A Quart of Ale± #11 Moving on over to craft. American Style IPA

A Quart of Ale± #11

Moving on over to craft. 

American Style IPA

Part 2

First, there was IPA. In the 18th century, English beer, on its way to India was highly hopped. It became known as India pale ale and went down well with the soldiers and later found favour with drinkers at home. 

Two hundred years later, just like the empire, it was slipping into oblivion, until the Americans revived it by using their more aromatic and flavourful hops and more of them. And so the American IPA was born. And that led to a revival in the UK.

This is Part 2 (we published Part 1 last week) and here we focus on some excellent American style IPA produced here in Ireland by the likes of Kinnegar, Whiplash, Blacks and Yellowbelly.

Blacks “Ace of Haze” DDH Cryo New England IPA, 4.2%, 440ml can, Bradleys Cork

The hard-working Maudeline and Sam Black.

I have to say straight up that that this New Englander is a lovely beer, very drinkable.

But what’s a New England IPA? Blacks say: Characterised by juicy, citrus and floral flavours and a smoother less piney taste than some other IPAs you might be familiar with, New England IPA is a style that became popular in Vermont USA in the 2010s. Hazy in appearance with a soft mouthfeel, NEIPA's are brewed without adding hops to the boil and with the use of specific yeast strains to achieve the desired result. Often described as a more fruit forward IPA with lower perceived bitterness but massively hop forward with flavours and aromas derived from the use of dry hopping techniques.

This NEIPA (hardly an abbreviation!) is a hazy yellow. It weighs in at 4.2% so it certainly a session contender. No shortage of hops in the mix and it’s the fruit, citrus and exotic, that makes its mark rather than any bitterness (which is there, in the background). Very drinkable though and sure to gather up lots of fans. By the way, Blacks have at least one other Haze edition.

They say: This banging beer was brewed with passion and an absurd amount of cryogenically frozen Mosaic, Citra and Simcoe hops not forgetting a touch of inspiration from some rock classics that are commonly heard on the brewery floor on brew days. The malt bill of Barley, Oats and Wheat gives plenty of body and character but we have kept the ABV on the lower end for IPA's so you can enjoy more than 1 or 2 in a sitting.

Kinnegar “Crossroads” American Style IPA 6.2%, 440ml can Bradley’s of Cork

Colour is close to amber, plenty of bubbles rising (naturally carbonated), white head hangs around for a while. Good hoppy backbone carrying tropical fruit flavours across the palate and into the very satisfying finish. Qualifies as American style because it is rich in citrus and tropical fruit flavours with a touch of pine thrown in. One of the best cans of IPA you’re likely to come across and you can taste why this is one of their core range. 

Kinnegar’s craft beers are brewed in a new brewery in Letterkenny.  “Our roots are deeply embedded in the hilly fields and farms of northeast Donegal. This is the perfect environment for the way we make beer. We don’t filter or pasteurise, and we let our industrious little friends, the yeast, carbonate the beer naturally during fermentation.” We visited the brewery last autumn and you may read all about it here.

Originally named “Roadtrip” when brewed as a 20th birthday celebration of McHugh’s legendary Dublin off-licences, Crossroads is the Donegal brewery’s tribute to the men and women of the county’s diaspora who, like the McHughs, have made their mark on the wider world.

Whiplash Rollover Session IPA 3.8%, 330ml can, Bradley’s

Pale yellow colour with a  short-lived white head over a hazy body. Citrus fronts the aromatics. And the quartet of hops dominate the palate. Amazing that this has so much hops and still weighs in at less than 4.00% abv. Quite a concentration of hops then, before a lip-smacking finalé. “Now, that’s a beer,” my tasting companion declared (having “suffered” earlier through a Radler and a sour). 

They say: Same hop rate as our DIPA’s, less than half the alcohol. A very heavily hopped Session IPA: this comes at you with buckets of Simcoe, Ekuanot, Citra and Mosaic hops with a light touch of malts and an easy crushable body. Unfiltered, hazy, hoppy and juicy – Rollover is a New England inspired IPA without the heavy alcohol in tow.

Yellowbelly “Citra Pale Ale” American Pale Ale, 4.8%, 440ml can, Bradleys Cork

Hazy yellow is the colour here, a white head (size and length depends a lot on how you pour, probably best if on draught). You’ll probably de-juice that Citra Hops are used here. Head Brewer Declan Nixon has also employed German and Belgian malts. I think he’s judged this to a “T” and has come up with a really well-balanced beer.

A hint of pine in the aromas and this smooth drinking beer has citrus flavours, is very pleasant on the palate and, with all that, plus the help of a modest enough alcohol count of 4.8%, has that second glass appeal for sure.

Let us hear what the Wexford crew have to say for themselves: Our Citra Pale Ale is brewed with the finest German & Belgian malts, fermented with a super clean American ale yeast and dry hopped to the gills with Citra. The resulting beer should be enjoyed as fresh as possible to appreciate the grapefruit and pine aroma and super clean finish.

They regard it as a flagship beer. Citra Pale Ale can be enjoyed year-round on draught or in can from your favourite bars, restaurants and off-licences. It was voted Best Beer in Ireland 2019 – Beoir Awards. A very good one indeed.

Wicklow Wolf Mammoth IPA, 6.2%, 440ml can, Bradley’s of Cork

Colour of this West Coast IPA is amber with a nice fluffy head that sinks fairly slowly. It gets its name because a mammoth amount of Simcoe, Chinook, Cascade and Eureka! have been used to pump up the fruit. And the hops take the lead in the aromas (floral, fruit, pine) as well. 

Very much floral and citrus in the palate as you’d expect but no shortage of malt either (Pale, Cara Ruby the varieties used). Rather a muscular beer (compared, say, to Trouble Brewing’s Ambush) but the muscle’s not out of control and the Mammoth will find a welcome in any good beer circle. Hops used are Simcoe, Cascade, Chinook, Eureka! And, take heed, the IBU is a stiff 60. Serve at 8 degrees.

9 White Deer Stag IPA 5.0%, 500ml can, Bradley’s of Cork

Amber is the colour of this Gluten Free IPA from the Gaeltacht - you have to peer in to see the bubbles. The head is white and sticks around. Aromas hint of malts and hops. Big hop flavours on the palate yet the bitterness is not over the top at all, nice balance with the malts. Stag is an American style IPA according to the label. I’m thinking it fits snugly between two continents. Could mid-Atlantic be a style?

They say: A Classic IPA, using vast quantities of new age hops, this gluten free IPA is full of flavour. Hop usage is late in the boil which gives big flavours and aroma without big bitterness. IPAs never serviced the gluten free market but that is now changed, and what a beer to change it with.  A well balanced quaffable IPA bursting with flavour and aroma.

A Quart of Ale± #8. Moving on over to craft. Kinnegar, To Øl City, West Cork Brewery, O'Hara's, Pale Ales.

A Quart of Ale± #8

Moving on over to craft with four very interesting ales

Kinnegar “Limeburner” Pale Ale, 4.7%, 440ml can, Bradley's of Cork

Lovely light gold colour on this one; a fair bit of haze but you do see the bubbles rising. It is floral and hoppy on the nose. Crisp and refreshing in the mouth with a pleasant hoppy finalé. Not at all overly hoppy and a beer that could well prove a “gateway” beer on the way from mass beers to craft. Easy to quaff and one to note if you haven’t already. One of their first beers and still going strong as part of their core range.

It is unfiltered, naturally carbonated. When pouring leave any natural sediments (I didn’t see any) at the bottom. Well balanced and easy to enjoy this one! By the way, if you moving into craft, try this as one of your early steps! I did, and it’s never too far away from my mind when I enter a bar.

The story.  A bright white light from Fanad Head once illuminated the Limeburner (a 40m high hidden sea pinnacle where Lough Swilly meets the Atlantic), guiding passing ships away from danger. “Phew,” said the skipper when they left that pinnacle behind. “Pass me a Kinnegar there boy.”

To Øl City “House of Pale” Pale Ale 5.5%, 44cl can, Bradley's of Cork

A slight step up in alcohol for the Danish Pale Ale (compared to the Kinnegar) but the colour and the head is much the same as their Session. A little more hop in the aromas. More flavour and less crisp but, as they say themselves, come here to “get your full-bodied juicy fix”.  That smoothness shows a lot of malt but the hops is not shy either and that juicy stuff is a treat. Put this on your short list for sure.

They say: House Of Pale is one of the recipes we’ve taken from our beloved mad laboratory (brewpub!) in Copenhagen, BRUS. It’s seen many changes and tweaks over this year, experimenting with hop doses and overall ‘crispiness’ - and now we’re pretty sure we’ve got exactly what we’ve been looking for. 

Hops in the ale are Mosaic and Simcoe while the long line of malts consist of Chit Malt, Flaked Oats, Golden Naked Oats, Melanoidin, and Pilsner.

West Cork “Sherkin Lass” Pale Ale 4.4%, 500ml bottle, Bradley’s of Cork

Mid amber is the colour of this cloudy pale ale by the West Cork Brewery in Baltimore. The head barely outlasts the pour. They use their own well water here and the beer is obviously unfiltered.

Citrus in the aromas. Makes quite an immediate impression on the palate, fresh and lively, sharp citrus notes again, pineapple and passionfruit too, more malt than hops, just lightly, but noticeably, bitter, almost halfway to a sour. Quite a distinctive mouthful. Refreshing and quite a thirst quencher.

Hops used are: Columbus, Centennial, Galaxy, and Liberty. It is unfiltered, unpasteurised and vegan friendly as only whirlfloc (Carrageen moss) is used to aid the clarification.

O’Hara’s Irish Pale Ale (Dry hopped IPA) 5.2%, 50cl bottle SuperValu.

Mid amber is the colour of this well-made Irish Pale Ale. IPA all over the labels; nowhere is the word Indian mentioned, but I still wonder is it Irish Pale or Indian. Anyhow we’ll be soon going on to the IPAs. Quite often, it is hard enough to classify some beers. I’ve even got one here at the moment labelled an Indian Pale Lager!

Aromas are definitely hoppy, Indian Pale Ale hoppy. The head by the way starts frothy and large enough but soon gets down to barely a white disc. Actually, I’m nowadays inclined to dispense with the 45 degree angle when pouring and lash it in, the reward being more a substantial head that, in this case at least, gives you the pleasure, just visual, of a longer stay.

On the palate though, this one makes you sit up and take notice with the fruit and floral notes of the hops plus the zesty lasting bitterness. Lip-smacking, for sure.

They say: “A Contemporary style IPA with an Irish twist. Combining the balance of European IPAs with the generous dry hopping of American pale ales (APAs), this beer is everything an IPA should be and more.”

Brewery Food Tips: works incredibly well alongside the BBQ, with spicy food and shellfish. Serve at 6-8 degrees.

Next session: American Pale Ales, including the Sierra Nevada, the original gateway beer for drinkers seeking to access craft

A Quart of Ale± #6 Moving on over to craft. 4 good ones here: Kinnegar. White Gypsy. To Øl. Sam Smith.

A Quart of Ale± #6

Moving on over to craft.

Lagers are a joy to drink but tough to brew. According to the Brewdog book, Craft Beer for the People, there are four sub-styles: Lager (like the four reviewed below), Kölsch, Vienna Lager, and Saison. Lager is often the gateway for moving from mainstream to craft and this is Part 2 (See P1 here). We've a good quarter below, including two organic offerings. Next time, we'll be on Pale Ale, with eight examples - have you a suggestion? Then American style pale ale, next India Pale Ale (English style), American style IPA, British Golden Ale, Red Ale, Stout/Porter and on and on. Suggestions welcome!

He wasn't always a craft drinker!

Kinnegar Donegal Lager 4.5%, 440ml can, Bradley’s of Cork

So now, for Part 2 of this journey, we move onto the first of our modern lagers. With Kinnegar Brewing on the label, be prepared to be impressed.

And I was, both prepared, and impressed. No need to leave the island for your lager fix. With all due respect to the long traditions of the continent, the Donegal Lager is a champion. From a beer style point of view, DL is a light Helles. It's made with classic German hops in the traditional style.

It is refreshing as the best lagers should be and packs quite a flavour hit as well. Slightly less alcohol than the two continentals but the extra flavour more than makes up for that. 

They say: DL is a classic lager - light refreshing and crushable. And in this case proudly independent and proudly from Donegal. Always keep a few in your fridge.

Libby from Kinnegar: “We’re delighted with how it's being received. It's intended as a high quality but very accessible lager. We've always felt that Limeburner sits comfortably on a lager-loving pallet but the truth is that Limeburner has a tad too much flavour/character for some people. DL should suit everybody who's looking for a traditional lager and is prepared to take a chance on a small independent Irish brewery. We hope in time to see plenty of it pouring on draught, particularly in Donegal, but for now it's working well in its can.”

And if you buy this lager you’ll be helping a very good cause indeed, with a fixed amount from each batch going to the Donegal Hospice. Libby says they hope to continue the scheme “at least until the end of the summer and hopefully for a lot longer”.

White Gypsy Munich Lager, 5.8%, 500ml bootle, Bradleys of Cork

A bit more amber in the colour of this White Gypsy Munich Lager, thanks more than likely to the Weyermann Barke Pilsner malt. The head is not very large but does stay around for the duration, more or less. Plenty of bubbles too in the light haze.

Took a sip as I jotted down the first of the notes above and I immediately stopped “typing”, the better to savour this arresting Gypsy beauty. It has all the refreshment you’d expect from a lager but superb flavour as well and, yes, an excellent balance which keeps it in the easy-drinking category.

The label indicates that the hops used are Hallertau and Tettnanger plus a lager yeast. As well as maturation in cold storage, most lagers are also distinguished by the use of Saccharomyces pastorianus yeast, a "bottom-fermenting" yeast that also ferments at relatively cold temperatures. 

It is also a much slower process than top fermenting ales and ties up your equipment for longer, so not too many micro-breweries are inclined to produce a lager, particularly in their early years. White Gypsy are well beyond that stage now with a portfolio of distinguished beers to their credit.

To Øl 45 Days Organic Pilsner 4.7%, 44cl can, Bradley's Cork

Fountains of bubbles race up through the pale gold (very slight haze) of this pilsner. Nice soft head too and it stays there for quite a while. And what a pilsner. Superbly fresh and clean as promised, well-flavoured too and absolutely refreshing, reaching deep. 

The slower the fermentation, the better a pilsner tastes, they say, and the proof is on any palate lucky enough to be been washed in this Danish beauty. Not sure I’ve tasted anything better in this style. Crisp, complex and golden - do watch out for it!

Lager is always the slow-coach in the brewery but this one, the fourth product in their new Core Range, is an authentic German Pilsner, lagered for 45 days at -1 degree Celsius. It is also organic and the malts used are Organic Chit, Organic Golden Light and Organic Pilsner.

Samuel Smith’s Organic Lager 5.0%, 550ml bottle, Bradley’s Cork

Nice gold colour and no shortage of bubbles, maybe not as many as in the Danish one. Head neither as large or as fluffy but seems intent on hanging around for a spell. Slightly floral aromas. Good bite on this one, a bit more mouthfeel, and a little extra by way of the malt.

Serve this at 7 degrees is the advice. And take your time - after all you have an extra 50ml! And the label also tells us that the IBU is 25.

They say: Brewed with great care using only organic malted barley, organic hops,  medium-sot water, and a bottom-fermenting yeast; matured at low temperatures to bring out its delicate flavour and soft hop-character finish. The cold maturation allows the bottom-ferment yeasts to secondary ferment and improve the lager’s flavour, purity and condition.

The English brewery, Yorkshire’s oldest, has a few food pairing hints for you: trout amadine; salmon (fresh and smoked); all white fish; roast chicken (hot or cold); hors d’oeuvres; quiche Lorraine and salad.

Irish-Belgian Beers Sessions Rock On. #6

Irish-Belgian Beers Sessions Rock On. #6

Kinnegar White Rabbit Session White IPA, 4.5%, 440ml can 

Citrus leads here and there is little enough evidence of the clove and banana that is prominent in some wheat beers in this mid-gold  cloudy IPA from the innovative Donegal brewery. There’s a generous fluffy white head that lasts a fair bit. 

Big score for the optics and 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 and the session is underway!

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.

Like most of the new wave of independent Irish brewers, Kinnegar still have a few years to go to their 10th anniversary. Yet there is something so real about the overall character of their Donegal beers that the word authentic (a sense of place, a sense of the genuineness behind the local enterprise) surfaces as you sip. 

 “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 carefully but if some ends up in the glass, don’t worry about it.

The White Hag “Ninth Wave” New World Pale Ale 5.4%, 330ml can. 

Like their Donegal counterparts, Sligo’s White Hag have also turned towards the Atlantic for this New World Pale Ale, named after the (mythical) Ninth Wave that formed a formidable barrier for anyone wishing to cross over to New York and Boston.

Colour is a bright amber, no shortage of bubbles rising through the mildly clouded glass, topped with a short-lived white head. Aromatics are mild also, apricot, mango and citrus in there. 

Quite a greeting on the palate though, creamy feel and insistently fruity from the American hops but all is kept in check as this balanced effort makes its way towards a very satisfactory finalé indeed.  Lively, flavourful and very drinkable indeed. Another for that second glass designation!

They say: “We are a modern independent craft brewery from Sligo, on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. We brew innovative and groundbreaking beers, inspired by ancient and classic styles.” 

They brew a good lot of them! The able and masterly brewers here ensure a lot of them are good.

8 Degrees “Glen of Imaal” Oatmeal Pale Ale 5.6%, 440ml can

The Irish Munro Series 2020

No secret that the crew of Mitchelstown’s Eight Degrees are an outdoor lot. So no surprise that they choose to celebrate Ireland’s highest mountains - Irish Munros are peaks over 3,000 ft. including their local Galtymore - with their latest series of specials. And #2 in their adventures at altitude is Lugnaquilla, yet the beer is named for the Glen of Imaal, the valley below the Wicklow peak.

Colour is a pretty clear amber with a white head that stays around for a spell. Aromas are shy (if exotic) but it’s a different story in the mouth where the intense flavours, citrus prominent, are wrapped in silky mouthfeel,  a balanced thirst-quenching drop, as they say themselves, and a fitting reward after a climb up (and down Lugnaquilla) or the steps up to the barbecue. Slainte!

They say: The star of the show is new hop HBC-692, daughter of Sabro, with intense flavours of grapefruit pith and pine resin. The oats provide a silky mouthfeel which, when combined with these aromatic hops and a rounded bitterness, provides a balanced thirst-quenching drop after a rewarding climb up the Wicklow massif.

By the way, Eight Degrees are close to unique among Irish brewers in going to some length to suggest Food Pairings for their beers. The Belgian breweries seem well into this but even they would find it assez difficile to match the culinary expertise of Caroline Hennessy whose suggestions follow. I wonder is the co-author of Slainte preparing for a revised edition! (I think I’ve dropped that rock down the well before; there was no splash then!)

“The fruity notes in this would play very nicely with a blue cheese like Cashel Blue. Even better, put a slice of that cheese on a burger and see how Glen of Imaal Oatmeal Pale Ale works with a juicy burger: the fruity hops have enough bitterness to balance out all the blue / meaty umami flavours. Spiced mushroom tacos are a great match, the tropical notes in the beer complementing the flavours in Mexican food. Bring a citrus cake – lemon and buttermilk cake or orange polenta loaf – to the table and see how the flavours work beautifully together.”

Technical notes:

Style: Oatmeal Pale Ale
Malt: Irish pale ale malt, oats, Carapils and wheat. 
Hops: Vic Secret, Mandarina Bavaria, Amarillo and HBC-692.
ABV: 5.6%
IBUs: 32

Serving temp: 8 degrees (perhaps a little lower at the summit)

Get social: #GlenofImaalOPA

Bosteels Pauwel Kwak 8.4%, 33cl bottle

This a beer that, once tasted, you cannot ignore. No more than you can ignore a pebble in your shoe. The Kwak though is much more of a pleasure. Belgian beers have considerable clout and sometimes the less worthy among them get a free pass. We had the Kwak’s companion, the Tripel Karmeliet  here recently - and this one, just like the Karmeliet, is worth the admission.

It is a “Heavy Special Amber” and dark amber is the colour, the coffee coloured head is less than full but is inclined to hang around a fair bit before thinning to a lacy disc. Aromas are of the warm earth, some coffee notes in the background. It has an amazing palate, complex, malty, toasty, caramel, yeasty and warm. More or less seamless from there to the finish. Unmissable!

In common with all Bosteels beers, it is brewed with natural basic ingredients: barley malts, mineral water, wheat, hops and white candy sugar.

In the 18th century there was a very well-known brewer in the Dendermonde area; his name was Pauwel Kwak. He brewed his own beer, which was dark and heavy.This story inspired a brewer from nearby Buggenhout and since the 1980s the Pauwel Kwak is brewed by Brouwerij Bosteels, which also produces the popular Tripel Karmeliet and the DeuS Brut des Flandres.

They say: This beer is a worthy dining partner and also has its uses in the kitchen. It will make a perfect pairing with, for example, pigeon and pickles. You can have both at the same time thanks to the Kwak’s fine caramel.This complements the zesty taste of the pickles and softens it slightly so it will not overpower the pigeon.

Direct from the Cocoon, Round Four of our Irish and Belgian Beers

Round Four, direct from the cocoon, of our Irish and Belgian Beers

#4

Canning line at Kinnegar

Kinnegar “Crossroads” American Style IPA 6.2%, 500ml bottle

Colour is close to amber, plenty of bubbles rising (naturally carbonated), white head hangs around for a while. Good hoppy backbone carrying tropical fruit flavours across the palate and into the very satisfying finish. One of the best bottles of IPA you’re likely to come across and you can taste why this is one of their core range. 

You may see natural sediments at the bottom of the bottle. Avoid, if you wish, by pouring carefully.

Kinnegar’s craft beers are brewed in a new brewery in Letterkenny.  “Our roots are deeply embedded in the hilly fields and farms of northeast Donegal. This is the perfect environment for the way we make beer. We don’t filter or pasteurise, and we let our industrious little friends, the yeast, carbonate the beer naturally during fermentation.” We visited the brewery last autumn and you may read all about it here.

O Brother “The Sinner” IPA 6.2% abv, 440ml can

A light gold colour, white head (for a shortish stay). Aromas fruity (citrus, exotic) and floral. Lively and fruity (those soft fruits again) with malts and hops balanced on the palate, before a dry finalé with the hops to the fore. Different, somewhat drier, compared to the Kinnegar and another for my short list. Going well tonight!

This is unfiltered, unpasteurised, unadulterated and you are advised to drink it fresh with the recommended serving temperature at 8°- 10°. 

Barry, one of the three brothers involved in the independent Co. Wicklow brewery, tells me The Sinner was their third beer ever, after The Chancer and The Fixer (now retired), back in 2015, and remains part of the core line up.

“Originally brewed with the clean Chico yeast strain, with a pronounced bitterness, over time we have switched fermentation to the Vermont yeast strain, for a softer fruitier profile, but still retaining the strong bittering and structure of the original recipe.”

All O Brother beers are now being packaged exclusively in cans (as of March 2020).

Chouffe Blonde 8.0%, 330ml bottle

This award winning beer comes in a golden robe, and a big white head that stays around for a while. It is a beer with oomph and, the story goes, might well have been named something like that until Chris Bauweraerts, co-founder of the Achouffe Brewery (now under the Duvel wing), came out with the word Chouffe. ‘“What does that mean?” colleagues asked. Sweet FA was more or less the answer. But it now means a high quality beer with an 8.00% abv.

Not that you really notice the alcohol as you drink. Instead, there are calm citrus notes and a slightly hoppy taste. Indeed, the beer seems light,  the balance of flavour and alcohol is more or less perfect and has seen Chouffe win many awards, including this thumbs up from me.

You’ll note quite a lot of humour (be sure and check their Facebook page) in the hype surrounding this beer. For instance, the website gives three reason to drink it:

01 - Awaken the gnome inside you. (They have a gnome on the label instead of the usual jolly monk)
02 - It makes unicycling easier (try it and see!)
03 - You can officially be part of the CHOUFFE community

Enjoy, as I did, and let your inner gnome shine. By the way, I’m second on the right, red nose and all, as you come into the garden,.

 Brouwerij Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet 8.4%, 33cl bottle

Colour of this lovely three-grain beer is a mid gold, slightly cloudy with plenty of bubbles, and it holds its white head well. Aromas of banana, even a little clove I thought. A really smooth beer, fruity (banana and citrus), light and fresh and no jarring evidence of the high abv. That creamy smoothness may be coming from the oats. A surprising delicacy and harmony all the way to the highly satisfactory finish. One for the short list!

The Carmelites from Dendermonde in East Flanders were brewing a three-grain beer in the area in the 1600s. This information, published in a recent book on local brewing history, happened to come to light after Brouwerij Bosteels (located in Buggenhout) had decided to start brewing a three-grain beer as its next specialty. It was only after the beer was created that the name of the Carmelites was linked to the beer.

They say: Tripel Karmeliet was launched in 1996 and was received to great and fully-deserved acclaim. It is a Tripel (8.4 % in volume), but brewed with barley, wheat and oats. It could even be considered a six-grain beer as each of these grains is used in their raw as well as malted form. Steiermark hops  (from Austria) has good herbal flavours. It owes its fruity character (banana and vanilla) to the home-cultured yeast.

They recommend serving at 6 - 7°C on the website, a degree or two higher for the upper limit on the bottle. Food pairing note from the brewers: The citrus aromas and the ripe fruits are beautifully complemented with ginger. This beer makes a perfect pairing with mussels, served with black and white rice for example. It can also be used in the preparation of certain dishes, for example to add to stock for cooking mussels. We tried it with a fish pie (packed with great fish, mostly from Star Seafood: salmon, trout, and white fish), and it proved an excellent match.

Serving Glass Video link: https://youtu.be/BagJTUwFMuQ