearly 20 years. The pair spent four years perfecting their original recipes inspired by the beers of Belgium, Bart's homeland, before starting to brew commercially in 2013.

 

The water for Mescan beers comes from deep underneath Croagh Patrick via a spring beside the brewery. Malts, hops and yeast for the beer come from Belgium. 

Weihenstephaner “Hefe Weissbier” 5.4%, .5l bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Weihenstephaner are proud of this wheat beer: a veritable classic – and the star of our beer ensemble. And I can happily agree. It has a light gold colour, hazy, with a fluffy pillowy head. Typical clove aromas and banana flavours. Superb refreshing flavours and a delight on the palate along with an excellent dry finish. Reminds me of why I so enjoyed wheat beer early on but wheat beers are in a minority in Ireland and you don’t come across them that often. A classic indeed.

This Weihenstephaner is made according to the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516. Drink at 6-8 degrees. It has a mild IBU count of 14 and they recommend pairing it with Obazda (a Bavarian cheese spread) - I’m sure we could rustle up something similar around here. What we cannot magic up is a brewery as old as Weihenstephaner - they’ve been at it since 1040! Other food pairings noted are with fish and seafood, and especially with the traditional Bavarian veal sausage.

Kiuchi “Hitachino Nest” White Ale, 5.5%, 330ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Hazy mid-gold colour with a white pillowy head that’s in no rush to get away (perhaps the torrefied wheat has something to do with that!). And, yes, those clove aromas and banana flavours. We’re on solid wheat beer ground even if this one, all 11.2 fluid ounces of it, comes all the way from Japan’s Kiuchi Brewery. It has been brewed with additions of spices, coriander and orange and there’s certainly a hint or two of citrus on the palate and spice notes (nutmeg) too of course. Nicely rounded soft flavours, well-balanced. Easy drinking, easy to like. Another one for the short list!

They say the style is Belgian White Ale and suggest serving it at 6-9 degrees. The IBU is 13. Hops used: Perle, Celleia, Amarillo, Styrian Goldings while Malts are Larger, Wheat. The adjuncts listed are Flaked Wheat (to promote fuller body and haze), Torrefied Wheat, Coriander, Nutmeg, Orange Peel, Orange Juice.

The Hitachino Nest Beers are brewed by the Kiuchi family (now in its 8th generation) who have been brewing Sake since 1823

Click here for Part 2

Four Fine Saisons For You in A Quart of Ale± #17

 Four Fine Saisons For You in A Quart of Ale± #17

Moving on over to craft.

Saison.

Glazen Toren “D’erpe-Mere” 6.5%, 33cl bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Jef Van Den Steen, a former professor of mathematics, is a master of saison at De Glazen Toren Brewery. Saison originated in Wallonia, in the French speaking part of Belgium, and that’s where Jef found it and fell in love with it.

Why? “Because of its drinkability - it is never sweet, always dry, refreshing and very drinkable,… a very old style, more than 200 years old.” You can find Jef talking about saison on a 2016 You Tube short.

It is a farmer’s ale, also known as a table beer, brewed in one season (winter) for drinking in another (summer) by the farm labourers. While most saisons now are mid to high abv, the beer then (in the 19th century and in the first decades of the 20th) was much lower so the workers weren’t falling about in the fields all day. 

Because it had to kept fresh for six months or so, extra hops were added to enhance shelf life. “Hops protect beer from ageing and I very much like bitterness. I don’t like sweet. Sweet is good for horses and elephants, not for humans.”

The De Glazen Toren brewery in Erpe-Mere, Belgium, was founded in 2004. Within ten years the initiative of the brew masters Jef Van den Steen and Dirk De Pauw, along with a third partner, Mark De Neef, has grown from a brewing hobby into a successful, professional company.

Colour of this one is a hazy pale gold - no shortage of little bubbles rising - with a big white head. Taste that head - stick your finger in - and you’ll note the bitterness (you may notice it again at the finalé). Aromas yield  a more modest bitterness, hints too of citrus. No extremes on the palate where it all - the aromas and the flavours- come together in a supple harmony,  a refreshing flow. And you remember that refreshment was the aim with Saison. You didn’t want your workers dozing off after lunch. If I were the farmer handing this one out, I think I’d keep it for the weekend!

As ever, the Belgians come up with food pairings:

Smoked trout fillet, salad of beetroot and Jona Gold (apples) with horseradish cream;

Sepia (cuttlefish) with green peas;

Cheese fondue;

Pasta with leek sauce, blue cheese.

They say:  Barley and wheat malts have been used to produce this beer. Liquid sugar too! The beer is brewed according to the old Saison tradition of Hainaut. The beer is not filtered and is pure natural. 

Dupont “Saison Dupont” 6.5%, 33cl bottle Bradley’s of Cork

A former drinking partner used to describe the head on a local stout as “ice cream”. I’m reminded of that remark when I pour, perhaps too quickly, my bottle of Saison Dupont. The head shrinks but slowly enough.

Beer has been brewed here in Belgium’s Hainaut for centuries though it is only in the last 20 years or so that the Dupont Brewery has become a global reference for saison. 

Farm beers of this type – light, rather dry but fruity – were traditionally brewed during the winter, ready to quench the thirst of the seasonal field workers (saisoniers) during the summer to follow.

It is a cloudy mid-amber, fountains of micro-bubbles. Aromas of citrus. Light and fruity, zesty and refreshing, yet no shortage of hearty flavour. Reckon any labourer, even a keyboard one, would be happy with this impeccable beer. Superb finish also with the bitterness now to the forefront. Nothing quirky, nothing extreme other than extremely good. As Michael Creedon of Bradley’s told me “if you don’t like this, you don’t like saison”.

They say: Saison Dupont was first brewed in 1844. This copper-blond beer yields amazingly delicate aromas paired with a pronounced hop-bitterness. The house yeast and the local hard water, drawn from a well, play an important role in the creation of this beer. An in-bottle refermentation makes a major contribution to the development of this complex and highly aromatic beer.

Third Circle “Unsocial Creatures”  Dry Hopped Saison 4.4%, 33cl can Bradley’s of Cork

Pours a golden colour washing up the curve of the glass, fluffy white head not built to last. Hops, with some sweetness, in the aromas. I like to think this is the real thing. It tastes so good. Absolutely drinkable, the hops in every drop making every drop one of hit-the-spot drinking pleasure, jackpot every time. Crisp and fruity and moreish.

They say: We took our old house saison recipe and brought it up a notch. Hopped with Topaz and Cashmere. Expect a crisp, highly quaffable, summertime slammer with notes of white grape and melon.

Third Circle beers are made in Dublin, Ireland. “In collaboration with our friends at Stone Barrel Brewing we have founded Third Barrel Brewery which is located on Bluebell Avenue in Dublin 12, where Third Circle beers are produced. We use a pre-loved 1,100 litre brewery system which, in a previous lifetime, spent many years decocting fine Pilsners in the Czech hills.”

Heaney “Way Over Yonder” 5.7%, 440ml can Bradley’s of Cork

This hazy beer from the County Derry farmhouse brewery pours a gold colour, with a fluffy head that hangs around for a bit. Fruity and slightly spicy in the aromas. Fruity too on the palate, apricots are suggested. “A funky yeast” adds to the complexity of this fruited farmhouse ale.

The label say its a rustic ale but I find it rather elegant and smooth, though I’d better add that I’ve known some rustics who are also quite sophisticated. In any event, it is well made and balanced and an excellent beer. One for the grafters, they say. But, if they were my grafters I don’t think I’d be handing it out at lunch-time with its 5.7 abv. Perhaps keep it for the end of the day.

By the way, I had a few dried apricots (unsulphured) in the house and the pairing with this saison was perfect.

Malts: Pale Ale Malt, Crystal Malt, Wheat Malt, Chocolate Malt

Hops: Galena, Nugget, East Kent Goldings

ABV: 4.2% IBUs: 33 

They say:  We make this beer for “the grafters” and Mrs Heaney is lauded as the original grafter. “For generations our family farm has been a place of harvest and inspiration; in step with the past and striking a new future.” 

Locally Sourced Dinner At Home. No Fuss!

 Locally Sourced Dinner At Home 

Don't think I'd have been much of a hunter-gatherer! Not after last weekend's performance when I failed to order in good time from one of several "At Home" or "Click & Collect Offers" in the Cork area. Reached the end of the line when I found out that the well-flagged Dim Sum at O'Mahony's Watergrasshill had been sold out.

But not to worry. The official Blog Chef had her ducks all in a row. She had earlier collected a box full from Davidson's, our local craft butchers, and had no problem in producing a starter and mains. Dessert was also in the fridge, this a terrific treat from Yum Gelato that was part of an earlier purchase from Bradley's in North Main Street.

So no big deal, no fuss. And we had a lovely dinner with the satisfaction of supporting local thrown in.

Delicious Duck Spring Rolls (Davidsons)

Always enjoy these spring rolls. About as good as I've tasted since I haunted a Vietnamese food stall

while holidaying for a few weeks in Chinon on the banks of the Vienne in the Loire Valley in 2013.

Chicken Italiano (Davidsons)

Juicy boneless chicken breasts filled with cheddar cheese, smothered in tomato & herb sauce and topped with grated mozzarella and a drizzle of fresh basil pesto Cover in foil and roast in the oven for 40 mins @ 180°C. They’re saucy, they’re cheesy, they’re delicious. Just one of many specials available in Montenotte.

Belgian Double Chocolate Chip (Yum Gelato via Bradley's)

As good as it gets. Just one of the many delicious flavours available from Yum Gelato. Find them at various Neighfood collections, at Farmers Markets and in quite a few stores such as Menloe and Bradley's.

Davidson's Craft Butchers

Yum Gelato

A Quart of Ale± #16. Moving on over to craft. Stout & Porter.

A Quart of Ale± #16

Moving on over to craft. 

Stout/Porter 

Starting off with a couple of excellent Irish porters and finishing with a pair of equally excellent stouts. In between, I take a look at the Founders Porter though not as impressed with this as I was with their Breakfast Stout .

By the way, the terms Porter and Stout are interchangeable according to the latest World Atlas of Beer. Craft Beer for the Geeks say stout is a stronger version of porter.

Trouble Brewing “Dark Arts Porter” 4.4%, 440ml can Bradley’s of 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. 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 indeed (though 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 and Black’s KPA are early examples and Trouble say they’ve never touched the Dark Arts recipe since the initial production.

Kinnegar Yannaroddy Porter 4.8%, 440ml can Ardkeen Store

Where did they get the name? Sounds Australian to me. But no, they found it in their own little corner of Donegal where they get all the names for their beers. A stone’s throw from the brewery is a field with the intriguing name Yannaroddy.

Ever wondered about those mad illustrations on the Kinnegar cans under the theme “Follow the hops”. “Kinnegarland” is illustrated by the inimitable Dermot Flynn www.dermotflynn.com 

They say: Yannaroddy Porter is rich in traditional dark roasted malt flavours laced with an exotic streak of coconut.

Hadn’t known about the coconut when I tried it but certainly the coffee and caramel are there in the aromas and on the flavour-packed palate. Black, of course, is the colour and the coffee coloured head is slow enough to vanish. It is velvety smooth, good acidity too on the way to a lip-smacking finish.

Not surprisingly, Yannaroddy is one of their core beers. The others are Scraggy Bay India Pale Ale, Limeburner Pale Ale, Devil’s Backbone (Amber Ale), Rustbucket Rye Ale, and Crossroads American Style IPA. By the way, they don’t filter or pasteurise, and let their industrious little friends, the yeast, carbonate the beer naturally during fermentation.

Founders “Porter” 6.5%, 355ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Co-Founders Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers opened the doors to the 9800 square foot Founders brewery in downtown Grand Rapids in 1997. But the years that followed were tough before the Michigan brewery’s rise to be one of the top rated in the world began in the opening years of this century.

Black is the expected colour of this “robust” porter and the head is coffee coloured. Sweet nose of malty chocolate and caramel. Silky on the palate, richly flavoured, sweetish, yet dry in the finish. Dark, Rich and Sexy, the label proclaims. Dark, Silky and Sweet, methinks. Perhaps a little too sweet for me. ABV is 6.5 while the IBU is 45.

By the way, you might like to try their Dark n’ Stormy cocktail, based on this porter. “This cocktail may look complicated, but rest-assured, even the least kitchen-savvy among us could recreate this with ease. Impress your friends and family this holiday season with this beauty.” All the details here 

Heaney “Irish Stout” 4.3%, 500ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

This stout is from the Heaney Farmhouse Brewery in Co. Derry. It is black, with a coffee coloured head that loses volume pretty quickly. 

Stick your finger in the head and taste the coffee and chocolate which are more or less what you’ll get from the aromas. No oatmeal here but the palate is rich and smooth, caramel and chocolate and that roasted malt finish, a dry one also. Competition in the stout arena is quite stiff and this one is well up to the average.

Heaney’s always come up with food pairings and here they suggest slow-cooked meat dishes or a rich chocolate dessert.

White Gypsy “Old Smoke” 5.4%, 500ml bottle Bradley’s of Cork

Old Smoke was the nickname of John Morrissey, a boxer from Templemore (Co. Tipperary) - the home of White Gypsy - who gained fame and infamy for his exploits both in and out of the ring in the US during the 19th century. 

Is there much smoke here? Not really, but you certainly notice it in the malty aromas which mostly feature coffee and chocolate. Colour is a shade or two short of a solid black; nice head (cream/coffee in colour) but doesn’t hang around. Lovely beer though with mellow roasted flavours, with malt more to the fore. Not like your usual stout but I could easily go through a session with this very distinctive one!

They say:  Traditionally, beers made in the midlands would have had a slight smokiness due to the malt being dried from peat fires, this stout brings out that combination of smoke & roast while remaining light on the palate. Beer is a fantastic ingredient to use in cooking (and baking). A family favourite is an Old Smoke Stout Stew. 

Wikipedia: Smoked beer (German: Rauchbier) is a type of beer with a distinctive smoke flavour imparted by using malted barley dried over an open flame. The Rauchbiers of Bamberg in Germany, Schlenkerla in particular, are the best-known of the smoked beers.