A Quart of Ale± #84. On the craft journey with a session Whiplash, Porterhouse, Whitefield and Eight Degrees

 A Quart of Ale± #84

On the craft journey with an excellent session of Whiplash, Porterhouse, Whitefield and Eight Degrees

Whitefield Brewery “Woodville” Session Pale Ale 4.3%, 500ml bottle Bradleys

This pale ale from Tipperary has a light amber colour with a soft suds head that’s inclined to hand about a bit (the malt used may have something to do with that stability). There’s a lemony aroma with herbal notes and that “Mediterranean twist”. It is also found on the palate with a touch of green tea. Quite a flavoursome beer, nicely balanced with a little malt sweetness and the judicious use of the hops. An impressive session beer for sure.

For the Geek:

Hops: Styrian Fox (Slovenia).

Malt: Eraclea (Italy)

As you may know, the brewery formerly named White Gypsy has rebranded to Whitefield; the rebrand is still ongoing. Drawing all the names from their Templemore (County Tipperary) locality, even some of the beers have been renamed. This particular ale was Gladiator and is now named after a downland in Templemore.

Whiplash Blue Ghosts German Pils 5.2%, 440ml can Whiplash Online

Pale yellow is the colour of this German Pils from Whiplash who say: We’ve fermented Blue Ghosts on our favourite lager strain WLP833 - giving it all that great mouthfeel and malt complexity that the strain provides without interfering with that hop profile before allowing it the long cold sleep it deserves before packaging. …has fast become a team favourite. Grab it before we drink it all.

It is a clear beer with plenty of bubbles on view. The hops, Saaz and Hersbrucker, also bring something to the party and you’ll notice herbal hints, even grassy notes, along with the influence of Bergamot in both aromas and palate. They didn’t spare the hops using 10g/l of Saaz and Hersbrucker and say it is unique in that it is heavily whirlpool hopped, not dry hopped. Perfect for outdoors in the sun but not bad by the fireside either.

The Blue Ghosts are given some bodily heft by the use of Pilsner and Carapils malts. By the way, that yeast strain, WLP833, is regarded as ideal for German style lagers and that certainly seems to be the case here with yet another well executed beer, a really excellent lager, from the busy Whiplash team.

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Porterhouse Rambler Juicy Pale Ale 4.6%, 440ml can O’Briens Wine

The Rambler has a light orange colour in the glass with a white head. “One for the juice heads,” say Porterhouse, based on the three hops used at whirlpool and hop. Well, it is juicy, moderately hoppy also, with a good dry finish.

The three hops added to the basic Magnum are: El Dorado (Apricot, tropical, citrus), Enigma (Grape, Berry, Melon), Eukanot (Mandarin, Melon, Mango). Their individual characteristics are in the brackets so you can see how they contribute to the result with a mild enough citrus and mango to the fore. 

Dextrin, Ale, Wheat, Oats, and Crystal keep the malt end up, noticeable in the fuller body and a touch of caramel. Quite a delicious and easy drinking fruity ale to be fair, well made, and worth a try for sure.

Eight Degrees Full Irish Single Malt IPA 6.0%, 440 ml can

Gold, with an amber streak, is the colour of this Single Malt from Eight Degrees. Like the “Full Irish”, this has everything!

A lovely white head that sinks away, eventually. Lots of citrus-y aromas (grapefruit, mango ) from the four strong team of All-American hops (Amarillo, Citra, Simcoe and Cascade), floral notes too. And hops galore on the palate but not having it all their own way as the pale malt finds ways of having its biscuity say as the juice flows across. And it is bitterness and sweetness in lockstep that take you through to the end of the aftertaste, ready to go again. Not surprised that this hoppy fruit bomb has a string of awards to its credit.

Geek Bits

Style: Single malt IPA
Malt: 100% Irish pale malt
Hops: Simcoe, Cascade, Citra, Amarillo
Strength: 6.0% ABV
Bitterness: 65 IBUs

Food pairings
This single malt ale will pair beautifully with simple grilled fish and barbecued chicken kebabs, the sweet malt flavours working well with anything that’s been caramelised on the grill. Don’t miss an opportunity to try it with something spicier, like barbecued piri-piri prawns and it is also an exceptionally good match with smoked duck, the hops cutting through the rich meat. To finish, get a slice of carrot cake alongside a glass of this and revel in how the beer balances out the cake’s sweetness.

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A Quart of Ale± #52. On the craft journey with Amber & Red Ales.

A Quart of Ale± #52

On the craft journey with Amber & Red Ales. 

Do you know your amber from your red?

This may help. Then again it may not!

"Amber ale is an emerging term used in Australia, France and North America for pale ales brewed with a proportion of amber malt and sometimes crystal malt to produce an amber colour generally ranging from light copper to light brown. A small amount of crystal or other coloured malt is added to the basic pale ale base to produce a slightly darker colour, as in some Irish and British pale ales.In France the term "ambrée" is used to signify a beer, either cold or warm fermented, which is amber in colour; the beer, as in Pelforth Ambrée and Fischer Amber, may be a Vienna lager, or it may be a Bière de Garde as in Jenlain Ambrée. In North America, American-variety hops are used in varying degrees of bitterness, although very few examples are particularly hoppy. Diacetyl is barely perceived or absent in an amber ale." Source: Wikipedia

Brú Red Ale, 4.2%, 330ml can Bradleys

It’s a red ale and it is red with a pillowy off-white, coffee dusted head that shrinks as you drink. Toffee and caramel in the aromas. And that continues onto the palate, impressive entry as the malt and the hops each get a share of the limelight as the pleasant experience continues. 

They say: An aromatic red ale for today’s drinker…BRÚ Red Ale is a sophisticated and modern beer.

They also say: Mirroring the unwavering strength of Celtic figure Cuchulainn, the red ale is a mighty example of the traditional Irish style.

Well, modern or traditional, it certainly is mighty!

They say: Alongside our own range of craft beers, we also showcase the best of Ireland’s exciting drinks industry, working closely with high quality Irish breweries, distillers and cider makers. We champion local ingredients and modern Irish fare across all sites and our staff are knowledgeable and passionate about Irish produce. Each of our venues has a distinct personality but all are committed to providing a proper Céad Mile Fáilte – a hundred thousand welcomes. In short, you can expect good beer, good food and good company at every BRÚ Hospitality site.

Porterhouse Red Irish Ale, 4.2%, 500ml bottle via Bradleys

Red, not surprisingly (they use Crystal Malt), is the colour of this Porterhouse ale and there is a light coffee coloured head, a soft frothy one that hangs about a bit. There’s a tarty streak in the fruity palate and also a decent hint of the malt. I liked this really well-balanced effort a few months back and am just as impressed this time. Excellent from start to finish.

They say: Irish red ales? Yes, we know. Sweet, a bit cloying and, well, no thanks. So, it was brave of us (we say bravely) to put the words “red ale” after our own moniker. Why the hell would we do that? Because this is a real red ale, ….But sweet? No way. Balanced, yes. Fresh, yes. Aromatic, yes. In fact, we say yes, please.

Geeky Bits

Malts: Pale Ale Malt, Crystal Malt, Wheat Malt, Black Malt

Hops: Galena (US, fruity), Nugget US, (bittering) , East Kent Goldings (UK, aromatic)

ABV: 4.2%

 IBUs: 33

Kinnegar Devil’s Backbone Amber Ale 4.9%, 440ml can Ardkeen QFS 

Amber’s the colour for sure, a dark amber at that, lots of fizz in the haze. First sip introduces you to its chocolate/caramel backbone and you realise this is a serious drink, pretty robust too, a full-bodied drink you can’t ignore. Dark fruit flavours on the palate, 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. Kind of Beamish light with a Guinness bite.

I was wondering, at first, does this belong with the red ales. Seen this classed as pale ale but a better fit in red. Kinnegar themselves confirm it as “A refreshing contemporary take on a traditional Irish Red. Versatile with food and equally enjoyable on its own.” And more good news: Devil’s Backbone is available all year round. 

Dead Centre “Sham Maths” Amber Ale, 6.2%, 440ml via beercloud.ie 

Dead Centre’s well-made well-balanced Amber Ale has, you’ve guessed it, an amber colour (Crystal Malt again!) with a nice soft head. Quite a delicious harmony, with toffee and caramel playing the lead, follows on the palate, and that pleasant balance is further enhanced by a judicious use of bittering hops. By the way, you don’t get too many Ambers (or Reds) at 6.2 abv. 

Athlone’s Dead Centre is Westmeath’s first and only craft brewery. They say: We’re big fans of Amber Ale at Dead Centre Brewing, so when we decided to make a hoppy American Amber…we wanted to do it right…and that’s exactly what we did! A marriage of Pale Malt, Munich Malt, Chocolate Malt and Crystal Malt combine to form a beautifully full and sweet foundation for this deep copper ale that pours with a smooth, firm head. Simcoe and Centennial are the stars of the show on the hops front. Clocking in at 6.2%, Sham Maths is the perfect step up from our core IPA, Marooned.

Dead Centre Brewing may be found on Custume Quay in Athlone. It offers, outside of Covid restrictions, a combined experience including brewery tour, beer tasting and pizza. Now there’s a combination that’s hard to resist.  

A Quart of Ale± #51. On the craft journey with lager

A Quart of Ale± #51

Galway Hooker

On the craft journey with lager from Western Herd, Augustiner, Porterhouse and Galway Hooker, a pretty decent crew!

Western Herd "Loop Head" Pilsner 4.5%, 440ml can Bradleys

My first close encounter with a Clareman wasn’t promising. It was during the 1963 Harty Cup final. I’d just come on as an early sub and the foxy fecker at full back said: “First ball that comes in, I’ll split you open.” The Ennis CBS guy didn’t know that his 16 year opponent had been learning the tricks in Junior B hurling around East Cork and we (St Finbarr’s), having beaten Flannan’s (a Clare-Tipp amalgam) in the semi-final, went to to win.

No looking back in anger. I love Clare, its people, its cliffs, its caves, its Burren, its food, and for the last two years or so, its beers, particularly those made by Western Herd.

Their website says this Loop Head Pilsner is crystal clear. It’s not. Not as dense as Loop Head on a foggy day, but certainly not clear. Plenty of bubbles rising through the murky light gold to a quickly thinning head. Yeast and malt on the slightly sour nose for sure. After that, the anticipated crisp clean Pilsner style comes through and we’ve got a central European lager, a pretty serious one, to enjoy from the west coast of Ireland. 

And that was their plan all along, based on “a single malt and simple hop bill”. Hops were Saaz and Perle, the malt Pilsner, with a Lager yeast of course.

Pilsner is one of the main styles of European lager. But what exactly is it? Pilsner is a pale lager named after the Czech city of Pilsen from where it originated. This bright golden beer is typically crystal clear with a large amount of foam. Saaz hops are a must for this style offering a spiciness to the beer resulting in some earthy, floral, crisp flavours. A refreshing Pilsner is always a popular choice.

They say: The lager is named after the Loop Head lighthouse which has been guiding merchant ships along the west coast for a long time with vital shipments safely reaching the beer fans of Clare via this old maritime route.

Loop Head on a foggy day

These days, beer is shipped out of the county too. Like this crisp, dry Pilsner you’re holding. Enjoy its slightly fruity finish and think of the fresh crush of the Atlantic waves the Loop Head lighthouse watches over.

My last visit to Clare was disrupted by another foxy fellow,  called Trump and, having followed many and long detours, by the time I arrived at Loop Head, the fog had set in. I would have had been better employed had I decided to sample the beers of Western Herd in McHughs in Ennis or in Flanagan’s of Lahinch. Now, that’s a tip for you. I didn’t get to the bars, didn’t know about them then, but I did find the beers in a few restaurants and was impressed as I am with this pretty serious Pilsner. So if you’re toasting County Clare, put a Western Herd in your glass and enjoy.

Augustiner Maximator Starkbier Doppelbock, 7.5%, 500ml bottle via Bradleys

It’s the “Max” and it’s got a dark amber robe; tall, dark and handsome could well describe this Dopplebock from a monastery brewery. There’s a soft bubbly head that slowly, quite slowly, sinks down to the liquid mass.

The aromas are complex: figgy sweet, caramel and herbal notes too in the melange. And it continues dark and sweet (balanced) on the palate, from first sip until the swallow, smooth and intense, the malt a delicious factor, the alcohol also a pleasant factor in the unusual experience. Not your normal lager but one well worth trying.

They recommend it as “perfect for celebratory occasions during the colder parts of the year”.

No wonder the malt is key here. Augustiner is one of the few breweries in the world “that has a considerable output to operate its own floor maltings”. The maltings in the cellar of the brewery building are probably the largest in the world. Here, the grains are spread out in thin layers on special Solnhofer stone slabs on the floor and continuously turned mechanically. Although this process is highly labour intensive, the malt produced is of the highest quality. As is the beer.

Check A Quart of Ale± #37 https://www.corkbilly.com/2021/03/a-quart-of-ale-37-moving-on-over-to.html for details on another Augustiner beer, the Edelstoff.

Porterhouse Pilsner, 5%, 500ml bottle via Bradleys

This lager in amber, with a soft white top, comes from a proud Porterhouse. “Fear no more, Porterhouse Pilsner is here.”

The depth of malt (Lager Malt, Cara Malt, Vienna Male, Munich Malt) shows up in the aromas and then paces smoothly across the classic palate where its got active company from a posse of hops (Galena, Nugget, Hallertau Hersbrucker, Hallertau Perle). An irresistible double act.

Amber? Yes. But you don’t have to a gambler to land on the jackpot here. And when you do, you’ve got strong reliable company for a seriously good session. Cheers.

Galway Hooker Amber Lager, 4.3%, 500ml bottle O’Donovan’s

It’s a gorgeous amber, clear with fountains of bubbles rising up towards a slowly sinking white head. A taste (a fingertip dip) of the foam tells me its dry, with hops and malt in harmony. And so it is. Very well balanced indeed with a refreshing edge to cut and a good finish as well, clean, crisp. Perhaps the best of the three core Galway beers tasted recently.

It is close to the Vienna style, very close, smooth with a good nutty malt flavours and with just sufficient bitterness on the palate; it is full bodied and fits into the session category too. And if the session calls for some food, then spicy foods, chicken, pizza are recommended.

They say: We are an independent artisan brewery based in the west of Ireland dedicated to the production of high quality, natural and full flavoured beers. All of our beers are craft brewed by combining the finest ingredients with traditional brewing techniques. The result is a beer that has received numerous awards, including being twice named as Ireland’s Best Beer.

We consider beer to be like any other food: the fresher and less processed the better. Our beers are therefore devoid of any preservatives and are brewed using only malt, hops yeast and water. We are passionate about producing exciting and innovative beers that are bursting with flavour and character. Galway Hooker was the first permanent pale ale to be produced in Ireland and is widely regarded as a leading light in the Irish craft beer sector. It has now firmly established itself as a favourite amongst beer enthusiasts. Our flagship beer, Galway Hooker Irish Pale Ale, is available nationwide in both bottle and draught.

The brewery was established in 2006 by two first cousins, Aidan Murphy and Ronan Brennan. Aidan has over ten years experience in the brewing industry and has worked in several breweries around the world. He also holds a master’s degree in Brewing and Distilling. Ronan takes care of all their customers. Their flagship beer, Galway Hooker Irish Pale Ale, is available nationwide in both bottle and draught.

A Quart of Ale± #47. On the craft journey with Stout and Porter

 A Quart of Ale± #47

On the craft journey with Stout and Porter

O’Hara’s Irish Stout 4.3%, 500ml bottle via Radical Drinks

The 2014 edition of the Beer Handbook acknowledges the O’Hara’s family expertise in stout such as this “medium-bodied, drier end, near-black..”  But gives the big thumbs up to their Leann Folláin.

O’Hara’s, trading as Carlow Brewing, were part of the first wave of Irish craft brewing. They started in 1996 before expanding into a new brewery in Bagnalstown in 2009. 

They say of this stout: The flagship of the O’Hara’s brand, this uniquely Irish stout brings one back to how Irish stouts used to taste. First brewed in 1999, it has since been awarded prestigious honours for its quality and authenticity. The combination of traditional stout hops with an extra pinch of roast barley allows us to stay true to Irish tradition, recreating a taste so often yearned for by stout drinkers.

The Handbook may say near-black but its black as far as I’m concerned, black with a fluffy cream-coffee coloured head. Aromas too of coffee, rich and complex. And that follows to the mouth, with sturdy roast flavours it flows smooth and full-bodied on the way to a dry tart finish, again with that coffee prominent. A classic that leaves me looking forward to trying the Leann Folláin (which is in my queue, not a very long one!).

Geek Bits

Style: Traditional Dry Irish Stout

ABV: 4.3% 

Plato °: 10.75°

IBU: 36

Fermentation: Top fermentation

Availability: Keg (nitrogenated), Bottle 50cl and 33cl, occasional 41L cask.

Serve: 6-10°C.  For our bottled version, some enjoy this stout served in the traditional way in southeast Ireland at room temperature “off the shelf”. 

Food Pairing: Excellent with seafood particularly shellfish and smoked salmon. Also pairs well with strong flavoured cheeses and dry cured meats such as Parma ham.

Glass: O’Hara’s tulip glass

O Brother “The Nightcrawler” Milk Stout,  4.5%, 440ml via beercloud.ie 

O Brother introduce The Nightcrawler as “our darkly delicious Nitro Milk Stout. Spreading darkness into the beery world from today! Dark brown to black in colour.” 

From my can, colour is more black than brown with a coffee-dust coloured head that hangs around for a spell. Not at all thick and creamy as you might read in the blurb (perhaps they’re talking draught). And there’s a touch of lightly roasted coffee about the aromas. On the palate it is mildly smooth coffee, chocolate and vanilla notes and a lightness in the body that is more typical of porter. Pretty good balance and nothing too bitter at all in the finish. 

You’ll sometimes see this billed as a Nitro. But O Brother themselves clear this up on their Facebook page: “We can't get the nitro effect in cans or bottles so it's draught only I'm afraid.”  Pleasing enough from the can though.

They say: We’ve been working hard, pushing ourselves to get even more fresh, interesting and exciting beers out the brewery door. We've been having an amazing time working with some of our fellow brewers and a host of talented artists on our 'Off The Wall' beer series too...

Porterhouse “Plain Porter”, 4.2%, 500ml bottle via Bradleys

Black is the colour. Head? What head? Aromas are plain enough: coffee and chocolate. Flavours are just as obvious and the mouthfeel is smooth on the way to a dry and slightly bitter finale.  

I reckon Scaldy (by Dublin’s Whiplash) and Liberty (by Cork’s Elbow Lane) are among the top porters at present though I’m always aware of the old saying: different strokes for different folks. And this beer has gold medals to its name!

And the name? Well, when “…no rashers grease your pan / A pint of plain is yer only man.”

They say: Our Plain Porter – porter is a lighter version of stout – is a double gold medal winner. We brew for taste and in the brewing we look carefully at how we do it

Geek Bits

Food Pairings: Beefy Stew, Roast Lamb

Malts: Roast barley, Black Malt, Flaked Barley

Hops: Galena, Nugget, East Kent Goldings

Galway Hooker Irish Stout 4.5%, 500ml bottle O’Donovan’s

Galway hooker Irish Stout is available on draught and in 50cl bottle. My bottle poured black with a short-lived off-white head. Aromas are coffee dominated. Coffee too on the palate along with dark malt flavours and it stays strong all the way to the finalé, dry on those lips.  

This one may well find its place at the table. They recommend matching with hearty meat dishes, hard cheeses or as an after dinner drink.

Quite a tradition in this country of people drinking lighter beers (mainly lager) in summer and the darker ones in winter. Galway Hooker maintain a blog and have a post on the subject: 

Darker beers usually contain slighter higher carbohydrate levels and perhaps that is the reason our primordial brains seek out this additional nutrition at a time when food was historically hard to come by. Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that stouts and darker ales become more popular at the expense of paler lagers and ciders during the winter period.

More at Galway hooker Blog: http://www.galwayhooker.ie/blog.html.

A Quart of Ale± #39. Moving on over to craft with a session of IPA.

A Quart of Ale± #39

Moving on over to craft with a session of IPA.

Western Herd “Magic Road” IPA, 5.8%, 440ml can via Bradleys

Clare’s Western Herd bill this as a New England style IPA “brewed using experimental hops from the Charles Faram development program, so new to Irish brewing, they don’t even have names yet”.  They are acknowledged though via numbers on the can label.

Colour is a hazy lemon. Quite a bit of citrus (lemon) in the aromas along with a touch of pine. And you again meet the citrus and pine on the palate, nicely balanced here all the way through to the satisfactory finalé of this quite distinctive IPA with its dry and satisfying bite.

The instigators and leads of the Western Herd are the brother and sister team of Michael Eustace and Maeve Sheridan. “Our great, great, great, great, great, grandfather farmed the land where our brewery now stands.  Every time we would visit the farm growing up we would think ‘if only we could bottle this’!!!  We aspire to brew beers that embody the charm and character of this idyllic hilltop farm on the west coast of Ireland.” Bridger Kelleher is the brewer. He’s from Montana where they know their beer.

Label tale: Those privy to the holiday episode of Father Ted will have heard about the “Magic Road” - a place on the mainland where the laws of gravity have no meaning. A physics-defying wonder where cars roll up it. So, it’s a sort of a “mad road’, according to Dougal.

Notes for the Geek:

Style
New England IPA

Hops
CF160 (Mystic), CF184, CF185

Malts
Pale, Malted Oats, Flaked Oats, White Wheat, CaraPils

Rascals Yankee White IPA, 5.0%, 330 can via Bradleys

Rascals introduce this “hybrid” as: American IPA meets Belgian Witbier. Yankee is a hybrid of the two styles, hopped like an American IPA with the malt bill of a wheat beer and fermented with Belgian Wit yeast. 

Mid-amber, slightly hazy, is the colour; bubbles galore and it comes with a big fluffy head that is inclined to hang about. Aromas, as you might expect from the hops used and the addition of orange peel, are heavily in the citrus spectrum, some pine and herb also in the complex mix. And you get much the same on the palate as the soft hop-loaded beer moves gently across. Soft and light but with a refreshing and crisp finish. While the touted contribution of spice from the Belgian yeast is barely noticeable, Witbier does have some presence here; however, the complex hop flavour is centre-stage and I’m happy enough to place this under an IPA heading.

FOR THE BEER GEEKS!

Style: White IPA
Malts: Lager, Wheat, Oats, Acid
Hops: Magnum, Mandarina Bavaria, Mosaic, Citra, Amarillo 

Other: Orange Peel

Bitterness: Medium

Label: IPA meets Belgian Witbier and orange peel. Unfiltered. Unpasteurised. 

Porterhouse “Yippy” IPA 5.0%, 500ml bottle via Bradleys

Mid-amber is the colour of this heavy-on-the-hops American style IPA from Dublin’s Porterhouse. Aromas are fresh, pine and citrus. And the hop bill too plays a prominent role in the mouth with citrus and pine to the fore. Quite an impressive presence actually and the nicely judged bitterness is another plus from this refreshing drink.

Hops are Cascade, Amarillo, Mosaic and Citra plus Nugget and centennial.  Malts are Ale Malt, Wheat Malt, Dextrin Malt, Oat Malt, Vienna Malt and the brewery’s suggested pairings are the old reliables Burgers and Chicken Wings

Quite a few of the newer craft breweries are keen to tout their environmental credentials and Porterhouse have quite a list to their credit.

• Our spent hops are collected by mulch (http://mulch.ie) and are used for composting.
• Our effluent treatment system ensures waste water is safe to release to the water supply. Regular testing both by the brewery and Dublin water ensures this.
• Our modern brewing equipment is designed with energy efficiency in mind, heat exchangers reclaim energy in the form of heat and an extensive insulation system ensures the efficient use of our refrigeration system.
• The Brewery is a verified member of Origin Green (https://www.origingreen.ie/), a Bord Bia initiative enabling Ireland’s food/Drink industry to set and achieve sustainable food/Drink production.
• Our spent grain is collected by a farmer south of Dublin and used as cattle feed.

Third Barrel “Break from the Haze” West Coast IPA 8.5%, 440 Bradley’s

Don’t always get along with high ABV beers but Break from the Haze is highly compatible. It is, though, quite hazy in the glass, colour is close to orange and there’s a slight head that hangs around (though briefly). Aromas are fruity (of the exotic kind), along with citrus and gooseberry.

The “stupidly big dose” of New Zealand Bruce (for the dry hop) makes an immediate impact on the palate but the tropical fruit stands out too. Dense, like most high ABV beers, but the balance works well here as heft and harmony combine to the satisfying finale. One to sip and savour as you try and work out the design on the can. Looks a bit like the fingerprint I use to sign in to the Apple!

They say: This big ass double West Coast IPA is brewed with Loral and Idaho 7 hops in the whirlpool and a stupidly big dose of New Zealand Bruce for the dry hop.

So who are They? Third Barrel is a unique concept, a collaboration brewery between Stone Barrel Brewing and Third Circle Brewing who have combined their experience, resources, love for brewing and absolute passion for beer to create one of Ireland’s most cutting edge breweries. They can be found in Bluebell (D12).