Midleton cruise: bakers and booze. Grumpy Bakers now in old O'Donovan's Restaurant

Midleton cruise: bakers and booze

Grumpy Bakers relocate to old O'Donovan's Restaurant

New lunch menu at Cush

Two old friends at Midleton Distillery

Stout haul from Midleton's No 21

Sunny Welcome to Irish Distillers in Midleton

Had a look at the current lunch menu in Cush.
A few changes including the burgers

Stout haul from No 21

Rueben? Don't think so! The sandwich, usually grilled (though not here), was invented by
a German immigrant Arnold Reuben - there are other contenders!

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Close up of Wednesday's Reuben at Grumpy Bakers, showing
main ingredients: Tom Durcan spiced beef, Hegarty's Templegall cheese,
Sauerkraut, also includes Pickles, and mustard mayo, all on wholemeal Sourdough.
Quite a feed. And a very tasty one. 

The Grumpy Bakers have just opened up in the previous O'Donovan's Restaurant (Main Street),
which hadbeen closed since 2020. They have now vacated their smaller premises at nearby
Broderick Street. They operate also in Washington Street in Cork City. Grumpy are already
well-known for their superb Sourdough Breads, their pastries (sweet and savoury) and coffee.
I must admit I was quite surprised to see so many people in there last Wednesday
coming up to lunchtime, some buying to take away but many settling in for a cuppa
and something from the shelves! They have much more room here than in
Broderick Street and it looks as if they will need every square foot.

An "opened-up" view of the very popular 'The Mediterranean’ with
Chicken, House sun blushed tomato pesto, Basil mayo and
Yellow Belly farm leaves on Focaccia. The portion on top right is a Reuben.🍗 

A tempting Focaccia

 

Going to be enjoying my stout this year and underlined this aim with a handy treble
at No 21 Off-Licence in Midleton. Tipperary's Whitefield (our Beer of the Year 2025) is one of the best in the country while 9 White Deer and Dungarvan are also well up in the ratings

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Made a quick call to the shop at Midleton Distillery
and met these two old friends.
Just had to invite them home.

On the craft trail with Tom Crean and Dungarvan Brewing Company.

On the craft trail with Tom Crean and Dungarvan Brewing Company

Tom Crean’s Family Six Magpies Stout, 4.2% ABV, 500 ml bottle, O’Donovan’s Off Licence

“We want to produce beer that doesn’t cost the earth” - Bill Sheppard co-founder

Six Mapgpies Stout from the Tom Crean Family brewhouse is a multi-grain cracker, also a multi-award winner.

It pours black as a bog hole with an inviting tanned Lacey head. You don't have to wait to fill your glass for those traditional caramel coffee aromas as they waft straight up once you flip the cap. And all the early promises are fulfilled in the mouth with a perfect feel. Note also the subtle hops and malts getting together in a smooth dance that ends in the most refreshing way.

A terrific stout which is “all-natural, no additives, chemicals and vegan. The healthy option, drink in moderation…. a traditional Irish stout, triple hopped and reminiscent of stouts before the addition of nitrogen.”

It has been a while since I enjoyed one, and I'm glad that the local O’Donovans have stocked this and other beers from the Kenmare brewery, founded and owned by the dynamic duo Aileen Crean O'Brien and her husband, Bill Sheppard.

The stout combines 6 grain types, but that’s not where the name comes from! So where did the name come from? Brewer Bill was trying to settle on a name when he heard an almighty racket overhead. Looking up to the trees, he saw a bunch of pesky noisy magpies, six in all. He was aware of the old saying about the noisy bird: one for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, And, of course, it just went and won gold, twice, at Blas! Very Highly Recommended. The beer, that is, not counting magpies!

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Dungarvan Helvick Head Irish Blonde Ale, 4.9% ABV

refreshingly easy to drink

Our Irish Blonde has a deep golden colour and a soft white head. It’s a well balanced beer with fruit and hops to the fore, the fruitiness in the aromas, the hoppiness more on the palate. “Our blonde ale is not a bland ale,” they rightly declare. It’s a flavour-packed ride all the way to a refreshing dry finish.

They say: Helvick is a great summer’s day drink, perfect for cracking out at the barbeque. Enjoy at cellar temperature (8—14°C) or cooler for a great warm-weather thirst quencher. It’s an excellent beer to pair with food.

And that food? Good with spicy foods, or try it with seafood — the citrus of the cascade hops provides the perfect accompaniment to fish and shellfish without overpowering the flavours. Goes well with a variety of cheese also. Check it all out here.

The craft beer beginner will find some other beers better to start off with but this complex ale, with its firm and bold flavours, will keep the more experienced very much onside. It is much touted as a summer beer but I’ve found it quite the perfect companion in the other seasons. Highly Recommended.

Enjoy at cellar temperature (8-14°C) or cooler. As with all our beers, Helvick Gold contains a vitamin-rich yeast sediment in the bottle which is a by-product of the natural carbonation. To pour a clear pint, pour out in one go and leave the last drop in the bottle. However, this is purely for aesthetic reasons and the sediment is absolutely fine to drink.   

Geek Bits -

Style: Blonde Ale

ABV: 4.9%

Hops: Cascade, East Kent Goldings, Northern Brewer

IBUs: 41

On the craft trail with Dungarvan Brewery and Elbow Lane

On the craft trail with Dungarvan Brewery

Russel Garet
Elbow Lane brewer

and Elbow Lane

Elbow Lane Angel Stout 4.4% ABV, on draught in Goldie

Available in Market Lane restaurants in bottles (all), in draught (some)

A stout made for the restaurants' food!

Great to renew my acquaintance with Angel Stout at a recent dinner in Goldie Restaurant (Cork). 

Elbow Lane’s Angel Stout is one of the best, a superb combination of hops and malt, made with the Market Lane restaurant's food in mind. Both Goldie and Elbow, along with ORSO, Castle Café and Market Lane itself make up the five in the group.

My very first sip the other evening confirmed previous impressions as the roasted malt showed well in the flavour. The hops - Hercules Germany, Pilgrim UK and Willamette USA - go in early in the process, and their bittering qualities make for a lovely balance, a delicious pint and even better with the dishes that follow.

It has a distinct malt character and pronounced hop bitterness, typical of the style. Dark roasted malts contribute to the bittersweet chocolate notes, while a generous hop addition lends to a dry but smooth finish. This stout will suit robust dishes like steak, stews and curries. And I found it went very well with their Oyster Paté, a relatively new dish from renowned Head Chef Aiushling Moore.

Elbow Lane is one of the few Irish breweries that strictly adheres to the principles of the ancient German Purity Law, “Reinheitsgebot”, which means that only four ingredients are used: malted barley, hops, yeast and water. There are no additives and the fermentation of the beer is not artificially accelerated, nor is it filtered – so it is all totally natural. 

Dungarvan Mine Head American PA, 5.5% ABV

 one for your short list

The brewery had a plan as they developed Mine Head. It would be dry-hopped, a process of adding whole leaf hops into the fermenter. This gives more of a hop aroma to the beer and a fresh initial hit of the hop flavours. 

And, with the Cascade hop the only one used, that is exactly what happened.

Cascade, of course, goes hand in hand with the American Pale Ale. Here, you notice it straightaway with that initial hoppy hit in the aromas, rising from an amber body topped by a soft white head. That hoppy hit is easily confirmed by the old finger-in-the-head test - stick it in and suck it!

Then, it is citrus all the balanced way, with a teeny touch of marmalade sweetness later on and that bitter at the end but nothing over the top. A pleasant and harmonious beer indeed. Another one for your shortlist.

Food pairings suggested by Dungarvan are spicy Thai or Vietnamese food, or “keep it American with a burger! Works great with lighter fish or with earthy meats such as lamb or beef. Great with a creamy camembert-style cheese or a tart sheeps cheese. Best served lightly chilled, from 8-12°C”.

The name: Mine Head is a high headland west of Dungarvan; it and its lighthouse form a dramatic landmark on the Atlantic Coast.

Geek Bits - 

Style: American Pale Ale

ABV: 5.5%

Hops: Cascade

IBUs: 38

Brewer Cormac returns to Dungarvan. On the craft trail with Kinnegar and Dungarvan Brewing.

On the craft trail with 9 White Deer, Kinnegar and Dungarvan Brewing.

Brewer Cormac returns to Dungarvan

Good news from Dungarvan Brewing where Cormac (left) has returned to the brewery as Head Brewer and Customer Relationship Manager.

Cormac: “I'm thrilled to be back to join such a passionate and dynamic team. The commitment to quality and community is something that really resonates with me, and I’m eager to help bring our craft beer to even more people. I look forward to brewing new & innovative beers with the team, whilst also respecting the core range of beers people have grown to love over the years. Working closely with our customers to ensure the best possible experiences – Now, that’s something that excites me!”

Kinnegar Devil’s Backbone, Amber Ale, 4.9% ABV, 440 ml can, Bradleys

refreshing hoppy backbone

Amber / Red is the style on the website, amber on the can. Kinnegar themselves: ”A refreshing contemporary take on a traditional Irish red. Versatile with food and equally enjoyable on its own.” And the important bit to confirm its that it is indeed very enjoyable.

My first “meeting” with the Devil’s Backbone was back in 2013 at a The Cove Restaurant in Port na Blagh (near Dunfannahy, County Donegal). It certainly impressed that night as indeed did the other Kinnegar beers that were on sale there, confirming its versitality with food, all going on to become core beers.

It is still an impressive beer. First sip introduces you to its refreshing hoppy backbone and you realise this is a serious drink, pretty robust too, a full-bodied and full-flavoured drink you can’t ignore. A very satisfying bitterness as well (hops are a mix of European and American) and then there’s a lip-smacking dry finish to boot.

Dungarvan Comeragh Challenger Session PA, 3.8% ABV, 500 ml bottle

Floral, light… easy-drinking.

Light and easy drinking, yes, but this Comeragh Challenger has strong flavours as well, the balance provided by the moderate bittering. Challenger hops, all on its own, has indeed given this lovely session beer quite a bit of character. 

This delicate and understated English-style Pale Ale, brewed exclusively with Challenger hops, is ideal for barbeques. At just 3.8%, it’s a sessionable beer, perfect for a session or any occasion where you want a lighter, easy-drinking option.  It is also certified gluten-free and deeply refreshing. Highly Recommended. It is best served at a lower temperature, from 8-12°C.

CorkBillyBeers #23. Craft Pale Ale with Whiplash, 9 White Deer, West Kerry and Dungarvan Brewing

CorkBillyBeers #23

Craft Pale Ale with Whiplash, 9 White Deer, West Kerry and Dungarvan Brewing

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Dungarvan Brewing Mine Head American Pale Ale, 5.5% ABV, 500ml bottle The Local, Dungarvan

Here we have a classic West Coast style American Pale Ale from the south coast of Ireland. Dungarvan say: This is a classic American style pale ale made using only cascade hops, and also dry hopped with Cascade to impart fresh hop aromas. Released in summer 2014, this is now a full time part of of our core range and available in keg, bottle and .. in can year round.

The dry hopped process means adding whole leaf hops into the fermenter. This gives more of a hop aroma to the beer, and a fresh initial hit of the hop flavours.

And it is citrus all the balanced way, a teeny touch of marmalade sweetness later on and nothing really bitter at that stage. A pleasant and harmonious bottle indeed, enjoyed at The Local in Dungarvan itself. 

Best served lightly chilled, from 8-12°C, and you’ll find it versatile at the table,  working well with lighter fish or with earthy meats such as lamb or beef. Also excellent with spicy Thai or Vietnamese food, or keep it American with a burger! Great with a creamy camembert-style cheese or a tart sheeps cheese.

Highly Recommended

Geek Bits - 

Style: American Pale Ale

ABV: 5.5%

Hops: Cascade

IBUs: 38

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Whiplash Under Ground DDZ Pale Ale, 5.4% ABV, 440ml can Bradleys

DDZ means Double Dry Zested. And the Whiplash crew mean it. Lemon zest is one of the ingredients. And then there’s Lemondrop hops. The producers say: Lemondrop hops offer strong citrus, floral, fruity, herbal, lemon, mint, green tea, light melon aromas.

Colour is pale, a slightly hazy lemon. Aromas are not overly strong at all but lemon does seep through. It is a velvety presence in the mouth, much smoother than anticipated (thanks in some measure to the oats). While the lemon doesn’t dominate the palate it is quite the lead act, a very pleasant one, velvety with no sharp edges. Quite a lip-smacking thirst quencher at the end.

Here’s what the brewers say: When we say DDZ we mean it, it's packed with delicious, refreshing lemon zest that cuts through beautifully. The base comes from Pilsner, oat and wheat for some very velvety vibes, backed up with additions of Cascade and Lemondrop.

Geeks Bits

Malts - Pilsner, Oat, and Wheat

Hops - Cascade, Lemon Drop, Lemon Zest.

Adjunct - Lemon zest.

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Highly Recommended

9 White Deer Stag Bán 4.5% ABV, 500ml bottle

I’ll let the brewers introduce this pale ale themselves:

This classic pale ale was our very first beer and we remain extremely proud of it. We wanted to brew something that felt uncomplicated, direct and true .

But there’s a real subtlety to it - and unlike some other pale ales, Bán is never bland. As with our entire range, it’s also EU certified gluten.

It has a beautiful gold colour, a myriad of tiny bubbles rising towards the top. There are moderately intense aromas, slightly malty. And the palate is along the same lines. It is crisp and refreshing, even lip-smacking, with a gentle spice and mild citrus influence from the hops.And a satisfactory clean finish.

Another excellent beer from the Ballyvourney brewery. 

Highly Recommended.

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West Kerry Béal Bán Golden Ale, 5.0% ABV, 500ml bottle, Carry Out Killarney

A dark, slightly hazy gold is the colour of this magical ale from West Kerry. Creamy rather than crisp (hinted at by the malty aromas), yet light and refreshing with malt prominent earlier on, the hops making a show at the finish. A distinctive beer indeed, very impressive. One to be sipped and savoured, no rush.

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

My last encounter got me spouting lyrical, maybe doggerel.

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

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

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

Very Highly Recommended.

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