Hops and Glory at LITFEST16. Seven IPAs after breakfast.

Seven IPAs on a Sunday Morning

Hops and Glory at LITFEST 2016

Pete Brown

“Canning has moved on enormously,” declared beer expert Pete Brown as the Litfest 2016 beer tasting got underway in Ballymaloe last Sunday morning. “It's the freshest way to keep beer”. The session was named Hops and Glory, after one of Pete's books, and he was accompanied on the panel by Caroline Hennessy, co-author of Slainte.

Our first beer was a can of the Yankee White IPA by Rascal’s Brewing. Caroline was happy with this Belgian style IPA: “It’s a lovely food friendly beer, ..feels lighter than five per cent!” Pete says it is now a very popular style. “Every new brewery starts with an IPA”.

Worthington’s White Shield certainly got Pete going: “One of my five desert island beers...not a modern IPA but the only true survivor of the old style that was shipped on 6-month voyages to India and drank like mother’s milk…. This is very hoppy, also very malty, a wonderful balance...gets better with time”.

Caroline is part of the 8 Degrees Brewing Company and their Full Irish was next. She stressed the importance of local. They used local barley, malted in Togher (In Cork City). “It is a single malt beer and made to showcase the malt. First made in 2014, it was Beer of the Year in 2015”. Pete noted the hops on the nose, the good balance and equally good body.

Another can followed: the marvellous Ironmonger from Metalman, first launched in 2011. As readers of Slainte will know, Caroline regularly looks for the food angle and praised this as food friendly. “There is a huge change in restaurants,” she said, noting that local food is now being matched with local drink (including beers and spirits).

Pete again admired the body and said he hadn't come across Metalman before but had been enjoying it at the bar in the Big Shed next door. In general, he remarked that one of the best beer tastings you could have is a cheese matching: “Great fun with a small group! Just get a few beers and a few cheeses.” Caroline surprised him when she said she found Crozier Blue and the full Irish a very successful pairing.

Caroline

On to the next one: Black Lighting from 9 White Deer in West Cork, a style that they agreed involves some “messing with your head”. After all, IPAs are not meant to be black but both agreed it is a wonderful style, Caroline adding that it was a “very American style IPA”.

A little discussion on hops followed. Pete said the character changes from place to place, the influence of the terroir. Caroline advised trying some of the single hop beers available, a good way “to build your knowledge”.

Beer Number Six, the citrusy/grapefruity bottle-conditioned Boundary Pale Ale, came from a Northern Ireland cooperative brewery. Caroline has noted a rapid advance of craft beer in the area, and more: “I would recommend a visit to Belfast...good food and drink.”

Pete was on a cloud nine as we finished with Cloudwater DIPA v3, a special edition: “This is the most hyped beer, the most hyped brewery..the best brewery in Britain right now….so much juiciness, so much fruit character..all from the hops”.

This weighed in at 9% and Caroline explained how high ABVs can come about. “If you have lots of hops, you need lots of malt to balance. Malt means more sugar and that means higher ABV”.

So applause all round as our expert duo brought the curtain down on an entertaining and informative beer session.

See also, from LITFEST16:

Irish Craft Cider. A Litfest16 Event

Irish Atmospherics at John Wilson Tasting. Mediterranean Island Wines in Spotlight. LITFEST16

Bodega Waterford. Good Food & Lots of Buzz.

Bodega Waterford

Good Food & Lots of Buzz

It is the sound, the sound of happy conversation, that hits you as you walk to your table in Waterford's Bodega. The warmly painted place is long and narrow, lots of paintings on the walls and waiters moving quickly up and down the center aisle. Busy, buzzy on a Thursday night. Wet outside but warm inside.

Got some nice dips and breads as we considered the menu. Could have had the Early Bird and a Home Grown menu, even a Harvest Fest Special, but we don't come here often so went for the A La Carte.

Fish and Duck

Also went for the local Metalman Pale Ale that they have on draught here. Not alone do they support local brews (and gins, and more) but they also support local food producers in a big way. See the long list here. Bodega is a member of EAT Waterford, a group of 25 restaurants that support local and that means your money stays in the local economy. Pull together!

Soon our starters arrived. I love my artichokes and this time I went for the Artichoke Hearts,

Stewed with White Wine, Tomatoes, Olive Oil & Fresh Herbs (7.90). Delicious. CL’s pick was the Bodega Chicken Liver Paté with Apple Relish & Ballybeg Green Leaves & Homemade Brioche (8.90). Excellent.

Lots of Tasting platters on offer, from the sea and from the land, some for singles, some for doubles. Another very popular dish - it seemed to be going out all night - was the Metalman Battered Fish and Chips. Tempted by all these, but we picked from elsewhere on the extensive menu.

My choice here was the Skeaghanore duck. This is a brilliant product and always ends up in a brilliant dish as was the case here. Fish is strongly featured across the menus and CL’s pick was the Pan-fried Sea-bass with Grantstown Tomato, chermoula and sautéed courgette, another superb dish.

We were feeling pretty full after all that but couldn't resist one of the desserts on the Specials Board, the Dennison’s Roast Plum and Greengage compote, pumpkin seed granola and buttermilk froyo. We shared that beauty and it was two happy punters that stepped out in the feckin’ rain! But there was a taxi in a line outside to ferry us to our hotel.

For review of the Waterford Harvest Fest, check here.
House of Waterford Crystal Tour - Recommended!
EAT Waterford. 5 Course Dinner de Luxe on The Mall.

Celtic Chef at La Boheme

Harvest Days in Waterford. Visiting the Viking City

Twenty Four Hours in Kinsale

Twenty Four Hours in Kinsale
Forts, Food, Craft Beer!

It was Friday the 13th but we weren't staying at home. We were on the road to Kinsale for an overnight stay.

First call was to Charlesfort, this time, not to visit the early 17th century fort but to take the harbourside walk that begins with a stroll down the left hand side of the sprawling complex.  There are good views of Charlesfort and the town as you start off and later the Old Head comes into view.

Charlesfort (above) and James Fort

The path, with the waters of the harbour on your right, is not the smoothest and, at one point, you have to make a short walk across a stony beach. You pass through a boatyard on your way to Lower Cove. This was where we turned back. The way forward is not clear but apparently you can reach the point with views across to the Old Head and out to sea where the Sovereign Islands lie.

We had a date with Sam and Maudeline Black at their brewery in Farm Lane. They were working their way through a busy afternoon but found time to give us a tour and tasting. After that, we checked into our hotel, the Old Bank. Though this is right smack bang in the middle of the town, I must admit I'd never heard of it.

Kinsale evening

It is part of the Blue Haven holdings here and it proved a very good base indeed. It has no parking but the public car park is quite close. We got a warm welcome and indeed spent a pleasant night here and the breakfast was very good indeed. They had some decent choices and the toast was cut from a proper loaf (Cuthbert’s), not your usual sliced pan. Good value too.

Time now for a walk down the Pier Road as the sun began to set. Got a few photos in before heading back to the hotel. Our next port of call was the relatively new restaurant, Bastion (they have Prosecco on tap!), where we enjoyed an excellent meal.

Evening in Kinsale

 Afterwards, just a few yards away, I sampled some craft beers, Black’s (of course) and Metalman, in the Malt Lane. They had quite a selection here and an even bigger selection of whiskeys.

Old Bank

We visited another fort in the morning. This is James Fort, across the water from Charlesfort which it pre-dates. Nowadays, it is stoutly defended by the OPW (no interior access) but there are fine views and also some excellent walks in the surrounding fields.

Back down to the car then and away to Garretstown where we expected to find the surfers. But they were outnumbered by canoeists from a city club who were getting some much needed practice in. Needless to say, the camera was out of the bag again.

Stayed with the coast roads until we came to another beach, this Harbour View near Kilbrittain. This looks safer, certainly calmer, than Garretstown but not as well equipped with parking facilities. Still, a lovely place to stroll around in the sun and we weren't the only ones taking advantage of the beach and the dunes.

Harbour View

 We had a late lunch pencilled in at another relatively new restaurant, this the Monk’s Lane in the middle of the village of Timoleague, famous for its ruined abbey. But before all that the camera, with fast lens attached, was put into action again in an attempt to get a few shots of cars taking part on the West Cork Rally. They were driving (though not racing at this point) along the road by the abbey.

 The meal in Monk’s Lane was superb and great to see local craft beer on sale there as well. The rally cars had vanished at that stage and we headed up towards Bandon on the way home after a lovely twenty four hours, well maybe 26, in the area.

See also: My Kinsale Guide

Black’s Brewery

Monk’s Lane Restaurant

Bastion Restaurant

Part of a walk-on circle of plaques depicting local people and
connections in the grounds of Timoleague church

PALE ALE (and maybe a pancake or two?)

METALMAN PALE ALE

 (and pancakes?)

Hot on the heels of their Dublin launch, announced earlier this week, Metalman Brewing Company will be bringing their flagship beer, Metalman Pale Ale, to Revolution Gastropub in Waterford on Tuesday March 8^th.

The eponymous Metalman Pale Ale is a golden ale, bursting with citrusy hop flavours, fresh-tasting and balanced. Coming in at an ABV of 4.3%, it will be a real thirst-quencher.

The crew behind Metalman Brewing created the inaugural batch of their beer on Friday February 4^th at a micro-brewery in Templemore, and will be road-testing the first pints at renowned specialist beer bar, the Bull & Castle, in Dublin on Thursday March 3rd.

Gráinne Walsh, director of Metalman Brewing, says “we’re really excited about having Metalman Pale Ale out in bars soon, and even more excited about getting our Waterford brewery up and running this summer.”

Owner of Revolution Gastropub, Jim Gordon, is also looking forward to the launch. “It’s really great to see a local brewery starting up in Waterford again – I believe it’s long overdue, and look forward to seeing what these guys are going to be producing for us in the future.”

Spoke to Gráinne today re stockists and she says they are still finalising the initial list of suppliers, and she'll update the blog as they are confirmed, “But for now, I can tell you that we will be in Revolution Bar in Waterford city and The Vic in Tramore. In Dublin, we'll be in the Bull and Castle in Christchurch, and Mulligan’s in Stoneybatter. More to come soon, I hope! We're starting with draft initially, but hope to have bottles out later on this year.”

Metalman Brewing are dedicated to increasing the range of flavoursome, authentically Irish beers on offer to today’s consumer. “We want to provide a delicious, high-quality choice to people whenever they order a beer, in addition to the option to support a local Irish business; Metalman Pale Ale is our first step on that road, but expect to see other beers appearing later in 2011” added Gráinne.

Metalman Pale Ale will be available on draft in Revolution Gastropub, John St., Waterford, from Tuesday March 8^th 2011.

Metalman Brewing was established in December 2010, and premises are currently being finalised for the installation of brewery equipment in Waterford. The name of the brewery comes from a local landmark in Tramore, County Waterford, which is a navigational aid erected in the 19^th century to keep seafarers on a safe route.