A Quart of Ale± #49. On the craft journey with Wheat/White, an Irish and German mix here.

A Quart of Ale± #49

On the craft journey with Wheat/White, an Irish and German mix here.

Heaney Irish White Ale 4.8%, 440can Bradleys

Heaney’s Irish White Ale is hazy; colour is a pale yellow and the white head doesn’t hang about. Hints of pine and a burst of citrus fruit. The malt, which also gets a show in the aromas, is prominent in the mouth where it matches up well with hop bitterness. Lots of late hop additions for a lively citrusy punch in this fresh and zesty white. 

They say: A versatile beer that pairs well with many foods. Try with a Fritto Misto. 

Other suggestions include lighter curried dishes, chilli or game, like pheasant or duck. Dim Sum could be added to the list too.

The label tells us this is a Wit Beer with orange peel and coriander. 

Wheat or white beers originated on the continent and many have prominent clove and banana in either the aromas or palate or both. Not too prominent here though, certainly not banana, clove has more of a presence. Heaney have put their own stamp on this White. And quite a good one. And there is certainly room in Ireland for a good one.

O’Hara’s Curim Gold Celtic Wheat Beer, 4.3%, 500ml bottle via Radical Drinks

Colour is gold, tending towards copper, with an attractive white head steady on the top, and shoals of little bubbles rising though a slight haze. A touch of fruit, including banana, in the aromas. O’Hara’s promise a “slight tart residue” and that is the case on the palate leaving the fruity flavours still in the picture but in a diminished role. The banana, peach and plum though are still there at the finish while the usual clove seems to more or less out of the picture all through.

Quite a good robust beer that has been on the O’Hara list for a long while now but it is indeed some distance from your typical German wheat beer, which is a somewhat gentler experience. Check it out sometime against the Ayinger Weizenbock (below) and your senses will soon inform you.

Geek Bits

Style- Celtic Wheat Beer

ABV- 4.3%

Plato °- 10.75° 

IBU- 20

Fermentation- Top fermentation

Availability- Keg (carbonated), Bottle 50cl (occasional 41L cask)

Serving Temperature- 6-8°C

Food Pairing- Truly refreshing, Curim Gold is an excellent accompaniment to hot and spicy dishes. A few years back, I enjoyed it with Porcini Mushroom Ravioli in a game broth with shredded duck leg and celeriac remoulade. Glass- Curim Gold Wheat Beer glass.

Rothaus Hefe Weizen, 5.4%, 500ml bottle via Bradleys

Muddy amber is the colour of this Rothaus beer from Germany’s highest brewery by elevation, at 1,000 meters above sea level. Situated in the beautiful Black Forest, the brewery was first established in 1791. Today, Rothaus claim to be one of the most successful breweries in Germany, largely due to the high quality of their products.

There’s a soft foamy head, white, above the haze, and it stays around for a spell. Aromas are intriguing: clove, honey, as well as the ripe peach. Some mix, and you meet much the same on the palate. Quite fruity then but no sense of sweetness and this fresh beer hints at summer days in the garden, in the beer garden (hopefully) rather than just in the back garden.

The label icon, “Biergit” (beer girl), a Black Forest girl holding two glasses of beer, first debuted in 1956 and is now the defining symbol for all beers made for the Rothaus Brewery.

The brewery points to “the best ingredients” as the big factors here:  Noble wheat malt, the purest spring water from the Upper Black Forest and mild hops with our aromatic hops from Tettnang and Hallertau ensure this”.

Ayinger Weizenbock, 7.1%, 330ml bottle via Bradleys

Pale yellow, hazy, with quite a decent white head. Expected aromas of clove and banana. Smooth on the palate, again with clove and banana, now with fresh bread added and a background of tropical fruit. Rich and vibrant and harmonious all through. Didn’t see an IBU count but bitterness feels modest and there is a refreshing dry and long finish. A very satisfying beer indeed.

They say: Our winter specialty is brewed with four different malts and wort separation method. The result is an alcohol degree of 7.1% by vol. and the Original gravity is 16.5°plato. Ayinger Weizenbock is a top fermented and unfiltered wheat bock beer. Available in 0.33l Vichy bottles.

The weizen-bock style is relatively uncommon, even in Bavaria: they are wheat ales (weissebeer or weizen beer) that are brewed to be as strong as a bock - with corresponding fuller body, and enhanced flavours. They can be pale ("helles") or dark ("dunkles"), and Ayinger Weizenbock is pale in colour.

Try with hearty German cuisine - smoked pork chops, sauerkraut and sausages; full-flavored game or duck; Weizenbock can pair beautifully with spicy Mexican or Indian cuisine. A memorable digestif or nightcap, Weizenbock is also a very nice match with apple strudel for dessert. Serve in the classic Ayinger 17-ounce "weizen swirl" glass, or an oversized wine glass.

 

Roughty Foodie - K. O’Connell Fish - Izz Cafe - Bradleys - Neighbourfood - Dungarvan Brewing. Supporting Local. Make It A DailyHabit

Roughty Foodie - K. O’Connell Fish - Izz Cafe - Bradleys - Neighbourfood - Dungarvan Brewing

Supporting Local. Make It A Daily Habit!

Lots of us are on Click and Collect these days, supporting our local restaurant, grocer, baker and supermarket. It’s easy to do once you have the hang of the technology or a son or daughter or grandchild to help out.

But it doesn’t always have to be a “big meal” at home. Budgets have to be met. In a city like Cork, well served by the English Market, various farmers markets and a string of independent grocers, it is easy enough to vary the offering, leaving room for the odd treat and still not break the bank. There is a bit of legwork involved of course but that has the benefit of meeting people and enjoying the conversations, even through the mask.

I know you each have your preferences (and particular treats) but this is what I did last Thursday and Friday. No walks involved with the first dish as the Musakhan was delivered via Neighbourfood on Wednesday evening. The Musakhan? You may well ask.

Well it is a dish from the Palestinian Izz Café on Georges Quay, consisting of local fresh Irish chicken breast, cooked with cardamom, red onions and Palestinian sumac in extra Virgil olive oil. They bake the vibrant mix on traditional dough. It is garnished with pomegranate seeds and served with a delicious yogurt dip. It is a delicious meal all round. One costs €10.50 and we shared it at lunch on Thursday. And there’s a lot more to be explored on the Izz menu!

Friday morning, we were in the English Market, heading for the O’Connell fish stall. We were in good form, lining up a treat for ourselves. John Dory, known as St Peter’s Fish around Venice (though you’ll get a different species, called Tilapia if you ask for St Peter’s Fish in Galilee). They had some on the counter and fourteen euro later we had our catch.

But what would we use with it? Minutes after, while chatting to Margo Ann at the Roughty Foodie, I saw the answer: a three euro bundle of fresh asparagus! The vegetable (I'm not sprayed!) and superbly fresh and flavoursome fish went down a treat at dinner.

On up to Bradleys then for bread and jam and a few other basics. I was primarily on the lookout though for the newly canned beers from Dungarvan Brewery and scored the full hat trick here. Looking forward to trying them very soon!

Taste of the Week. Golden Bean's Capim Branco

Taste of the Week.

Golden Bean's Capim Branco

Lots of new coffee roasters on the block these days but our current Taste of the Week comes from one of the longest standing, the Golden Bean who are based at Ballymaloe.

Bought a bag of the beans from Bradleys (North Main Street) last week and was immediately struck by the excellent quality of this relatively sweet and fruity Brazilian variety Yellow Catuai (not that I know much at all about the different varieties). 

But I can rely on the judgement of Golden Bean owner/roaster Marc Kingston whose "goal has always been to source, roast and supply the most ethically produced beans from around the world". Well worth a try!

Pic via Golden Bean.

For the Geek!

Varietal: 100% Yellow Catuai

Processing: Natural and dried on Patios

Owner: Andrade Brothers (Ismael & Eduardo Andrade)

Altitude: 1,100 metres above sea level

Town / City: Carmo do Paranaiba

Region: Cerrado Mineiro

A Quart of Ale± #48. On the craft journey with Pale Ale

A Quart of Ale± #48

On the craft journey with Pale Ale.

Trouble Brewing Lucky Pale Ale, 4.4%, 440 can Bradleys

A very pale yellow is the colour here with a white head that shrinks rapidly. Hazy too. Citrusy hoppy aromas are quite intense and the hoppy element follows through to the smooth palate. Oats and wheat are listed here but hardly a wheat ale. It is in fact crisp, flavoursome and well timed for late spring and summer.

Citra, Talus and Simcoe are the hops.

The Brewery: Trouble Brewing was founded in 2010 by three friends: Paul, Tom and Stephen. Tom had been homebrewing for years and insisted on sharing the fruits of his labour with Paul and Stephen.  On nights out, he dragged them to drink pints of various styles and flavours at pubs like the Porterhouse and the Bull and Castle beer hall, both Mecca’s for great beer in Dublin.  Paul soon developed an interest in brewing himself, and it wasn’t long before he realised making beer was a relatively inexpensive process and buying it was quite the opposite.  With this in mind he approached Tom and Stephen with the idea of setting up a brewery of their own. It could provide an income for the three and get them out of the unfortunate situation of working for “the man”. They gathered up all the money they could (about €45k between them) and borrowed the same from the bank with the help of a well prepared business plan. Then they set about putting together a functioning brewery.

Whiplash Jupiters Pale Ale, 5.1%, 440ml can*

Jupiters, described by the producers as a “light, bright spacey beer”,  has a pale yellow, almost lemon, colour, very very hazy, with a soft white head that fades away quickly enough. Aromas are hefty and hoppy, a hint of pine, with citrus prominent. And the hops, reinforced in the whirlpool, dominate the palate with mango, passionfruit and pineapple singing their exotic song right though to the lip-smacking finalé. It is among the “hoppiest” of pale ales, not the one to start your craft journey with.

Label: Maris Otter, Wheat Malt, Oat Malt, Carapils, Galaxy, Denali. 

Galway Hooker Irish Pale Ale, 4.3%, 500ml bottle O’Donovan’s

Dark amber (burnt amber, I’m told here) is the colour and there’s a white head that sinks slowly enough. And you notice a light citrus-y aroma, more blossom than fruit. Actually you have to give the label writer credit here as the words are more or less bang-on. It is fresh and tangy, a perfect balance between malt (biscuity) and hops (citrus) that gives its a crisp dry finish.  Maybe not exactly a perfect balance; in my opinion, it’s slightly tilted in favour of the malt but no big deal.

Recommended food pairings are barbecued meats, seafood and mature farmhouse cheeses.

They say: Our ethos is to brew natural, full flavoured, high quality and preservative free beers. The results are beers that have received numerous awards, including Gold Medals at the Irish Food Awards in 2014, 2015 and 2016 – the only Irish brewery to have achieved this distinction. Furthermore, our Irish Pale Ale and Amber Lager were Gold medal winners at the 2018 World Beer Awards. 

I’ve enjoyed a few pints of this on draught in its native county and it’s also widely available in 50cl bottle.

Brú “Tutti Frutti” Tropical Pale Ale, 5.5%, 440ml via beercloud.ie

This is part of the Meath brewery’s Urban Jungle series celebrating their “adventurous side”. An explosion of sweetness and a silky soft body make it an easy-drinking beer to delight the senses with every sip. Adventurous?

A gorgeous pale cold colour, slightly hazy, and a soft white slowly-sinking head are what you see. And there’s quite a lot of exotic fruit aromas to sniff. And then to savour on the palate, with Mango showing through along with grapefruit and pineapple.  

Brú say it is “inspired by the classic sweets” and  indicate that Tutti Frutti should remind you of those juicy fruity treats you enjoyed as a school-kid.

There’s real fruit purée and extracts in the mix here but it’s not all sweetness. The Enigma and Centennial hops provide enough backbone to give a reasonable balance and a bitter edge, especially towards the end. No problem sinking one of these, especially in a beer garden or a back garden on a summer’s day.

* - sample

A Quart of Ale± #47. On the craft journey with Stout and Porter

 A Quart of Ale± #47

On the craft journey with Stout and Porter

O’Hara’s Irish Stout 4.3%, 500ml bottle via Radical Drinks

The 2014 edition of the Beer Handbook acknowledges the O’Hara’s family expertise in stout such as this “medium-bodied, drier end, near-black..”  But gives the big thumbs up to their Leann Folláin.

O’Hara’s, trading as Carlow Brewing, were part of the first wave of Irish craft brewing. They started in 1996 before expanding into a new brewery in Bagnalstown in 2009. 

They say of this stout: The flagship of the O’Hara’s brand, this uniquely Irish stout brings one back to how Irish stouts used to taste. First brewed in 1999, it has since been awarded prestigious honours for its quality and authenticity. The combination of traditional stout hops with an extra pinch of roast barley allows us to stay true to Irish tradition, recreating a taste so often yearned for by stout drinkers.

The Handbook may say near-black but its black as far as I’m concerned, black with a fluffy cream-coffee coloured head. Aromas too of coffee, rich and complex. And that follows to the mouth, with sturdy roast flavours it flows smooth and full-bodied on the way to a dry tart finish, again with that coffee prominent. A classic that leaves me looking forward to trying the Leann Folláin (which is in my queue, not a very long one!).

Geek Bits

Style: Traditional Dry Irish Stout

ABV: 4.3% 

Plato °: 10.75°

IBU: 36

Fermentation: Top fermentation

Availability: Keg (nitrogenated), Bottle 50cl and 33cl, occasional 41L cask.

Serve: 6-10°C.  For our bottled version, some enjoy this stout served in the traditional way in southeast Ireland at room temperature “off the shelf”. 

Food Pairing: Excellent with seafood particularly shellfish and smoked salmon. Also pairs well with strong flavoured cheeses and dry cured meats such as Parma ham.

Glass: O’Hara’s tulip glass

O Brother “The Nightcrawler” Milk Stout,  4.5%, 440ml via beercloud.ie 

O Brother introduce The Nightcrawler as “our darkly delicious Nitro Milk Stout. Spreading darkness into the beery world from today! Dark brown to black in colour.” 

From my can, colour is more black than brown with a coffee-dust coloured head that hangs around for a spell. Not at all thick and creamy as you might read in the blurb (perhaps they’re talking draught). And there’s a touch of lightly roasted coffee about the aromas. On the palate it is mildly smooth coffee, chocolate and vanilla notes and a lightness in the body that is more typical of porter. Pretty good balance and nothing too bitter at all in the finish. 

You’ll sometimes see this billed as a Nitro. But O Brother themselves clear this up on their Facebook page: “We can't get the nitro effect in cans or bottles so it's draught only I'm afraid.”  Pleasing enough from the can though.

They say: We’ve been working hard, pushing ourselves to get even more fresh, interesting and exciting beers out the brewery door. We've been having an amazing time working with some of our fellow brewers and a host of talented artists on our 'Off The Wall' beer series too...

Porterhouse “Plain Porter”, 4.2%, 500ml bottle via Bradleys

Black is the colour. Head? What head? Aromas are plain enough: coffee and chocolate. Flavours are just as obvious and the mouthfeel is smooth on the way to a dry and slightly bitter finale.  

I reckon Scaldy (by Dublin’s Whiplash) and Liberty (by Cork’s Elbow Lane) are among the top porters at present though I’m always aware of the old saying: different strokes for different folks. And this beer has gold medals to its name!

And the name? Well, when “…no rashers grease your pan / A pint of plain is yer only man.”

They say: Our Plain Porter – porter is a lighter version of stout – is a double gold medal winner. We brew for taste and in the brewing we look carefully at how we do it

Geek Bits

Food Pairings: Beefy Stew, Roast Lamb

Malts: Roast barley, Black Malt, Flaked Barley

Hops: Galena, Nugget, East Kent Goldings

Galway Hooker Irish Stout 4.5%, 500ml bottle O’Donovan’s

Galway hooker Irish Stout is available on draught and in 50cl bottle. My bottle poured black with a short-lived off-white head. Aromas are coffee dominated. Coffee too on the palate along with dark malt flavours and it stays strong all the way to the finalé, dry on those lips.  

This one may well find its place at the table. They recommend matching with hearty meat dishes, hard cheeses or as an after dinner drink.

Quite a tradition in this country of people drinking lighter beers (mainly lager) in summer and the darker ones in winter. Galway Hooker maintain a blog and have a post on the subject: 

Darker beers usually contain slighter higher carbohydrate levels and perhaps that is the reason our primordial brains seek out this additional nutrition at a time when food was historically hard to come by. Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that stouts and darker ales become more popular at the expense of paler lagers and ciders during the winter period.

More at Galway hooker Blog: http://www.galwayhooker.ie/blog.html.

A Quart of Ale± #46 On the craft journey with IPA, hazy, tropical and session.

A Quart of Ale± #46

On the craft journey with IPA, hazy, tropical and session.

Blacks The Session IPA 3.5%, 330can Bradleys

It’s a light yellow colour and the haze seems well populated by bubbles. Aromas are floral from the hops. And it is refreshing immediately on the palate. Light and crisp, excellent play between malt and the hops, citrus character and good dry finish. They recommended trying it with Spicy Chicken wings. Reckon it could do much more than that.

And for sure, you’ve got to put this on your session shopping list, ideal for those relaxing spells in the back garden or the beer garden. As they say themselves, “A taste of summer that’s available all year round!”

Between lockdowns last year, we had been driving around West Cork and were feeling the July heat. A cool glass of water, from reception, helped immediately on arrival at the Celtic Ross Hotel and our order for a couple of Blacks Brewery Session IPAs was soon delivered to our room and we enjoyed them! Revived, we took a short walk in the direction of The Warren. Enjoyed that beer and enjoyed this one as well.

They say: Packed full of hoppy goodness, and at 3.5% abv, it’s the ideal beer for days when you’re in the mood to drink a few. A Session Ale that’s light and crisp in character with a streamlined malt structure, and the addition of new world hops bring floral, grassy and orange zest aromas to life. 

IBU 60

Hops: Cascade, Citra

Released: 2014

Available: 500ml bottle, 330ml can

Rising Sons Fandango Hazy IPA 5%, 440ml can, The Poor Relation hatch

I’d possibly be missing out on the cans from Rising Sons but for the hatch outside the Poor Relation pub on Parnell Place. Down town the odd weekend evening to collect Take-outs, it is easy to spot the hatch (and not too easy to pass by). As Rising Sons and Poor Relation share ownership, they sell the cans here and it was here that I got my Fandango.

It is the third of the brewery’s beers to be canned and is a 5% hazy oatmeal IPA. Colour is a yellow/gold and, through the haze, you can see quite a lot of bubble activity. The white pillowy head is not very long-lasting. Citrus seems to lead the aromas which are quite modest. Flavours in the palate are more exotic and include passionfruit and grapefruit along with smooth and juicy mango. This well balanced beer has a lovely soft mouthfeel and it is very easy drinking, a very pleasant drink indeed.

Brewery GM Judy tells me they’ll have added the 5th Horseman, a low ABV session pale ale, by the time you read this. And the initial quartet will be joined in mid May by the return of Mayhem, a hoppy saison. Think you’ll be seeing me at that hatch again!

• We reviewed Changeling and Dreamcatcher, their first two cans, here.   Of course, the two were bought at that hatch!

Whiplash Ratio IPA, 6.2%, 440ml can* 

Very hazy lemon is the colour of this Whiplash and the bubbly head is short. Quite a bitter nose on this one, including citrus and pineapple, even savoury hints.

Flavours follow along the same lines on the pretty dense palate and, in addition, “the dry hopped to hell” Sultan and BRU-!bitterness, kicks in. Quite a mouthful, not to be rushed, as a sip will go a long way with this complex customer. Leave the last sip or two though - some lurking sediment! Their beers are unpasteurised, unfiltered.

They say: Not like us not to pepper your week with some big hoppy bangers so here’s Ratio. We’re pushing our mash filter to its limits here, packing this grist out with 50% Oats and Wheat while leaving just enough room for some Barley to really fluff and cream this silly thing up. Heavy additions of Columbus, El Dorado and Chinook in the Whirlpool, fermented on peachy and soft bodied London Ale III then dry hopped to hell with some favourites of ours – Sultana (formally Denali) and BRU1 at 20g/L….It’s a belter of an IPA. 

Geek Bits:

ABV 6.2%

440ml Cans

Artwork by Sophie Devere

Maris Otter, Wheat Malt, Oat Malt, Carapils, Sultana, BRU-1

 

O’Hara’s Tropical IPA, 7.2%, 500ml bottle via Radical Drinks

Amber’s the colour of this hazy IPA from O’Hara’s, an IPA with a 7.2abv.  Lots of hops here and you’ve also got oats, wheat and barley malts. Aromas have citrus and mango and more. And the palate overflows with flavours of citrus, mango, tangerine and papaya, as the beer lives up to its name, with a superb balance. And the finish is long, fruit and floral notes contributing all the way.

There’s the usual density associated with high ABV beers but this is no black hole, smothering everything. It has been well made, well orchestrated, allowing both malts and hops to star together, not the Planets by Holst exactly, more like Harmonies by O’Hara! No clashing extremes here, not with that superb balance.

They say: A golden, hazy, yellow coloured beer with a malt base due to the addition of oats, wheat and barley malts that is brewed using plenty of our favourite hops including Mosaic, Azaca, and El-Dorado. A juicy, malt,  sweetness is complimented by additional flavours from dry hopping with Citra and Mosaic hops.

Geek Bits

Style- IPA
ABV- 7.2%
Plato °-17°
Fermentation- Top fermentation
Availability- Bottle 50cl

Serving Temperature 6-8°C
Food Pairing- Works incredibly well with Tomato and Sourdough Salad and Blue Cheese.
Glass - O’Hara’s Irish Craft Beer conical glass

 

* sample

A Quart of Ale± #45A. On the craft journey with IPA including a stunning NEIPA by Heaney

A Quart of Ale± #45A

On the craft journey with IPA including a stunning NEIPA by Heaney

 IPA

Heaney New England IPA 5.7%, 440ml can Bradleys

The label intro to this beer is short, and accurate: Haze, hops, and juice.

Light gold, deeply hazy, and a fluffy white head that’s in no big hurry to depart, mark the appearance of this new IPA from the Heaney brewery.

Aromas are somewhat reticent but you may note ripe Apricot plus notes of the more exotic Pineapple and Grapefruit. And more fruit on the palate, Mango and Charantais Melon to the fore, with just a touch of bitterness in the background. Lovely soft mouthfeel and perfectly balanced. Another well-made beer from the Derry brewery, one for the short-list for sure.

Mal Mackay from Heaney’s tells me the second batch is even better: “Yes, it is our first NEIPA and we’re very proud of it, although we thought it was great there is always room for improvement and the second batch we canned this Wednesday (April 7th) is even better. 

It’s slightly more refined on the body, a little smoother with the carbonation dialled in exactly right. I’m not sure what you get on your tasting notes but I feel there is a lot of squidgy apricot in there and some juicy red apple, it’s all about the jooooose. Very little bitterness if any, and a nice smooth lush body. We used Mosaic and Amarillo in equal quantities in the dry hop and Chinook in the whirlpool, no hops in the boil at all. Bottom line is yes, we thought it was good, but as ever here at Heaney, the next one will be better - until it’s perfect.” 

Food pairing suggested by the makers: Jamaican Jerk Chicken with a stone fruit sauce.

O’Hara’s Session IPA, 3.8%, 500ml bottle via Radical Drinks

A light golden body, a hazy one, with a white head that hangs about a bit. Hoppy citrus in the aromas. Clean and crisp as it hits the palate, almost lager like until the hops quickly dispel that notion and it continues full of flavour to the bitter end.

They say: This session IPA was designed to be light and easy drinking while still full of the punchy flavours of a traditional IPA. Brewed with 100% Irish malt to deliver a pale, clean and very crisp body. This matched with the late addition of hops, including Cascade, Simcoe and Chinook, make this a full flavoured, incredibly drinkable IPA.

That’s a pretty good summation of one of the better session beers you’re likely to come across.

For the geek:

Malts: Caramalt and Oat Malt

Hops: Cascade, Simcoe and Chinook followed up with the double dry hopping from Citra and Amarillo.

IBU: 25

Fermentation: Top fermentation

Serving Temperature: 6-8°C

Food Pairing: Pairs perfectly with chicken Caesar salad, smoked salmon, crisp lamb and Stilton cheese.

Glass: O’Hara’s Irish Craft Beer conical glass

Availability: 30L Keg, 50CL Bottles (carbonated)

Wicklow Brewery Coola Boola Session IPA 3.8%, 330 can Bradleys

Colour of this Coola Boola, a session IPA, from the Wicklow Brewery is a very pale yellow. The head shrinks quite rapidly. Aromas are somewhat reticent but, with Amarillo and Citra in the hop list, expect a little citrus. And you get that too, with a hint of lime, on the palate. With some tropical stuff in there too, it is quite a mouthful, good balanced inter-play of fruit and bitterness, more than enough to keep hop-lovers happy. Put this on your session list!

Rascals Wunderbar IPA, 6%, 330 can via Bradleys

Mid-gold is the colour of this German-style beer (bet you knew the style!). Fluffy head starts big, diminishes quickly. Touch of orange on the nose. And on the punchy palate too where the malt comes on-stage also to balance it all up. Actually, you realise (rather than realize) that this IPA is, thanks to sourcing and the interplay of hops and malt, is very much a European drink and a very welcome version indeed.  Man doesn’t live just on exotic fruit and floral. After all, variety is the spice of life. So well done to the folks at Rascals.

As they say themselves: A true IPA that stands up to its American competitors….DAS IST GUT! HOPPY  | FRUITY | PUNCHY. Unfiltered. Unpasteurised