Showing posts with label Porterhouse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Porterhouse. Show all posts

Sunday, January 23, 2022

A Quart of Ale± #88 Craft journey with Whiplash, Brehon, Porterhouse and Journeyman. + Brewery News

 A Quart of Ale± #88

On the craft journey with a session of Whiplash, Brehon, Porterhouse and Journeyman


Whiplash Dry the Rain Double Decoction Dunkel 5.2%, 440ml can Whiplash Online


Dry The Rain sees us lightly decoct a more complex grain bill to produce our first Dunkel Lager.” Maybe not my favourite Whiplash lager but a good one.


Highlight here is the beautifully balanced bitterness towards the end.


At first glance, it is black but look longer and closer and there is an amber in there (from the Munich Malt) with a short-lived tan head. The aromas are modest, a sweet caramel and bread. And there’s more caramel on the palate, right through to the finish.

They say: We .. incorporate a traditional double stage decoction to produce a natural melanoiden that lends a rich dry and mellow caramel flavour throughout and binds this beautiful wort together. Hopped in kettle exclusively with German Magnum for a soft and unobtrusive bitter balance; this wort is cast off to meet our house German Lager yeast WLP833 in tank and is lovingly cold matured for over a month before packing - and your enjoyment.



Geek Bits

ABV 5.7%

440ml Cans

Artwork by @izzyrosegrange

Malts: MUNICH MALT; CARA BOHEMIAN

Hops: MAGNUm

Yeast: WLP833


Brehon Brewhouse Red Right Hand Barley Wine Beer 11%, 500ml bottle Bradleys


The Red Right Hand, a bourbon-aged barley wine, has a dark red, close to black, colour and is crowned with a coffee coloured soft head. Despite the high abv, it is rather gentle and easy to drink, clean, mellow and smooth. 


Really good but this bourbon-aged beer, earthy and sweet, good and all as it is, isn’t quite at the same level that their Oak & Mirrors Cask Aged Imperial Porter reaches, perhaps because the bourbon influence is very very subtle here.


Brehon have made a name for themselves with barrel-aged beers, beginning with their Crann Beatha barrel-aged stout. This one is well up to standard and, by the way, is a terrific match with Christmas pudding, with the Dunnes Stores Simply Better 12 month matured in particular. Yum on the double.


They say: The red right hand is symbolic of the historic clans of Ulster. It embodies strength, unity and character just like our Bourbon Barrel Aged Barley Wine. 




Porterhouse Renegade New England IPA 5.3%, 440ml can O’Briens Wine



Lots of hops here in the Porterhouse’s take of a New England IPA. So no shortage of flavours such as passionfruit, mango and peach, plus hints of resin. Still, in the end it is not very hoppy at all, underlined by an IBU count of 10.


It is a light orange colour, a fairly dense hazy one, with a soft white head that sinks slowly enough. Aromas are modest, citrus notes showing. It feels quite soft on the palate. The straightforward fruit flavours are pleasant enough as is the finish. Very drinkable, even more so if you’re not too pushed about the lack of hop bitterness towards the end (and that could apply to quite a lot of us).


They say: Renegade is our take on a NEIPA. With an extended whirlpool at lower temperature for a smooth soft finish. Unfiltered and heavily dry hopped with Amarillo, Galaxy & Mosaic…  This NEIPA is fermented on traditional East Coast yeast.


Journeyman India Pale Lager 5.2%, 500ml bottle, X-Mas present



I like the amber colour of this hybrid and the bubbly head that hangs around for a bit. Aromas break out with citrus, a hint of pine too. Citrus also plus tropical flavours feature on the palate where the hybrid features show themselves, the refreshing lager crispness and the punch of the new world hops. The lip-smacking lager style refreshment is the welcome quality here.


Journeyman is one of the beers made by the Pearse Lyons Brewery in Dundalk. The brewery is known as the Station Works and is one of the largest in the country. It produces beers under different brand names - Foxes Rock is another one - for various supermarkets.



Geek Bits

Malts: Ale, Oats, Cara, Wheat

Hops: Magnum, Galaxy (passionfruit, peach, citrus), Mosaic (tropical, berry, stone), Amarillo (grapefruit, peach, resinous)

IBU 10

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Brewery News

John and Phill....delighted to be back at the bar counter!
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We are delighted with tonight's announcement. We are all looking forward to getting back to normal .
Keep an eye on our social media for our entertainment schedule .Don't miss out , book your party early
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A fresh batch of Pale Ale kegged and ready to pour! After a very tough time for the hospitality trade the kegs are moving again, great to see normal bar service resume.






Thursday, January 13, 2022

A Quart of Ale± #86. On the craft journey with a session of Hope, Porterhouse, Treaty City and Journeyman

 A Quart of Ale± #86


On the craft journey with a session of Hope, Porterhouse, Treaty City and Journeyman


Hope Overnight Oats IPA 7.5%, 440ml can O’Briens Wine

A bit late to the party here. This is the 5th anniversary brew for Dublin’s Hope Brewery and was launched in the middle of 2021.  


They say: It was our Limited Edition 16 and you voted for its return as our official birthday beer! We brewed it using Norwegian Kveik yeast, flaked Irish oats (creamy) and our own home-made oat milk to give the beer a smooth body and hazy appearance.


It comes in an amber colour,  hazy (but you can see a crowded bubble scene, all on the up) while the head fades away soon enough. The aromas are modest but nonetheless complex with hints of the hops apparent. And it is certainly tropical on the palate, a quality for which the Mosaic hop (used in the dry-hopping) is noted. For all that, the sweet malt has its chance to shine in a very satisfactory anniversary beer indeed. For me, better late than never!


Founded in June 2004, Hope is now a proud local brewery at Howth Junction and drew its customers into the birthday celebrations, asking what would the celebratory brew be. “After all the votes were counted, Limited Edition #16 Overnight Oats IPA was the clear winner." Brewed in 2019 for the fruit time, the customers appreciated, among other qualities, the body and smoothness thanks “to the flaked oats and oat milk”. 


That unique Norwegian Kveik yeast also contributes to that tropical flavour and complex aroma. American Ale Yeast and the British Brett may be tops of the tops in yeast but Kveik is coming up fast, another illustration that “brewers and beer drinkers owe everything to these single-celled fungi”, that quote from Craft Beer for the Geeks. Kveik is getting popular here: Eights Degrees, Metalman, and Wicklow Wolf have been among its users in recent months.


Porterhouse Sundown Session IPA 4.0%, 440ml can O’Briens Wine


A light orange is the colour of this 4% Sundown Session from Porterhouse and it comes complete with a soft white head that hangs around for a spell. Not surprisingly, given that Citra, Mandarina and Simcoe are three of the hops involved, both the aromas and flavours feature citrus in a lead role. It is a little more complex than that though as you’ll also find no shortage of more exotic fruit plus a touch of pine at the finalé.


They tell us that it is refreshing and you can sense that yourself the second it hits the palate. So plenty of hops, flavour and refreshment all wrapped up in a 4% package. Not bad at all! May not satisfy the out and out hop heads though as there is little enough bitterness here - IBU is low at 10. Still, should be a popular session beer, which was the intention.


Geek Bits

Malts: Ale, Wheat, Oats and Crystal

Hops: Magnum, Citra, Mandarina Bavaria, Simcoe



Treaty City Outcast Juicy IPA 3.8%, 440ml can O’Briens Wine


Yellow, very pale, is the colour of this cloudy session IPA from Treaty City. It has a “massive” all-American hop line-up of Idaho 7, El Dorado, and Columbus (also known as CTZ), so expect pine, tropical (pineapple), citrus, dank, pepper and pungent in aromas and flavours. That is more or less what you get with quite a bit of fruit on the palate before a dry finish. And that US hop trio certainly lend it a hefty hit, no doubting its hoppy credentials. Overall, it is more than a satisfactory session beer though some would prefer a bit more malt input.


Malts by the way are: Pale Ale, Munich, Oats, Wheat





Journeyman Pale Ale 4.6%, 500ml bottle, Xmas gift


Amber/Gold is the colour of this Pale Ale from Dundalk; it’s got a soft white head with some stability. Hazy enough but not so much that you can’t see the shoals of bubbles rising. There’s a moderately intense scent, grapefruit and pine. And more of the same on the palate where the malted barley and wheat make their presence felt. Actually, it all comes together quite well. 


The producers of Journeyman, at the Pearse Lyons Brewery, say of this Cooper’s special batch: “You need a great barrel to make a great beer. Journeyman is steeped in the tradition and highly skilled craft of coopering, the process of making watertight barrels out of wooden staves.”

Thursday, December 30, 2021

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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Sunday, May 23, 2021

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 beergood 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.  



Tuesday, May 18, 2021

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.