On the Craft Trail with 9 White Deer and Wicklow Wolf. A couple of cracking lagers.

On the Craft Trail with 9 White Deer and Wicklow Wolf. 

A couple of cracking lagers.

Wicklow Wolf Hideaway Helles Lager, 4.0% ABV, 440 ml can, Bradleys

Escape the noise. Savour the peace!

This new Helles Lager from Wicklow Wolf comes in a mid-gold colour. Aromas and floral are a little on the delicate side before this well-balanced Helles comes into its own on the palate, where you'll find it malt-forward, refreshing, flavourful and quickly drunk.

By the way, I wondered if Helles Lager involves a bit of tautology. Apparently not. The term "Helles" refers to a specific style of pale lager originating from Germany, mainly from Munich. "Lager" is a type of beer that is fermented and conditioned at low temperatures, describing the brewing process. So Helles is one type of lager, as is pils, the word itself coming from the German word for "bright" or “pale”. Or maybe from Helios, the Greek word for the sun god - just showing off there!

Away from tautology now and on to the philosophical motivation that Wicklow Wolf deployed as they launched this Helles, a beer they are obviously (and rightly) proud of. “This is your ticket to a moment of calm and clarity. Hideaway is the perfect companion to transport you to your sacred space – your hideaway. Escape the noise, savour the simplicity, and let this clean, balanced lager be your moment of zen.… Whether you're unwinding after a long day or taking a quiet moment for yourself, Hideaway is the perfect escape.”

Back to earth now, though. This is an excellent smooth beer. It is Very Highly Recommended. Enjoy a couple of bevvies for casual drinking or pairing with various foods. If you’re a Jack Grealish fan you might skip the alcohol and go for a couple of bovvies* instead.

* Bovril, a favourite of Jack’s, as he revealed on the Netflix series on Man City.

9 White Deer Stag Kölsch Lager, 4.2% ABV, 500 ml bottle, O’Donovan’s Off Licence

Extended lagering time allows this beer to develop fully.

Kölsch is a style of beer, of the lager family, originating in Cologne, Germany. In appearance, this 9 White Deer produced example is bright and clear with a gold/amber colour. And a soft white head.

The Stag Kolsch, with its high carbonation level and gentle hop character, is palate-friendly with an almost creamy feel. Easy to quaff and easy to see how this refreshing gluten-free and flavoursome beer (more malty than hoppy) has become quite a seller, widely available in both bottle and draught.

The team in 9 White Deer have certainly cracked the style here. They have brewed with German Nobel Hops, Premium Irish and German Malt and German Yeast. Stag Kolsch gets “an extended lagering time where it can develop and mature into a classic premium European style beer”. 

9 White Deer had some help from the soft local water and a famous German brewmaster. Soft is the operative word here as the water, from the Cork and Kerry mountains, is really soft, just perfect for lager-style beers. And the guidance they got from Roland, then brewmaster of the well known Munich brewery Augustiner and still a friend of the Ballyvourney brewery, could not have been bettered. Kolsch and 9 White Deer were on their way.

The Hideaway may be a bit smoother but the Stag has a slight edge in aroma and flavour, a little more brio. Each is Very Highly Recommended.

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. 

Beer of the Week. Wicklow Wolf Apex Oatmeal Stout

 Wicklow Wolf Apex Oatmeal Stout, 6.5% ABV, 440 ml can

“A full-flavoured stout that will leave you wanting more.”

“A full-flavoured stout that will leave you wanting more.” That’s the message from Wicklow Wolf.

The stout is black with a coffee-coloured head (short-lived). Coffee is also in the aromatics. On the palate, intense stuff (coffee and chocolate) with a semi-sweet creamy smoothness. It is creamy and full-flavoured from start to finish. And yes, more is the request! No surprise that there have been a few "spin-offs" from this superb stout, including a Black Cherry Oatmeal Stout, Apex Tiramisu Oatmeal Stout, and Chocolate Oat Milk Coconut Stout.

Very Highly Recommended and Beer of the Week.

It is a member of the Alpha Pack, their core range. They say: Apex champions a heavy malt bill, brewed with only the best flaked Irish Oats, specialty chocolate and coffee malts.” Expect an intense burst of fresh roast coffee, milk chocolate & a delicious creamy smoothness. A full flavoured stout that will leave you wanting more.

Bravo hops hit the scene around 2006 and quickly became a preferred bittering hop. Yakima Hops says it also contributes fruity and floral tones that work well in IPAs, Pale Ales, and Red Ales. It's not the first hops you’d think of when it comes to stout, but the folks at Wicklow Wolf know a thing or two, and it certainly works very well here.

Geek Bits

Hops: Bravo 

Malts: Pale, Chocolate, Roast Crystal, Brown, Carafa, Oat, Cara

* What are your favourites from our 2024 Beer of the Week list? Check it out here.

On the Craft Trail. Session time with Whiplash, Wicklow Wolf, Boundary, and Lough Gill

On the Craft Trail.

Session Time with 

Whiplash, Wicklow Wolf, 

Boundary, and Lough Gill

Whiplash Rollover Session IPA, 3.8% ABV, 330 ml can 

“Hoppy little short-arsed banger rocking the Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, Ekuanot hops”

I'm not too sure about the short-arsed bit, but it does come in a short can and packs quite an IPA despite being short on ABV. It is ideal in a session, though, where it is Very Highly Recommended.

For a decent session, this Whiplash Rollover is my go-to choice. Murky orange is the colour - no way you’re going to see through this haze! This was our session beer of 2020 and this most recent tasting confirmed it’s as likeable as ever.

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.

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.

Wicklow Wolf Elevation Pale Ale 4.8% ABV, 440 ml can 

“An independent pale ale for independent minds.”

This light gold, slightly hazy beer pours with a mild hoppy aroma. The first sip reveals juicy pineapple flavours that lead to a moderate yet noticeable hop bitterness. The bitterness is balanced by the sweetness of the pineapple, making for a very refreshing and easy-drinking beer.

This beer is a sessionable crowd-pleaser, and it's no wonder that it's the brewery's best-seller. You'll have no trouble finding a can of this beer, and it's easy to find on draught in its home county.

This beer is perfect for any occasion. It's light enough to enjoy on a hot day and flavourful enough to pair with a meal. Whether you're having a barbecue with friends or just relaxing at home, it is a banker.

This refreshing and flavourful beer is Very Highly Recommended.

The Wolf speaks: “We have reached a new level with Elevation Pale ale. An incredibly drinkable Pale ale bursting with juicy fruits of pineapple and grapefruit from an abundance of hop additions. Refreshing with a savage finish. An independent pale ale for independent minds.”

Boundary Camper Session IPA, 4.8%, 440 ml can Bradleys

This Camper Session IPA has an almost clear gold colour and a bubbly white head. Its aromas are citrus and pine. On the palate, it packs quite a citrus punch with a marmalade knuckle, and it has a refreshing finish.

The brewers say Camper was inspired “by our time on the West Coast of America.” It comfortably fits into the session category and is Recommended.

Lough Gill Cutback IPA, 4.5% ABV, 440 ml can Matsons

light in body and pale in colour, bountiful fruit

“If you can’t visit Sligo, let us bring Sligo to you!” That was how Lough Gill introduced their Cutback New England IPA.

Brewed with Comet, Azacca, and El Dorado hops to just 4.5% ABV, this NEIPA tempts with distinct tropical aromas and a fruity, hoppy flavour. Hazy and aromatic, those tropical fruit flavours dance easily on the palate. 

This is another very drinkable NEIPA from the Sligo brewery and, with an ABV of 4.5%, a very sessional one as well. Highly Recommended

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Wicklow Wolf Mammoth IPA. The big, bad wolf is Beer of the Week

Wicklow Wolf Mammoth IPA 6.2% ABV, 440 ml can 

Beer of the Week!

the big, bad wolf of West Coast IPAs.

The Mammoth, big and bad, is one of the Alpha pack, the core range of Wicklow Wolf beers.

The colour is close to amber and clear, and it has a nice fluffy head that sinks quite slowly. It gets its name because "a mammoth amount" of Strata, Simcoe, Chinook, Cascade, and

On the craft trail with a gluten-free double and a juicy ale. Wicklow Wolf, Lough Gill, Third Barrel.

On the craft trail with a gluten-free double and a  juicy ale. Wicklow Wolf, Lough Gill, Third Barrel

Wicklow Wolf Arcadia GF Lager 4.3% ABV, 440 ml can https://wicklowwolf.com/shop/ 

“Slowly conditioned to ensure an exceptional taste”

Lovely gold/amber colour on this lager, with a soft white head. Great display of bubbles rising. Aromas are more malt than hop. Straightaway, you notice the refreshing edge, “great cutting in it”, as was said some decades back! But it has. Smooth also with a subtle balance of fruit and hop, a little sweetness and a hint of spice. Add in that crisp finish. What more could you want?

They say: We

On the Craft Trail with Whiplash, Wicklow Wolf and West Cork

On the Craft Trail with Whiplash, Wicklow Wolf and West Cork

Whiplash Slide Pale Ale, 5.0% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

This Whiplash Pale Ale has a hazy Light gold colour and a soft white head. There’s an immediate and lasting hit of dankness from the aromatics. On the palate, the big hitters are

Beer of the Week. Wicklow Wolf Locavore Summer 2024 Wheat Beer. A Taste of Wicklow in Every Sip

Beer of the Week 

Wicklow Wolf Locavore Summer 2024 Wheat Beer 5.5% ABV, 440 ml can, Bradleys

A Taste of Wicklow in Every Sip

The Wicklow Wolf Locavore Summer 2024 Wheat Beer is a refreshing ode to the Garden County. This golden gem pours with a hazy allure, tempting you to

Beer of the Week. Wicklow Wolf 10th Anniversary American Amber

 Beer of the Week

Wicklow Wolf 10th Anniversary American Amber

4.8% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

American Amber will always have a special place in our hearts at Wicklow Wolf. 

The Newtown Mount Kennedy  Brewery has very good reason to get a little nostalgic about their American Amber, our latest