Showing posts with label Brehon Brewhouse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brehon Brewhouse. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Beer of the Year 2021 - the long list!

 Beer of the Year 2021 - the list!


Brehon Brewhouse Oak & Mirrors Two Stacks Whiskey Cask Aged Imperial Porter 7.5%

Dungarvan “Mahon Falls” Rye Pale Ale

Eight Degrees “The Pilgrim’s Path” Lager

Eight Degrees Irish Oak-aged Barleywine 12.2%

Galway Bay NZ Pils Motueka Dry Hopped Pilsner

Heaney New England IPA

Hope “Limited Edition No 25“ Classic Gose

Land & Labour Crimson Kriek Framboise

Lineman “Vesper" Pale Ale

Mescan Brewery Old Brown

O’Hara’s Irish Stout Nitro

Trouble Brewing Lights Out DIPA

Western Herd Flora and Fauna 10 Hop DIPA
Whiplash “Melodie Noir” Baltic Porter

Yellow Belly “Red Noir” Dark Red Ale


- Will be "working" on this long list of my favourite beers in 2021 over the Christmas break. Soon, a short list will be published and then my champ!

Will also name a selection across the various style.


December (short list)

Coffee and Oatmeal Stout: Dungarvan

Cask-Aged: Brehon Brewhouse Oak & Mirrors Two Stacks Whiskey Cask Aged Imperial Porter 7.5%

Porter: Whiplash The Sup

Session: Eight Degrees Seisíun IPA 4.5%

Rauchbier: Kinnegar 20÷2 Anniversary Rauchbier 5%

Barleywine: Eight Degrees Irish Oak-aged Barleywine 12.2%

Sunday, December 19, 2021

A Quart of Ale± #82. On the craft journey with a session of Eight Degrees, Kinnegar and Brehon Brewhouse.

A Quart of Ale± #82

On the craft journey with a session of Eight Degrees, Kinnegar and Brehon Brewhouse.



Eight Degrees Irish Oak-aged Barleywine 12.2%, 440 ml can


This seasonal Barleywine pours a ruby colour in the glass, great to reflect the lights on the Christmas trees, appropriate too as this beer is deftly produced to accompany you through the festival meals.  


Aromas are malty and complex. The complexity continues on the palate, yet it is not at all over over-intense, a condition that hampers many high abv beers. 


This aromatic and multi-flavoured seasonal special was aged in especially rare Irish whiskey barrels that have been made from native Irish oak. And it is certainly a good fit for the festive season, for the pudding, the cake (think raisins and dried fruit), candied fruit, toffee. While you may get some vanilla during the tasting, the cask input is very nicely judged, there is no sharp whiskey hit at all. Oh, there is certainly cask influence but all’s in balance.


And keep it handy for the cheese course, especially if you have the likes of Cashel or Crozier or Wicklow blue at hand. I enjoyed it with a wee wedge of Crozier and it was quite a match, both the beer and the cheese enhanced by the coming together of the golden liquid and the cream of Cashel.


The blue cheese may not be everybody’s cup of tea but I’m sure you’ll find quite a few other pairings for this superb barleywine, starting with the brewery tasting notes below. I did absolutely enjoy it with the cheese and am really looking forward to trying another can with the cake and pudding on the big day!


Don’t rush this beauty, a sip will go a long way. I remember that tip from César Saldaña, Consejo Regulador Jerez. In 2011, while speaking of sherry at an event in Ballymaloe, he said: When drinking sherry with your meal you should always have a glass of water at hand. When you want to “wash” down the food use the water and then take “a few drops” of the sherry as it goes a long way! The same advice may be applied to quality abv beers like this.


The artwork on the can may have caught your eye. They say: To celebrate ten years of brewing at Eight Degrees, we wanted to showcase Ireland-based artists in our 2021 Original Gravity series. We ran a competition looking for artworks that reflected our Naturally Adventurous values, expressing our desire to explore and roam again. Artist Coireall Carroll Kent ( @coireallcarrollkent ) explains her design: I spent a lot of the pandemic trekking across the Irish countryside, and many of the roads that I took to are shrouded in trees just like these. The knots are naturally rooted in Celtic culture, with the concentric circles representing both the curves of our landscape and the bubbles in a good drink!


Geek Bits

Malt: Pale ale malt, Carapils and Cararoma.

Hops: Nugget and Cascade.

Yeast: US05 yeast.

IBUs: 82

Launch Date: November 2021.

Availability: 440ml cans, limited draught

Style: Irish oak-aged barleywine.

Food pairings

Get those brandy snifters out! You definitely don’t want to hurry this gorgeous beer. Try it with the bluest of the blue cheeses that you can get your hands on as it will happily stand up to any funk that you throw at it. Stilton is the obvious pairing but we like to stick with Irish cheese on our Christmas cheeseboard so Louth’s Bellingham Blue, Young Buck from Northern Ireland and our local Crozier Blue from Cashel are all worthy pairings. It’s also the time of the year when all the flavours of spiced beef need a foil: get the best award-winning spiced beef from Tom Durcan in Cork’s English Market, slice thinly and layer it into a sandwich that also involves some of that blue cheese. Serve with ORIGINAL GRAVITY Irish Oak-Aged Barleywine on the side for a wintertime supper with style. Keep a little beer for the end of the meal and pair it with dark chocolate, dried fruit and nuts – or any bar that combines those flavours. Ireland is blessed with a variety of wonderful bean to bar chocolatiers so seek out the darker chocolate from producers like Exploding Tree, NearyNógs, Bean & Goose and Hazel Mountain Chocolate. Closer to home, chocolatier and pastry chef Norma makes truffles and bars at Praline in Mitchelstown which are worth a try with the barleywine. My pick? The 65% dark chocolate tropical bar with mango, passionfruit and pineapple.

Kinnegar 20÷2 Anniversary Pilsner 5%, 440ml can Bradleys



Pilsner is actually a type of lager, named after the Czech city Plzen. Their most notable differentiating feature is that pilsners tend to have more hop forward flavours and a  different yeast is used.


You notice that “hoppier” element immediately in the aromas, nothing too forward mind you in this clear amber beer from Donegal. There’s an extra degree of oomph on the palate, the crisp and clean lager equipped with a bit of extra muscle, thanks to the noble hops used.


They say: “A once-off of a classic style that played a part in Rick’s personal development as a brewer.” And then they don’t say anymore. Should customers be told the full story? In any event, this excellent simple beer is a good one to celebrate the brewery’s 10th anniversary.


Brehon Brewhouse Crann Beatha Whiskey Aged Imperial Stout 10.0%, 500ml bottle Bradleys



Here’s the Brehon intro to this Imperial Stout: We are proud to present a limited run, not to be repeated: Crann Beatha Whiskey-aged Imperial Stout - Vintage 2019.


Dark as a moonless night, it has (briefly enough) a tan disc as a head. Aromas are vanilla, coffee and caramel, a hint of the whiskey in the dark-roast malt. And the warm and rich palate intensifies the aromas with rich fruit (plum and raisin) also in the flavours. Quite a good balance right to the satisfactory finish.


Brewed and bottled by Brehon in County Monaghan for Gaelic Delight and exclusively for sale in the Netherlands. I got mine in the Republic of Bradley’s. Crann Beatha means Tree of Life. It is a celebration of their 200th brew and the whiskey casks used came from one of the new distillers in Mayo. Of the two cask aged Brehon whiskeys tasted recently, I’m inclined to give the nod to the Oak & Mirrors, though I enjoyed both.



Brehon Brewhouse Stony Grey IPA 6.0%, 440 can Bradleys



This has a close to amber colour, hazy with a foamy white head, altogether attractive. Nice mix in the aromas, floral notes (including rose), spice and pine and hints from the malt. And much the same elements, with a layer of citrus, combine on the palate giving a terrific balance, smooth all the way to the dry finish. A very pleasant beer indeed. A superb beer actually, quite a flavoursome thrust to it and a deep refreshing finish. 


I first enjoyed this in the autumn of 2020 and was the beer that led me to adding the Monaghan brewery to my short list. And where did the brewery name come from? It was inspired by the old Brehon laws that ruled medieval Ireland, which claimed every clan could brew beer for their own family!



They say: Great on its own but just perfect with spicy foods like Indian, Mexican, chicken wings or mild blue cheese, lemon curd cake or key lime pie. Serve around 8 degrees. 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.

Sunday, December 12, 2021

A Quart of Ale± #81. On the craft journey with a session of Brehon Brewhouse, Whiplash, Eight Degrees and Kinnegar

 A Quart of Ale± #81

On the craft journey with a session of Brehon Brewhouse, Whiplash, Eight Degrees and Kinnegar

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Brehon Brewhouse Oak & Mirrors Two Stacks Whiskey Cask Aged Imperial Porter 7.5%, 500ml bottle Bradleys



A Superior cask-aged whiskey porter that will please the most discerning of whiskey-loving palettes. That is the promise from the producers! A promise that is kept.


This cask aged Imperial Porter, made by the Brehon Brewhouse using whiskey cask from Two Stacks, has a dark black colour with a thin enough tanned head. The aromas are modest, compared to my expectations. But the palate, wrapped in warm whiskey notes, has no such modesty. The rich porter here unveils a tasty tempting package of roasted malt, dark chocolate with dark fruits, vanilla and much more as it meanders across and then down the throat for a memorable finish. Bring out the Christmas fare!


They say: Whiskey-aged porter from a collaboration with our good friends at TWO STACKS using their freshly emptied single malt cask to mature our brew. Of course, getting it right took a few tastings with the lads. This is a superior whiskey cask-aged imperial porter that will please the most discerning of whiskey-loving palettes. Limited edition – available while stocks last!


Whiplash The Sup Porter 5.0%, 330 can Bradleys



Well, The Sup is a glass of the black stuff with a classic tan head.


And there’s more! The aromas, chocolate and caramel, are a gentle and pleasant introduction. The firm shakehands come in the mouth, again chocolate and caramel, but now more assertive, again in the most pleasant of ways.


As with many porters, it is more about the malts. They say: This porter has been on our “to brew” list for years now and we decided it was finally time. Porters to us are all things softer, more coffee and dark chocolate and lower bitterness than their stout cousins so we focused on some more modern malts to achieve a more intense nose and flavour in this one. The main star in this is CaraBohemian – a kind of rich and decadent Czech Brown Malt but it oozes fruity Bournville dark chocolate with a hint of coffee in there too. Melanoidin for that toasted flavour, Dark Munich for the sweet bready goodness and Special B to round off the whole affair with that roasted caramel with cherry sweet nose. Restrained roasted malts, more for colour than bite and a light Pilsner malt base leaves room for all those parts to do their thing to their fullest extent.


via Pixabay
Not too sure about the Bournville bit; that bar was a favourite of mine (back in the day before the day!) and I can’t say I recognise it here. Nice soft finish though with a hint of sweetness. Been years since I had a bar of Bournville! Must try one soon.


Bournville or not, this is delicious, quite a sophisticated porter. Should be versatile at the table, morning with pancakes and Nutella, lunch with Smoked Scamorza by Toonsbridge, 

evening with a few squares of a certain chocolate.  


Eight Degrees Seisíun IPA 4.5%, 440 ml can


A clear yellow/amber in the glass with a white frothy head. No shortage of engaging citrus-y aromas plus a touch of malt. And malt too in the body. A crisp palate, more citrus before a superb hoppy and refreshing finish. Crisp, refreshing and aromatic, they claim and once again Eight Degrees get it spot-on.


Originally brewed as a low-alcohol sipper for beer festivals, this sessionable IPA has transcended its origins to become “one of our most popular beers”. “Woven deep into the fabric of Irish society and tradition is the seisíun, an informal coming together of people in a pub – over a beer – to play music, tell stories and enjoy each other’s company. For the best kind of seisíun, you need a low-alcohol beer, something that has lots of flavour but is not too high in ABV.”

While the session may be a popular term in the Irish pub lingo, the idea of a session was there long before that use of word. When I was growing up, I often heard two older guys (not always the same two) meet and chat on the road, especially on a Sunday. And one would ask the other: “Are ye going for a quart?” While the quart (a quarter of a gallon) meant two pints, I think the term was used just in case one of the wives was listening at the other side of the hedge. In her early days as wife, she might well think: “Two pints isn’t too much!” But the word was pronounced with an unseen wink and more than likely, at least one of the lads, had more than a quart in mind. And that is why my series on craft beer is called Quart of Ale!

Geek Bits:

Style: Session IPA
Malt: Irish pale malt, Carapils,
Hops: Mandarina Bavaria, Citra, Amarillo,Simcoe
Strength: 4.5% ABV
Bitterness: 44 IBUs

Food pairings via Eight Degrees:
Lots of flavour and low alcohol make this a perfect beer to serve over a period of time at a party, relaxed gathering or – as we’ve tested! – beer festival. An ideal pairing is pizza, particularly anything that includes the fabulous chorizo or salami from Gubbeen Smokehouse, as the beer crisply cuts through all that meaty, cheesy gorgeousness with each sip. On the lighter side, try this Seisiún IPA with a St Tola goat cheese and fresh beetroot salad, tossed in a ginger and lime dressing, and see how the hop bitterness complements the citrus.

Kinnegar 20÷2 Anniversary Rauchbier 5%, 440ml can, Bradleys



Colour is dark brown with a touch of copper. ABV for this style is between 5 and 6 so Kinnegar are within the range. And the aromas are also typical: smokey. Some people even refer to smoked beers as “bacon beer” because of the smoked flavour.


And that smokiness continues, perhaps with a little less intensity, through the mouth and into the finish. You’d better like smoke notes!


Kinnegar don’t disclose their modus operandi but Rauchbier or “smoke beer” is a style of German lager that uses malt smoked over beechwood to impart that unique smoky flavour to the beer.


While the Germans would say that only beer brewed in the time-honoured Bamberg tradition can be considered a true Rauchbier, that hasn’t stopped Kinnegar from trying and I must say I rather enjoy the result of this 10th anniversary beer. Apparently it, and the Pilsner, both influenced the personal development of Rick as a brewer.

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen is, I’ve read, the classic Rauchbier. Bamberg is, surprisingly, one of the top brewing cities in Germany, synonymous with the Rauchbier. We enjoyed this classic last April and you can check it out here. 


Sunday, December 5, 2021

A Quart of Ale± #80. Craft journey with a session of Dungarvan, O Brother, and Brehon Brewhouse

A Quart of Ale± #80



Craft journey with a session of Dungarvan, O Brother, and Brehon Brewhouse

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Dungarvan Coffee and Oatmeal Stout 4.7%, 440ml can, Bradleys


Coffee is promised and Dungarvan Brewing deliver with this latest edition (the first to be canned) of their always much-awaited seasonal Coffee and Oatmeal Stout. Coffee is in the short-lived tan coloured head. Smell it and also stick your finger in for an early sweetish taste!


If you were in the brewery during production, you might well have been thinking of taking a nose dive into the100 litre pot of the Coffee House Lane Ethiopian, the coffee used for the 2021 edition.


I’ve been a fan of this Christmas stout since its first appearance. And still very much a fan after my initial few sips of this one. It is as smooth as ever with citrus and berry notes from the coffee giving a lift and add a rich warmth. 


Now that I've finished it, I'm delighted to say that this is one of the very best of the style. Lots of big bad stouts out there with alcohol muscle ripping into the double figures. But this one is the prize. Keep your senses on it, its sleek smooth elegance, the gorgeous aromas and flavours and the sheer pleasure of its easy-going company. Make a Christmas date with Dungarvan!


No pairing done here yet but they suggest it’s great with earthy casseroles and dessert. It is can conditioned - expect a harmless yeast sediment (I didn’t notice any).

Malts - Pale, Chocolate, Munich, Oats. Hop: Challenger; Adjunct: Coffee.


They say: Our head brewer, Cormac O’Dwyer believes that it takes quality ingredients, time, care and attention to detail to create the perfect brews and this is the methodology that he employs when brewing our Dungarvan beer.


All the beers are traditionally brewed and bottled, canned, kegged and casked on-site in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford made using only four ingredients – barley, hops, yeast and water. No chemicals are added to the beers, they are unfiltered, unpasteurised and vegan-friendly.

Over 330 years ago, in 1690, Coffee House Lane, adjacent to the then busy trading port of Waterford, had what is long believed to be Ireland’s first ever coffee house. Green Coffee was traded at the port, then roasted, brewed and sold at John Aikenhead's Coffee House on what became, Coffee House Lane of Waterford. Nowadays, the Bergin Family have a strong reputation in coffee roasting in the South East and carry on the Coffee House Lane tradition. More here.  



O Brother “Sipping Soma” Single Hop El Dorado IPA, 5.6%, 440 can Bradleys

O Brother Brewing “is all about brewing full-flavour beers..”, they declare.


This single hop is El Dorado, quite a versatile one, excellent as a bittering hop and also brings bright tropical fruit flavours and aromas of pineapple, pear, watermelon, and stone fruit. No wonder El Dorado has become a fan favourite in hop-forward styles, according to growers Yakima Valley Hops.


Colour here is a hazy lemon with a frothy enough white head that hangs about a bit. Aromas are fresh and fruity. Fresh and fruity too on the palate, juicy tropical stuff. Oddly enough, after the build-up of El Dorado’s qualities, there is no pronounced bitterness. But there’s a decent enough finish.


The brewers are well into their glasses and they have an impressive set available on their website; must say I rather fancy the middle one below. 



They say: “One glass to rule them all. For any beer lover, this versatile Teku stemmed glass replaces a tacklebox worth of niche glassware - and they look good doing it. Save cabinet space and provide the proper stage for any beer to shine. Designed to functionally concentrate aromatics with enough versatility to support an array of flavours. This is the way.”



Brehon Brewhouse Killanny Red 4.5%, 440 can Bradleys



This red ale from Brehon is a very dark red indeed, close to black. Aromas of the malt are evident. And it is malt that also dominates on the palate. Pretty well balanced too to be fair, as a tart touch plays a role towards the end. Not bad at all!


The label indicates that this “traditional Irish ale…. hopped with Magnum and Williamette….is great on its own and just perfect with BBQ red meats, lamb, stew, roast beef, black pudding or mature cheddar”.



Brehon Brewhouse Blonde 4.3%, 440 can Bradleys



This white-topped blonde has an attractive gold colour. Aromas are on the weak side, weak hints of citrus. More assertive on the palate, quite refreshing with a malty biscuity finish, dry on the lips. 


This has been hopped with Magnum and Saaz, neither of which is noted for its bittering qualities. Brehon recommend their Blonde with white fish, shellfish, BBQ chicken or food from the Mediterranean, but equally as enjoyable on its own.


They say: Oh, to be an Irish clansman. From the sixth century, Brehon law decreed that every local kingdom have a brewery, and every brewer have “a never-dry cauldron, a dwelling on a public road and a welcome to every face”. They were to be open 24 hours a day, offering food, drink and song. At Brehon Brewhouse we’ll not turn you away. Come visit


 

Sunday, November 28, 2021

A Quart of Ale± #79. A craft session of Brehon & Hopfully with cider from Stonewell & Mac Ivors.

A Quart of Ale± #79

On the craft journey with a session of Brehon and Hopfully and cider from Stonewell and Mac Ivors.






Stonewell Cask Irish Craft Cider 9.5% abv, 75cl bottle Bradleys


“It’s not often that one gets to indulge in two of one’s passions, for me that’s cider and whiskey,” says Daniel Emerson as he introduced his latest cider.


“I have added cider for 6 months in fresh whiskey barrels, kindly lent to us from a distillery in East Cork, then blended it with a select bittersweet ferment to create this woody tannic cider with whiskey overtones. It is effervescent, opulent, viscous and rich in character, but not for the faint-hearted.”


The amber colour is that bit darker than normal. Aromas are of moderate intensity but very much of the orchard. The whiskey cask makes its presence felt on the palate, adding a slight toasty flavour. It is smooth and delightful, with a bitter-sweet finalé, an amazing amalgam of the orchards, the cidery and the distillery. Very Highly Recommended (unanimous here - not always the case!). Go get it!


The Stonewall and Nohoval listing already contains quite a few innovative ciders from Daniel and wife Geraldine. As they say themselves, it takes courage to only use apple juice to make cider and more courage to take it a step further as they have done here. Their apples come from orchards in Waterford, Tipperary and Laois.


Starting this year, when you buy a bottle of Stonewell Cider, Stonewell will make a donation to the Irish Bee Conservation Project (IBCP).


These funds will go towards the general activities of the organisation, including the creation of pollinator trails, the construction of bee lodges and raising awareness of the plight of the Irish Bee species. 


Mac Ivors Traditional Dry Cider 5.6%, 50cl bottle Bradleys


Mac Ivors, inspired by the aromatic ciders of Northern France, made this Traditional Dry Cider, an elegant blend of over ten different apple varieties. “Our crisp Armagh Bramley apples balance the fragrant flavours of traditional dessert apples and bittersweet cider apples, giving a deep and dry cider style.”


It is a much lighter colour, as you’d expect, than the Stonewell. Aromas are yeasty, a little sourness there. And on the palate it has deep apple flavours (thanks to the slow, cool fermentation), and is dry with a lip-smacking finish. One tarty tipple for sure, the tannins drying those lips.


They also do a Medium Cider, a Plum & Ginger, a White Reserve Cider, a Non Alcoholic version, and a Juicy Session Cider.


Armagh is well known as “The Orchard County”. It is here that Mac Ivors Cider has its roots.

“Our farm was established in 1855 in the townland of Ardress. Our cider takes its name from our Cider Maker, Greg Mac Neice’s grandmother Annie Mac Ivor.

Annie, her husband Matt Mac Neice and their nine children had a passion for apple growing. Her son Sam and her grandson Greg continue that tradition, farming over 100 acres of prime Armagh orchard, packing and processing the apples grown and now making great craft cider too!”

The 2013 Cider Celebration was held at the Apple Farm in Cahir and a great day it was too with cider makers from all over the country displaying their produce! Good day for Mac Ivors as their sweet won the Best in Show in that category. Would love to see that Celebration revived!.



Brehon Brewhouse Ulster Black Oatmeal Stout 5.0%, 440 can Bradleys


Beware The McMahons”
It wasn’t the Vikings you had to fear, it was the McMahons. Or at least that’s how they tell it in this part of Ulster. We were the notorious ruling clan for centuries, raiding the Pale for whiskey and beer. These days, we brew our own….. once we’ve finished milking the cows. Always ready for a quiet pint.”


And this Ulster Black Oatmeal Stout is a winner. At least, it was my favourite beer in 2020 and this current version smells and tastes just as good. It is not be hid under a bushel; it is a star in this particular firmament. 


Black as a wet sod after a rainy week in the bog. The fleeting head has some of the colour of a well-dried sod. 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-rich. There is a balance, a harmony, that lifts this toasty stout well above the normal. All before a lip-smacking finish. Try it out for yourself! Best served around 8 to 10 degrees. That’s more or less what I wrote last year. No need to change much, I’m delighted to say.


They say: “A sweet, toasty Oatmeal Stout with a dark chocolate and coffee finish. Bottle conditioned with strong notes of dark chocolate, roasted malt and liquorice. Hopped with magnum.  Full bodied and full of flavour, this cozy stout always hits the spot. Ideal with game or strong red meat, smoked meats and hearty stews. Also great with desserts such as chocolate, caramel or dark fruits.”


Hopfully Tangerina  DIPA 8.5%, 440 can Bradleys


“Here’s our new and ‘very limited’ edition small-batch brew, Tangerina Double IPA 8.5%,” said Hopfully back in September.


It has a slight murky orange colour and the white head doesn’t last too long at all (despite the fact that Dextrin is one of the malts used). It is packed with “a gorgeous amount of whole tangerine purée” and you do get it in the aromas. And very much so on the palate, thanks to the addition of the purée. And then it seems to fade out at that - just wondering if that addition was over-generous. Tangerine for sure so it does what it says on the tin. Dry at the end.


The label names the malts; Pale, Oats, wheat, Vienna and Dextrin. “Drink fresh - do not age.” Hops are Simcoe, Cascade and Centennial hops into the whirlpool and “dry-hopped this beauty with Citra, Galaxy, Simcoe, and Centennial”. 


This artwork is a master piece by @staselejakunskaite and is part of her SWAP project in which parts of common images or situations are swapped with each other creating new somehow unusual and surprising senses and ideas. Staselė is a Lithuanian visual artist and illustrator working in fields of conceptual illustration, advertising, publishing, indie print projects, and murals. 

Sunday, November 21, 2021

A Quart of Ale± #78 On the craft journey with a session of Trouble Brewing, Brehon Brewhouse and Brú.

A Quart of Ale± #78


On the craft journey with a session of Trouble Brewing, Brehon Brewhouse and Brú.

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Trouble Brewing Lights Out DIPA 7.6%, 440 can Bradleys


Trouble Brewing latest DIPA comes in an opaque orange colour, when the lights are on. And there’s a strong measure of tangerine in the aromas.That vibrant fruit (and other exotic ones) just doubles up in the mouth, strong, smooth, rich, yet balanced and fresh. Bitterness is mid-scale, soft and present into the finish. 



This very impressive Double IPA is brewed with Sabro, Mosaic & Columbus and is available in cans with very limited availability on draught. My next aim is to get some of that draught! Perhaps an Asian dish on order from next door.


Trouble Brewing was founded in 2010 by three friends: Paul, Tom and Stephen. Tom had been home-brewing 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…. Then they set about putting together a functioning brewery.



Trouble Brewing Little Monster Pale Ale 3.5%, 440 can Bradleys


Colour of this Little Monster is a light orange, brilliant white head and shoals of bubbles rushing towards the top. Aromas are citrusy and tropical, plus a hint of pine. Flavours are unexpectedly intense for the abv and follow the aromas closely enough (with mango and pineapple among the tropicals). In addition, there is quite a bitter element from the use of the El Dorado hops. Refreshing with a lip-smacking dry finish. Quite a handful for a 3.,5% and would more than hold its own in a session. Ingredients include oats, wheat and rye.



Trouble launched the Little Monster on Facebook on October 18th last: Little Monster is heading out into the world this week! A 3.5% Pale Ale brewed with Sabro, Mosaic. Azacca & El Dorado. Available in cans, and very limited availability on draught over the next while.



Brehon Brewhouse Bright & Light Session Ale 3.5%, 440 can Bradleys



This Brehon Light and Bright is an Irish craft beer with a light texture, mild flavour and low ABV. “Our new low Abv ale is dedicated to the life story of my Grandparents James and Roseanne  McMahon,” says Seamus McMahon, brewer, farmer and drinker at Brehon.


Colour is a light golden/amber, with a slight haze through which you see the bubbles in action on their way to the white head. Aromas are of light intensity and with citrus notes. Citrus too on the zingy palate. No shortage of refreshment though and there’s a subtle touch of bitterness at the finish.


Very pleasant and excellent company, just like James and Roseanne.


Hopped with Saaz & Magnum with lager malts.

 


Brú Hop Bomb #4 IPA 5.5%, 440 can Carryout Ballyvolane



This is a hazy orange colour. Aromas are mainly citrus-y but on a layer of tropical fruits. On the palate, the fruity element continues with quite a mix including mango, passionfruit, citrus, plus a touch of pine. Fruity and refreshing.


This Brú Hop Bomb, part of their urban jungle series, was produced using Strata and Simcoe hops while the malts were Lager and Carapils.


This is Hop Bomb #4 but others will have different hops! “An IPA packed with aromas and flavours from an ever-changing blend of hops, meaning that Hop Bomb is always evolving. No matter what the recipe, it will be generously dry-hopped to get the most intense aromas possible. A simple malt base ensures that the hops take centre-stage, right where they belong. Any bitterness is balanced with sweetness from the malts, coming together for a juicy beer..”


Brú Head Brewer, Francesco, describes what makes this beer series unique:As a brewer, I love to describe this product as a didactic IPA: the malt base is even easier than the BRÚ Lager (90% Lager malt!), plus a touch of dextrin and some barley flakes. But the fun in this beer is that for every single batch, we choose a different blend of powerful hops and add them generously at the end of boiling, flameout, whirlpool and in dry hopping.