On the craft trail with a smoky porter and a hoppy micro, thanks to Kinnegar and Whiplash.

On the craft trail with a smoky porter and a hoppy micro, thanks to Kinnegar and Whiplash.

Kinnegar Smoked Maple Porter, 4.2% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

Kinnegar had to "poke around" quite a bit before finding the malt combo that gave them the right amount of smokeiness   “to ensure a caracterful yet very easy drinking beer”. 

You’ll come across that smokiness, think of sweet smoked bacon, in the aromas, and it shows too on the palate. They have added “a strand of maple syrup… to round out the flavour and enrich the drinking experience!” The Maple Syrup’s cameo is just that. By the way, the herbaceous Fenugreek (sometimes used to flavour cheese) and Maple are listed in the ingredients.

An easy drinker then that weighs in at 4.2% ABV. Highly Recommended but you’d better like your smoky bacon. I’d be surprised to see this make the jump from the Brewers at Play series to their core beer line-up.

The porter pairs well with glazed ham, bacon, and Belgian waffles and the Full Irish of course, the one with two of everything (especially, and essentially, rashers!)

Whiplash Northern Lights Micro IPA, 2.8% ABV, 440 ml can No 21 Cork

This hazy IPA from Whiplash comes in a light gold colour with a foamy short-lived head. It may well be micro in terms of ABV but nothing shy about the hops, both in the aromas and on the palate. There’s a full-on blast of citrussy fruits thanks to the generous input of Vic Secret and Mosaic hops. Big on flavour, low on alcohol, an excellent beer and ideal for a session. Highly Recommended.

The introduction of  ‘Micro IPA’ was “one of our proudest moments of 2018”, according to the brewery. “When we dropped Northern Lights at Hop City last April we thought we’d be crucified for bringing a knife to a gun fight of 10%+ IPAs. Instead, people came to us and said this stuff is rocking, fun, and accommodating of the sesh. We thought so too. So much was the fun of drinking our 2.8% hop bomb over those weeks that we decided, fuck it, let’s keep this beer on year round. That July we rolled out Northern Lights as a year round offering and man it’s fun to have around.”

On the Craft Trail with Rye River and Whiplash, a retro IPA and a rice lager

On the Craft Trail with Rye River and Whiplash, a retro IPA and a rice lager.

Rye River Retro IPA, 5.6% ABV, 500 ml bottle Supervalu Mayfield

Hops shine through the malty aromatics of this throwback IPA

Rye River introduces Retro as a traditional-style IPA. It’s superbly balanced with a caramelised malt and floral hop character, and a rounded mouthfeel. Within its amber-coloured body, Cascade and Columbus hops shine through the malty aromatics of this throwback IPA. Very Highly Recommended.

The Kildare-based brewery, founded in 2013, makes exclusive beer for some of Ireland’s biggest retailers, including Lidl, Tesco and Dunnes. They also produce for a huge range of off-licences, and the likes of Coastal IPA and Upstream Pale are very popular and found on tap in many pubs. Rye River are a busy brewery and has no plans to stop growing!

Not too busy though to consider a more sustainable approach: “We know we have a big part to play, and it is our responsibility as one of the largest independent breweries in Ireland to build a more sustainable future… This is why we have invested in using only 100% wind-generated energy at our brewery from Beale Wind Farm in Kerry.”

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Whiplash (with Chimac) Rise Crispy Rice Lager, 4.5% ABV, 

440 ml can Bradleys

an exclusive, limited edition rice lager, a collaboration of Chimac and Whiplash 

It is pale gold in colour with a fluffy white head and is obviously highly carbonated. Aromas are delicate, subtly floral. There’s a good balance between the slight malt sweetness and the soft bitterness of the hops. It is light and crisp in the mouth, more delicate and smoother than your craft pils, but way more interesting than your mainstream lager. The finish is dry and refreshing.  Highly Recommended.

They say: “This is a thirst-quenching rice lager,  crisp and more-ish, designed with our friends at Chimac to complement their delicious Korean Fried chicken perfectly.  The addition of Saphir lends a light tangerine bite and Perle hops in the Whirlpool, and the clean, fluffy finish makes it perfect for pints.”

Nothing but compliments from Chimac, who explains how the beer came about: “When we took a trip to Korea in 2016, we fell in love with the cultural phenomenon which is chimaek - the most delicious fried chicken you could ever imagine, served with crisp, refreshing ice-cold beer.

When we opened Chimac in Dublin’s Aungier Street in 2019, putting together a top-notch beer menu featuring the best Irish independently owned breweries was a no-brainer. We love our selection, but have always struggled to replicate the clean, crisp golden nectar we enjoyed in Korea.”

“Whiplash Beer has knocked it out of the park with RISE - stunning 440ml cans of the best rice lager we could have imagined, brewed expertly in Ballyfermot.”

Geek Bits

EBC: 6
IBU: 30
ABV: 4.5%

HOPS: SAPHIR, PERLE

On the craft trail with 9 White Deer and Whiplash

On the craft trail with 9 White Deer and Whiplash 

9 White Deer Stag Stout 4.2% ABV, Bradleys

 

“remember how creamy the pints used to be”

This gluten-free Stag Stout, from Ballyvourney’s 9 White Deer, weighs in at 4.2% ABV. It is a glossy black colour with a soft tan head. Aromas are rich and rammed with chocolate promise, which is fully delivered in the mouth. Here, the chocolate and Madagascan vanilla (each listed in the ingredients) play the most pleasing duet as the rich and smooth beer finds its way around. The chocolate is never over the top though and the stout is distinctive and delicious. Smooth and creamy, all without any nitro! And it is also gluten-free.

They say: Stag Stout is a medium-bodied traditional dry Irish stout at 4.2 % ABV. It is designed to appeal primarily to traditional stout drinkers, who remember how creamy the pints used to be. The complex recipe we developed brings back to life characteristics that are long forgotten. However, this stout is like no other; Stag Stout also happens to be gluten-free, the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

The combination of the medium body, low carbonation and low hop bitterness makes Stag Stout a dangerously drinkable stout that tastes every bit as gorgeous as it looks. The promise from 9 White Deer is that as you enjoy a pint of Stag Stout, you will agree with them in their assertion that it is the “Smoothest Stout in Ireland”.  It certainly is a good one!

Whiplash Blue Ghosts Pils 5.2% ABV, 330 ml can, Bradleys 

 

Mid gold is the colour of this German Pils from Whiplash. It is a clear beer with plenty of bubbles in view. The hops, Saaz and Hersbrucker, also bring something to the party, and you’ll notice herbal hints, even grassy notes, along with a hint of Bergamot in both the aroma 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 corporal heft by the hops. 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, one of a series of excellent lagers from the busy Whiplash team. The other styles that they focus on are big stouts, IPAs and porters.

On the craft trail with Whiplash, Brehon and Hopfully

On the craft trail with Whiplash, Brehon and Hopfully

Whiplash Body Riddle Pale Ale 4.5% ABV, 330 ml can

“light on malts… plenty of hops”

Absolutely enjoyable, from start to finalé. Not too much more to say about this gem but, with me, that’s often a good sign. I’ve made up my mind early and the verdict is a major thumbs up for the little can. Best of goods in small parcels.

It is a vibrant gold beer, hazy with a foamy white crown. The aroma is a mix of citrus fruits, with lemon, grapefruit, and orange leading the way. The flavour is even more citrus-forward than the aroma, with citrus again prominent. There is also a touch of sweetness, from the malt, which helps balance the bitterness from the hops. The finish is dry and refreshing, with a lingering citrusy flavour

Very Highly Recommended. Good for a session too! 

Brehon Bech Bretha Braggot 9.0% ABV, 500 ml bottle Bradleys

This “hybrid”, somewhere between ale and mead, looks like a red ale in the glass with a slim off-white head and tastes somewhat like a barrel-aged beer. Aromas speak of the malt rather than the sweetness of the honey (by the way, not all mead is sweet, even if the drink is made by fermenting the sugars in honey!). And, yes, honey is included in the list of ingredients.

The palate here is very pleasant, packed with flavour and gentle caramel notes, and the malt sweetness seeps through. This trans-Atlantic collaboration between Brehon and Gulf Stream Brewing (from the US) is Highly Recommended.

What is a Braggot?  You may well ask. Brehon explains: “Well, in simple terms, it's a cross between a mead and an ale. We've brewed it with grains, hops, and heaps of honey. Some historic references suggest braggot is a Celtic drink dating back to at least the 12th century.”

“If you were making honey in 7th Century Ireland, your bees were protected by a set of laws known as the Bechbretha, just like precious cattle. You yourself were required to offer your kin a ‘tairgille’; an item of personal significance as a pledge of your good bee-keeping behaviour. So here’s an offering of our own; a fitting tribute to the wisdom of

Brehon Law.” Those ancient Brehon Laws were loaded with more common sense than much modern legislation.

With its high abv and strong flavours, pairing the Braggot with strong cheeses, sweet chocolates, and caramel desserts makes sense.

Pioneering Cork meadery, Kinsale Mead, talking about their own mead, says fruit with a tart element, can be a good choice. “So is dark chocolate, especially if it's got a touch of sea salt. Salted nuts also do well.” 

Hopfully Legswap Raspberry & Lime Sour, 5.0% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

This “perfect summer drink” fell behind in the queue and that means I’m drinking it in mid-winter. I also drank it away back in 2021, and the brewers have recently revived it (with quite a different line-up) and are “thrilled to have this one back in stock!” It is inspired by the Raspberry-Lime Rickey cocktail and has fizzy and tart characteristics.

It comes with a gorgeous red hue in the glass, and there’s even a pink tinge in the soft white head. Crisp and refreshing on the palate with a burst of fruit and a zesty tang of citrus and a lip-smacking finish. This easy-drinking sour is probably best in the summertime, but I enjoyed this can in winter.

Malts used are IPA, Pale Ale, Wheat, Oats, Vienna and Carapils while the hop is Azaka. So, all change there from 2021, but Raspberries and Lime Juice are still included in the ingredients list, and you’ll definitely note them as players on the palate. Artwork by Stasele Jakunskaite

Highly Recommended.

Straight-up modern American IPA. Whiplash Bone Machine is Beer of the Week.

 Whiplash Bone Machine IPA, 6.2%. Beer of the week

“Straight-up modern American IPA”

Bone Machine IPA promises much at first glance with its hazy light gold body and an attractive big bubbly head. And this 6.2 percenter from Whiplash does not flatter to deceive. It is Loaded with hops and you get a posse of tropical aromas. And that translates to the taste buds as well, packed with papaya and pineapple flavours and another reminder from the hops as the finalé approaches. Very Highly Recommended and Beer of the Week.

The newish BRU -1 hop delivers aromas of freshly cut pineapples and green fruits when used as a whirlpool or dry hop addition. The other hops here are El Dorado (well known for its tropical fruit flavours reminiscent of pineapple and mango),  Ekuanot (known for citrus and tropical, think papaya, characteristics), while Cascade is regarded as the definitive hop, “the hop that made hops famous” and has been well regarded in ales since its 1971 introduction.

Whiplash are very happy with Bone Machine: “Straight-up modern American IPA. 100% Whirlpool hopped with Cascade and double dry hopped with Ekuanot and BRU-1, it brings candied lemon, papaya, and pineapple to the flavour”.

Geek Bits

Malts: Maris Otter, Oat Malt, Wheat Malt 

Hops: BRU-1, Ekuanot, Cascade, El Dorado.

Whiplash Reckoner Strata IPA. Beer of the Week. A hop lover’s dream come true

Whiplash Reckoner Strata IPA, 6.3% ABV, 440 ml can 

A strataspheric beer that is a hop lover’s dream come true

The colour is a light to mid-gold. The hazy beer has a good mix of tropical fruit aromas with dank notes. Fruit flavours (Pineapple and Passionfruit) are outstanding on the palate. Whiplash certainly hit the bullseye here as they so often do and have come up with yet another beautifully balanced beer and a terrific example of an IPA, our Beer of the Week.

The only hops used are Strata, which account for the bold and complex flavours. Whiplash claims that the stratospheric beer “is a hop lover’s dream come true.”

Sure is, and it is Very Highly Recommended.

Founded in 2016, the Dublin-based Whiplash draws inspiration from the best traditional and modern beers to craft an impressive range that has earned it quite a following.

Geek Bits:

Malts - Maris Otter, Wheat Malt, Oat Malt, Carapils.

Hops: Strata

UK Units: 2.8

See the fully updated Beer of the Week listings here.

Hop, hop, hurray! At last, a superb non-alcoholic ale! On the craft trail with Wicklow Wolf, West Kerry and Whiplash.

On the craft trail with a super non-alcoholic IPA from Wicklow Wolf, a dark West Kerry Ale and a lighter one from Whiplash. 

Wicklow Wolf 0.5 ABV Non-Alcoholic IPA, 330 ml can

Hop, hop, hurray! At last, a superb non-alcoholic ale!

Light gold and hazy in the glass, this new non-alcoholic IPA from Wicklow Wolf has a soft white head that doesn’t hang about. Aromas are citrusy, but the hoppy palate gives us hope that we have found the long-awaited good Irish-made non-alcoholic beer. So, I have a warm welcome for this one and am happy to give a big thumbs up. Serve at eight degrees and enjoy!

They say:  “Our brewers have been working on this recipe for over a year, trialling and perfecting it. The result? An unbelievably flavourful non-alcoholic beer that’s brewed without compromise, using speciality malts and juicy hops. Say hello..”

So, if my wish for a decent Irish non-alcoholic beer has been granted, what do I want next? Just put it in a bigger can, lads!

Geek Bits

Hops: Bravo, Citra, Idaho 7.

Malts: Pale, Cara Blond, Carapils

West Kerry Cúl Dorcha Dark Ale, 5.0% ABV, 500 ml bottle, Bradleys

a delicious and well-made beer.

The colour of this West Kerry Ale, a traditional dark ale from the Dingle Penisula, is a deep ruby red with an off-white head that stays around. There are roasted malts on the nose and hints of smoke. The malt runs deep in the complex palate, caramel and, towards the end, chocolate. English hops are used “for an easy drinking beer with a slightly spiced hop note to finish”.

It is indeed a distinctive beer, as we’ve come to expect from West Kerry, where sculptor Adrienne is also the owner and brewer at Tig Bhric, the public house where the West Kerry brewery is based. Very Highly Recommended

Tour the brewhouse and enjoy a tasting in the pub afterwards, or take a technical tour where you get to pick the brains of one of the brewers. Check details on the website here. 

Whiplash Body Riddle Pale Ale 4.5% ABV, 330 ml can 

“light on malts… plenty of hops”

The Whiplash Body Riddle Pale Ale is a vibrant gold beer, hazy with a foamy white head. By the way, keep a small bit in the can. When the head slips down, pour in the balance at a good rate, and that will revive the white crown. The aroma is a mix of citrus fruits, with lemon, grapefruit, and orange leading the way. There are also hints of pine and herbs, which add a touch of complexity.

The flavour is even more citrus-forward than the aroma, with lemon and grapefruit dominating. There is also a touch of sweetness, from the malt, which helps balance the bitterness from the hops. The finish is dry and refreshing, with a lingering citrusy flavour.

The Body Riddle Pale Ale is brewed with a blend of Lemondrop, Galaxy, Simcoe, and Ekuanot hops. These hops all contribute to the beer's citrusy flavour profile. But don't worry. There’s more than citrus here, with the other hops all getting into the action and the malts doing their bit.

This beer is perfect for a session with friends. It's also a great beer to pair with food, as the citrus flavours can complement a variety of dishes. Good for a session too!

Very Highly Recommended.