A Quart of Ale± #77. On the craft journey. A session with Wide Street, Larkin's and Curious Society

A Quart of Ale± #77

On the craft journey. A session with Wide Street, Larkin's and Curious Society

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Larkin’s Drench IPA 7%, 400 can Bradleys

This one’s got a lemon/orange colour and is very hazy indeed, more or less opaque with a white head sinking slowly. The aroma is not the most intense but it is pleasant with notes of exotic mango and passionfruit. And it is more of the same on the smooth and supple palate, hops and malt in good balance. An excellent beer with a formidable finish. Would love to do a head to head with a draught version of this and Crew’s Polly.

It appeared in May and Larkin’s were delighted:  “It's been a while! It's fair to say the lockdowns haven't been ideal for us here at Larkin's. But we've adapted in a few ways to overcome these challenges and we're coming out the other side stronger and better for it. We, along with all the other independent breweries, have had great support from everyone and this has made more difference than we've been able to express so THANK YOU! Thank you for buying craft and thank you for spreading the word to others who are now curious to try new styles and breweries.”

“..as a taster of things to come, here's Drench!  A 7% absolute banger of an IPA with an uncalled for 20g/litre dry hop of Strata, El Dorado and Idaho 7. This is new England through and through with big malt body to carry the hops and enough bitterness to balance it out.”

Bierhaus Cork soon had it on tap: “It’s literally been tapped up in at @bierhaus_cork for the weekend! Incredible beer- this is the best brew I’ve had on tap in a year.” Encouragement there for a “dank and juicy” beer.

Curious Society Immortal Game American Wheat Beer 5%, 440 can Carryout Ballyvolane

Another in the Curious Society series by Larkin’s of Wicklow, their impressive collection of budget beer offerings.

Colour of this American Wheat Beer is a lemon/orange, a hazy one with a soft white head that contracts reasonably quickly on pouring (from the can) but it does leave a reasonable crown. Aromas have a hint of orange peel which is indeed an adjunct here.

Straight off, I found this smooth customer very refreshing on the palate and on the finish. Bitterness is on the low side and there’s no sign of the clove or banana that you  find in European wheat beers. The producers suggest enjoying it on its own or with a slice of orange. It is very drinkable, for sure.

By the way, they suggest that if you enjoy the artwork to check out the "immortal game”, one of the most famous chess games of all time. I’m sure if you’re curious, you will!

Curious Society Night Tide Cold-Brew Coffee Oatmeal Stout 5%, 440 can Carryout Ballyvolane

“For this .. beer we teamed up with #cloudpickercoffee to bring you a full bodied velvety coffee oatmeal stout.” That’s how Curious Society introduce their Night Tide.

It pours black as night in a Wicklow wood with, yes, a coffee coloured soft head. It smells of coffee, from the dark roasted malts - coffee is an ingredient. It is close to full-bodied and rich. “Subtle flavours”, they say,  “but none of the bitterness that you can get from coffee.” Perhaps so, but there is a lively edge to it, not necessarily a bad thing, in fact it gives it a refreshing quality.

A doubt arose in my mind when I looked closely at this can. Of six cans bought (including this one) on the day, three were within days of the best before limit. Of the three, one was very poor, the other two lack-lustre. The expiry date on this is a few months off at Jan 22 but, once the doubt has set in, you’re left uncertain and wondering would it have been better a few months back. Purchase and Drinking date: 19th October. Note to myself: “Get into the habit of checking the dates!”

Wide Street Cashmere IPA, 5.6%, 440 can Bradleys

“When West Coast bitterness meets the citrus-y fruity flavour and aroma of an East Coast IPA. Whirlpooled and dry-hopped with Cashmere and Citra hops.” That’s the introduction to this IPA by producers Wide Street.

Colour is a mid-orange, hazy, with bubbles galore streaming towards to the soft white head. Aromas and flavours are both packed with citrus (lime, grapefruit, orange), mango and more. No shortage of bitterness either though, as promised. And the finish is good and dry.

They say: Unfiltered, unpasteurised, and can conditioned containing yeast sediment. Whirlpool and dry hop additions of 15g/l Cashmere and Citra hops provided the bitterness of a West Coast IPA and the citrus fruit aroma and flavour of an East Coast IPA. An all encompassing IPA. Refrigerate, store upright and pour carefully.

A Quart of Ale± #63 On the craft journey with a session of IPA and a Tom Crean traditional

 A Quart of Ale± #63

On the craft journey with a session of IPA and a Tom Crean traditional

Blacks St Tropez IPA Summer IPA 4.8%, 440 can

It’s summer and those brewery magicians at Blacks have bottled St Tropez for you in a gold colour and with a flirtatious white head that, like the summer, has no plans to hang around. Plenty of little bubbles in the cloud and, being Blacks, the personality is hops.

So okay, the party is not in the south of France. But a sunny garden on this island will do nicely. Bright citrus Cascade and resinous Simcoe hops have come to the party bringing grapefruit and mango both in the aroma (along with pine) and on the fresh palate and yes, that hop one two combination is quite a knockout. Fruit in the aromas and palate and no shortage of bitterness at the finalé.

They say: Maybe it’s the alcohol fumes, but crazy flavour fusions and quirky combos are constantly coming to us. We love nothing more than to experiment in the brewery to create craft beers with lots of personality and that pack a punch. Get them while they’re hop, our experimental brews aren’t around forever.

Hope Hop On Session IPA, 4.3%, 440 can Dunnes Stores

Attractive mid-gold colour on this one, lots of bubbles rising in a light haze. Hop-on is not the hoppiest beer you’ll taste but there’s enough bitterness there, with the mainly citrus fruit to balance the malty sweetness. It is indeed, as claimed, an easy drinking session IPA.

They say: Great with a cheeseboard or even a spice bag.

Geek Bits:

Malts: Vienna Malt, Oatflakes, Acidulated
Hops: Citra, El Dorado, Azacca
Yeast: American Ale

Tom Crean Kerry Surf & Turf Traditional Ale 4.2%, 440 can Brewery Sales

Came across this for the first time during a tour of the brewery in Kenmare on July 2nd (2021). Brewer Bill Sheppard: “… another new beer...A traditional ale with a real taste of Kerry, fusing the majestic mountain landscape and the crashing Atlantic surf, we infuse a combination of seaweed and peaty turf flavour to give a taste of ancient Kerry.” 

The smoker yields the peaty flavour while the seaweed is foraged kelp. There’s a natural nuttiness and sweetness here as the brewer attempts “to transition people to go to the second bottle". Ingredients are: barley malt, wheat, hops and yeast.

Colour is a dark amber, close to red, cloudy to be sure, and then there’s those peaty aromas. And on the palate, there’s no great evidence of the hops but there’s a tangy streak, perhaps from the kelp. Quite close to a red ale, methinks, and not a bad one at all. Looked like they drank well in ancient Kerry!

They say: The first commercially brewed beer in Kenmare for nearly 200 years and the first purpose built brewery in Kerry for probably the same length of time. All our craft beers are natural products, free from preservatives, additives and colouring.

Third Barrel Mr Blue Sky IPA, 7.0%, 440 can Bradleys

Hopped with 20g/l, this IPA is a hop monster. Hopped first with Citra and Simcoe to give a HUGE base of Grapefruit and Pineapple then hit again with a hefty tropical dose of Nelson and Mosaic. Malted barley, wheat and oats are also in the mix.

This is how Third Barrel introduce their orange coloured (more or less) Mr Blue Sky. Fluffy head doesn’t hang about. Citrus in the aromas, herbal notes too. Pretty intense (pineapple, grapefruit) on the palate, quite a concentration of the hops, one to sip rather than slug.

Curious Society “Atlantic 353” West Coast IPA 5.5%, 440ml can Bradleys

A light amber with a soft white head is what you see in the glass when you pour the Curious Society IPA, first produced by Larkins in Wicklow last March. Atlantic 353 is the name, after an old radio station and, if you like the artwork, they invite you “to check out Marconi’s radio station in Clifden”.

Citrus and pine show in the aromas. The first sip reveals a clean and flavoursome beer with a super texture and, despite what you might anticipate given the line-up of classic West Coast hops Magnum (bittering), Chinook, Centennial and Amarillo, this is not at all overly bitter. Very quaffable indeed with a long aftertaste. Best served cold, they advise; still I wouldn’t leave it too long in the fridge, think you’ll get more of the flavour if it’s not stone cold. 

A Quart of Ale± #59. On the craft journey with a mixed session: Blacks, Boundary, Larkins, West Kerry.

A Quart of Ale± #59

On the craft journey with a mixed session: Blacks, Boundary, Larkins, West Kerry. 

Blacks Ace of Haze Battle of the Tropics DDH Hazy IPA 5.5%, 440 can Bradleys

Yellow-gold is the colour of this latest Ace of Haze from Blacks of Kinsale as they put Azzaca and Mosaic hops through their paces in the Battle of the Tropics. A soft fluffy head sits on top of the haze.

They say: Meet the newest member of the Ace of Haze family, fresh off the canning line. Azzaca and Mosaic do battle to bring you a double dry hopped (DDH) hazy IPA, bursting with mango, pineapple and floral citrus flavours and aromas.

Fruity and floral notes, pine too, in the aromas and that continues on the palate of an interesting mid-bodied and heftily-hopped IPA. It is instantly friendly in the mouth, full of flavour and refreshing, very easy to get along with and there’s quite a finalé as well. 

Quite a combination and one for the short list!

Boundary Very Serious Situation Pils 4.8%, 440 can Bradleys

Light gold is the colour here, slightly hazy with no shortage of rising bubbles. Aromas are mildly fruity (citrus perhaps). Fruity too on the palate, a touch of spice also, refreshing with a dry lip-smacking finish. Very Serious Situation is a pretty serious contender in this style!

I haven’t heard too much of Tettnang, yet this German hop has a long history and is used in the production of a huge variety of beers, including everything from German Pilsners to American Pale Ales.

Not too much info on the beer on their website other than to mention it’s a “crisp, refreshing Pils, generously hopped with Tettnang”. Credit for the can artwork goes to  John Robinson. Boundary is a cooperative brewery owned by its members.

They say: In December 2014, we offered our first members the chance to start a brewery that we could all be proud of! In eight days, we raised £100k and welcomed 447 members to our Cooperative.We got to work immediately. Loads of people missed out on our initial Community Share offer, but we had what we needed to get off to an amazing start.In January 2015, we took the keys to our brewery in Portview Trade Centre. In May, we brewed our first beers.They sold out immediately.

Since then, we've released four core beers, and a mildly ridiculous amount of specials. Reviews have been amazing. In fact, we’ve been voted the best beer and best Brewery in NI every year since we opened!! In December 2015, we opened membership again, and raised over £160,000 to help us scale. 

Read more here https://boundarybrewing.coop/pages/membership 

Curious Society Citra Pale Ale 4.5%, 440ml can Bradleys

Curious Society is the name of a series of better value beers from Larkins. They say: A classic pale using one of our house yeasts and one of the all-time best hop varieties Citra.

Yellow is the colour and the head is short-lived. Mango, guava, and lychee fruit is what you expect from the Citra hop and that exotic melange is more or less what you get here. No real bitterness about this well-made pale ale but it is a very pleasant drink and easily quaffable.

Enjoyed this one very much. I also have their Atlantic 353 West Coast IPA in the queue; looking forward to trying that quite soon!

West Kerry “Carraig Dubh” Porter 6.0%, 500ml bottle Bradleys

This hand-crafted traditional porter comes in a black robe with a creamy brown head. It is more or less chocolate and coffee all the way from here but there is an acidity also at play. 

They say: “Carraig Dubh is a rich luxurious porter brewed with bags of chocolate malt. This bold heavy porter is laden with coffee and chocolate Tones.” It is bottle conditioned and made from malted barley, hops, yeast and spring water “from our own spring”.

Traditional, yes. A bottle (or two) would go down well at the threshings I remember - but not too many threshings on farms anymore.