World's Strongest Beer

The world's strongest beer will damage your wallet!

Available at Bradley's, North Main Street

Coeliac Friendly Estrella

Coeliac Friendly Estrella

It was at Gilbey’s Wine Portfolio tasting in the Clarion earlier in the week that I came across the Estrella Daura, their gluten free lager. Quite a nice one too. Brand manager Ealron Kennedy had quite a few other beers there as well including the Estrella Inedit, the beer developed in association with Ferran Adria and the famous El-Bulli restaurant.

But I had a particular interest in the Daura as a friend of mine is a coeliac so I took a few details for his information. It is a refreshing good quality beer, brewed by Estrella Damm, a sponsor of Barcelona FC, a fact that should appeal to my buddy as should its endorsement by the Coeliac Society of Ireland. Ealron told me it is on sale widely and certainly in Dunnes Stores.

Expanded my research a little further and found that, of course, it was also on sale in Bradley’s Off Licence in North Main Street. And, when I checked with Michael Creedon in Bradley’s, he told had more gluten free beers and, in a few seconds, he had gathered a few (see photo).

Gleeson incorporating Gilbey’s are building their craft beer selection and I heard later in the afternoon that one of the leading Irish craft brewers will soon have their products included in the portfolio.

The World Beer Award winner for 2010, the Weihenstephan Vitus, is already in the Gilbey’s line-up and was available for tasting at the Clarion. I like my wheat beers. This is a strong one, 7.7% abv, with a taste to match; well balanced though.

The Dunkel, a dark wheat beer, comes from the same stable as does the Hefe, a cloudy wheat beer. The brewery, dating back to 1040, is regarded as the oldest in the world.

Ealron also had some Belgium beers (Vedett and Duvel), the Czech Budejovicke Pivo and a couple of Dutch (Bavaria Lager and Bavaria Regular Malt). Always thought Bavaria was a German beer but now I know better!

Impressive Gilbey’s Portfolio Tasting

Gilbey’s Portfolio Tasting

Jon Smith talking to visitors
at Gilbey's Wine Portfolio in the Clarion.

Enjoyed my tour of the Gilbey’s Portfolio Tasting in the Clarion Hotel (Cork) yesterday, the first time that the event has been held in the city.

Quite a few restaurants and bars represented at a very impressive display by Gilbey’s with eight tables, each with a  different wine theme, and a ninth stand that displayed the company’s growing beer selection.

Renewed acquaintance with Des King at Table 3 and he introduced me to a very fine wine indeed: Paul Jaboulet Aine Parallele 45 Côtes de Rhone Blanc. But I couldn’t resist the Trimbach Pinot Blanc 2010 and felt that that just shaded the Rhone. Might need a replay though.

The Old World was the general title for Table 5 and here I knew that Austria awaited and, in particular, two Grüner Veltliners by Laurenz V, the Forever and the Friendly. Must say that I could stay friendly with both forever. The major difference, perhaps for the those looking to reduce their alcohol intake, is that the Forever will come in at 11% abv while the Friendly has the bigger kick at 12.5.

A couple of excellent reds here also. I have, for a long time, enjoyed the Nero d’Avola from Sicily and here they had an excellent Cusumano 2007 but the star for me, one of the best in the show, was the 2009 Churchill’s Douro from Portugal, a rich unfortified wine from old vines.

The ever enthusiastic Jon Smith was manning Table 6 where the wines were Black Tower and Bend by the River. Enjoyed my sip of the Bend by the River Riesling 2011 but found the Black Tower equivalent a bit on the sweet side. But many people don’t and millions of bottles of Black Tower are sold each year in England and Jon reckons that, given two years, a similar proportion will be sold in Ireland.

New Zealand was represented by just two wines at the New World table and both, the Hunter’s Sauvignon Blanc and the Hunter’s Pinot Noir, were excellent. If I had to choose one, it would be the SB, “a pristine example of its type”.

Carmenere, once thought to be extinct but it was hiding all along under the guise of Merlot, was rediscovered in Chile as a separate variety in 1994 and has since been associated with the South American country. Sampled the Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenere and can recommend it. It is produced in the Apalta, “a new area ..and the best place for Carmenere”.

After that, and with time running out, there was just time to call to Table 9 and the beers and an informative chat with brand manager Ealron Kennedy and that will be the subject of a later post.

Festival at Franciscan Well

The Franciscan Well Festival

Enjoyed my afternoon at the Franciscan Well Festival. Loads of choice with beers and cider from all over. The Festival continues tomorrow Sunday from 2.00pm. Get on down!

Top right: Yours truly and Caroline of 8 Degrees; bottom left: Ronan
Brennan of Galway Hooker and Daniel Emerson of Stonewell Cider.

Top Irish Beers at Bradley’s

Top Irish Beers at Bradley’s

Blackrock stout
at the Cliff Town House

While in Bradley’s recently (always recently!), I had an enjoyable chat with Michael Creedon about the amount of Irish beers now on the market and we began to discuss our favourites and also the top selling beers from the dozens and dozens available in the North Main Street store.

So we went to work on a few lists but decided to leave out seasonal beers, which we both enjoy. In the past couple of months, I was delighted whenever I had a glass of A Winter’s Ale (8 Degree Brewing) or one of the Dungarvan Coffee and Oatmeal Stout in my hand. Draught beers – the Tom Crean lager and the Franciscan Well’s Friar Weisser are among my current favourites – were also left out of these lists.

When it comes to bottled Irish, I have a grá for the black stuff. The boys out in Blair’s introduced me to the Blackrock Stout by the Dungarvan Brewing Company the best part of a year back and it has been a firm favourite since.

And it was in Blair’s also that I met the folks from the West Kerry Brewing Company. I had already made the acquaintance of their Carraig Dubh porter and that too is building up into a long term relationship.

When it comes to ales, I have a preference for the wheat beers. Not too many bottled in Ireland but one that is and one that I really like is Curim by the Carlow Brewing Company.

Don’t think I’ve really made up my mind about a favourite among the regular ales. The current top choice is the Galway Hooker Irish Pale Ale but I’m open to offers!

 In any case, I mustn’t be drinking enough of them as none of mine have made the best sellers list in Bradley’s where the current top four selling Irish craft beers are:

O’Hara’s Irish Pale Ale (abv 5.2%)
This pale ale has a light malt base with just the right mouth feel to allow the hop character to predominate. Grapefruit like bitterness is full and lasting and is balanced by a zesty citrus burst of aroma from the late addition of cascade hops. The Citrus flavours give way at the end to the floral, spicy bitterness of Amarillo hops.

Eight Degrees Howling Gale Ale (abv 5%)
It pours a pale golden colour and the malty sweetness is well balanced by the American Chinook, Amarillo and Centennial hops. Howling Gale has a pleasant grapefruit and citrus aroma and goes well with fish, chicken or anything off the barbeque.

Porterhouse Brewing Hop Head (abv 4.8%)
A fulsome, winsome strong ale. A deep copper tinged brew for the true aficionado, longer fermentation and thrice hopping bring about a complex soft bitterness allied to a malt induced sweetness with the characteristic oily Fuggles hop perfume.

Dark Arts Porter, 500ml (abv 4.4%)
 A dark, almost black porter, named for the part of the brewing process not quite covered by science.
Dark Arts is brewed using a healthy dose of Black malt and Chocolate malt, to add to the flavour as well as to give the beer its dark colour. This unfiltered porter has a clear roasty flavour, but with hints of caramel and chocolate, while maintaining enough bitter hop presence to preserve its balance.

 I wasn't letting Michael Creedon off the hook and asked him to pick the “house” favourites: “Our favourite Irish craft beers and the ones we like to recommend change with the seasons and even with our mood! Ones we’re really enjoying at the moment include -

White Gypsy Belgian Dubell (abv 8%)
A dry slightly spicy beer with a fruity finish. An excellent choice for grilled oily fish like tuna and salmon.

Dungarvan Brewing Helvick Gold Blonde Ale (abv 4.9%)
 A great introduction to the world of craftbeer, this blonde ale is not a bland ale. There is a complexity at play here with a fruity aroma balanced by a hoppiness that makes it a slightly challenging but still quite easy to drink beer.

O’Hara’s Leann Folláin (abv 6%)
O’Hara’s Leann Folláin Stout is laden with complex chocolate and coffee flavours balanced by a robust bitterness and delicate spicy aroma imparted from the generous portions of Northdown and Fuggle Hops.

Eight Degrees Brewing Knockmealdown Porter (abv 5%)
 A robust malt-driven ale balances dark malts with some old world bitter hops. It won’t weigh you down like a stout and offers a rich chocolaty aroma with a burst of espresso.

Now, what are your top four?

White Gypsy Likes Her Food

White Gypsy Likes Her Food

American Pale Ale, 7.5%, 75cl bottle, €7.99 Bradley’s

Dark amber colour and a really bitter taste. Sufficient initial head soon reduces to a thin lacy cover. A really good balance of malt and hops (which they grow themselves). The bitterness doesn’t make your mouth pucker but it is obvious enough in the dry finish. Good body, made for food, and should perform ably at the table. Maybe that’s why I served it in a Reidel glass!

Tipperary Brewery White Gypsy, where Cuilan Loughnane is owner and brewer, intends this ale, one of a series of four beers, as a food beer and Cuilan says this is great with spicy dishes and grilled chicken. So you might well see it in restaurants in the near future and that would be no bad thing.

Russian Imperial Stout, 7%, 75cl bottle, €7.99 Bradley’s

Have been enjoying the excellent Irish craft stouts over the past 12 months and thought I might get on well with this one from its initial caramel aromas.

The ample head soon settled down to a see through cap but the toasty flavours remained intense and smoky right through to the dry finish.

The stout, like the ale, is part of a series, the big bottles aimed at the restaurant market. Indeed it, and the others, carry a food pairing recommendation. 

Didn’t have a steak handy for this one but did have a chunk of Gubbeen Smoked cheese. Like all good pairings, neither dominated and they proved a good match.

Also in the series (not tasted, yet!):

German Doppelbock 750ml  ABV:7.5%, A sweet malty beer with a juicy toffee finish. A perfect match for venison and roast pork and terrific with sweet vegetables.

Belgian Dubell 750ml  ABV:8%, A dry slightly spicy beer with a fruity finish. An excellent choice for grilled oily fish like tuna and salmon.

Brewing it up in Ballyferriter

Brewing it up in Ballyferriter

The English tourist could hardly believe his eyes as he drove through Ballyferriter. Bric’s Brew Pub, the sign said. He jammed on the brakes and spent a few happy hours sipping the products of the West Kerry Brewery (Beoir Chorca Dhuibhne). 

My arrival there last weekend was nowhere near as dramatic. I had been looking for the pub, Tigh Bhric, and already knew of its top notch products.

We had met proprietors Paul and Adrienne at the Munster Tweet-up in Blair’s and had already sampled some of their porter which, like the other drinks, is available in Bradley’s, North Main Street.

The summer season is a busy one here in beautiful Ballyferriter and then the crowds start to taper off so it was quite slack on the second Saturday of November. Paul started up the fire and we had a chat and a drink, choosing to go for the Béal Bán, available on draught.

I had already tasted this in Blair’s. It is light and refreshing golden ale with a slight malty sweetness and a bitter finish, imparted by a generous helping of hops. Indeed, one could see why the English aficionado would feel at home here.

Paul was soon joined by Adrienne, the brewer, and they told us that they use water from their own well to brew the beers, both cask and bottled. The Malt is predominantly Irish and the beers are brewed naturally, with no additives or preservatives.

Carraig Dubh is perhaps the best known of the three main beers and one that I certainly enjoy. It is a traditional porter, rich and dark in flavour with plenty of roasted malt giving hints of coffee, vanilla and dark chocolate. A really rich and smooth drink, well worth a try.

Must admit to a liking also for the Béal Bán but I must yet sample the Dark Red Ale, the Cúl Dorcha. This, according to the brewery tasting notes, which are very accurate as regards the other two, is soft and mellow on the palate with a fruitiness suggesting forest berries.

Might have to stay overnight the next time and do a proper tasting of all the beers. And that would be no hardship either as Tig Bhric provides visitors and locals alike with a wide range of services. “From select accommodation to fine food, traditional and contemporary music, and a unique bar with an emphasis on the arts, we offer our customers a service in an authentic setting.” 

“Situated in the middle of some of the most spectacular scenery in Ireland, visitors are afforded the opportunity to experience both the landscape, local culture and the numerous activities available within a short distance of our establishment.”

The West Kerry Brewery  itself is a partnership between two pubs with a history of friendship. About four years ago, Tigh Bhric and Tigh Uí Catháin recognised the need to provide their customers with a local brew. They now know that it goes down a treat also with the many visitors to the lovely area. Including this one!

Beer Tasting (and tips!) at The Kiln

Beer Tasting at The Kiln

The man in the bar had a wine glass in his hand. But that wasn't wine in the glass. He covered the opening with his hand and shook the glass. Taking away his hand, he asked me to smell. As I do so, he said “Toffee Bar”. I agreed. Then he said: “Beamish”. And it was the old Cork favourite, the toffee bar aromas enhanced by the agitation and the shape of the glass.

The man was Marc Stroobadnt, a renowned beer expert from Belgium, sometimes called a beer sommelier, sometimes a cicerone, nowadays working out of London and a regular visitor to Ireland. He was at the Kiln fronting an event called “Beer. It’s only natural”, organised by ThisisBeer.ie

Cheese and Crème Caramel. No bother to Affligem!

Part of the purpose of the entertaining evening was to show that beer can go well with food. Just a few minutes earlier he had demonstrated exactly that with Affligem, a Belgian abbey beer. First he matched it with cheese and then with a Crème Caramel. Amazing, the beer seemed to adapt and proved a match with each.

In fairness though, the food matching theme was there from the start, with regular beers such as Heineken (Holland), Tiger (Singapore), Żywiec (Poland) and Paulaner (Germany). I like my wheat beers so I enjoyed the Paulaner but I think the one most popular at our table was the Affligem and not only because it was the strongest!

There was a big emphasis too on the fact that all these beers are made from just four ingredients: barley, hops, water and yeast. Then how are they so different? Marc: “Well, you give four ingredients to a team of chefs and ask them to make soup and you’ll see many differences too, as they’ll cook them differently, using different proportions.”

True enough and fair enough. The four ingredients were all on show but Marc and his team were keeping a special eye on the yeast. Someone asked what would happen if she concealed a little to take home and start her own beer. “You wouldn’t get past the door,” said the Belgian. Don’t think he was joking.

Yours Truly with Marc (right)

So well done to the organisers. No shortage of beer and lots of info on it. Well done to the kitchens at Heineken who came up with many tasty bits for the matching. Very enjoyable overall.

By the way, that website is well worth a visit. It is a hub for beer enthusiasts and those who enjoy an occasional beer and will help you get the best of it. It includes video blogs, beer tasting notes, food matching tips and information on those four ingredients. Check it out here.  

Next week, they host the event in Dublin. The venue is 4 Dame Lane and the three dates are 12th, 13th and 14th November. Info and tickets here.

Wild Honey Inn. A special place.

Wild Honey Inn

 Any county that can hold a banquet with all the food and drink coming from within its own border, as Clare did in Ennis on October 5th, must have some good restaurants. And there are some brilliant ones in the Banner – they regularly turn up on the awards list - but the one we choose on a recent overnight stay was the Wild Honey Inn  in Lisdoonvarna. In a relaxed roadside pub just outside the town, Aidan McGrath turns out delightful dishes.

We called pretty early, just after six and, having been on the go all day, had a good appetite. First though, a drink. Spotted some craft beer on the counter and picked a bottle of the Copper Coast Red Ale made by the Dungarvan Brewing Company. Settled into our comfortable seat and, with help from the friendly waitress, we ordered.

As it turned out, our dishes were all off the Specials menu, with the exception of the exceptional dessert. My starter was the Ham Hock Terrine, celeriac remoulade, salsa verde (€8.90). Quality ingredients in a well presented dish and the same could be said about CL’s starter of Dill Cured Salmon, pickled fennel and cucumber, sauce gravadlax (8.90). Two super tasty starters and we had confirmation that all good things we had heard about the Inn were true.

 We were tempted by the Halibut Troncon with Saffron ratte potato but both went for the other special: Veal Feather Blade, pearl barley, carrot and cumin puree, young leeks (€19.90). Aidan said this was a rare cut and he sure made the best of it.

The whole dish looked well and tasted well. You could have cut the meat with your spoon and the use of the pearl barley was also a rare delight. Even the potatoes that came as a side were top notch. Quality all the way from the farm to the kitchen to the table.

The Apple and Blueberry crumble that we shared for dessert was another winner. The humble apple was the main ingredient, a beautiful example of the fruit, cut into plentiful mini chunks, so juicy. And the fruit wasn't buried under a mound of crumble, just a thin tasty sheet. A gorgeous combination to end a gorgeous meal.

With the friendliness of Aidan and his crew and the top drawer food, the Wild Honey was one of the highlights of our trip to the delightful county of Clare, a place where there is so much to see and do, not to mention so much to eat and drink!

 Also visited: Cliffs of Moher  The Burren Brewery  St Tola Goat Cheese Lahinch area Ballyvaughan Tea and Garden Rooms The Burren

The Burren Brewery

The Burren Brewery

Ireland's Smallest Micro-Brewery!

When you walk into the Roadside Tavern in Lisdoonvarna, you see the normal beer dispensers on the high counter. But then, in the middle, you see something totally different: three unusual taps labelled Gold, Red and Black.

Owner Peter Curtin has his own brewery here, “the smallest micro-brewery in Ireland”, and the taps, designed by a local artist, dispense his lager (Burren Gold), ale (Burren Red) and stout (Burren Black). And very tasty they are too, as we discovered after a tasting of the three.

The brewery, just over 12 months old, is upstairs and Peter showed us up his stairway to heaven! It is all neat and compact. He has got some very good gear here and a great love for the task as we found out. And the pub is the only place that you can get these beers.

The pub itself, just a few miles from the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher, has a very long history, in family hands since 1893. But the Curtins were also bakers and that history goes back even further, hundreds of years. Nowadays the pub is also noted for its food and, this year, was voted “Best Gastro-pub in Munster” by the Restaurants Association of Ireland.

 Timing wasn’t quite right for us to eat there but the menu is filled with delicious dishes such as traditional Irish bacon, Cabbage and Parsley sauce and a slightly less traditional rendition of Irish stew (featuring local Burren beef in place of the more typical lamb).

Pride of place is given to several dishes featuring Smoked Fish and Eel from the family's award-winning Burren Smokehouse, run by Peter and Birgitta Curtin. Try the Burren smoked fish platter which is served with organic leaves from nearby New Quay. The Burren Smokehouse  is literally a few yards down the road and well worth a visit. And they have a great shop there too with local products from other producers. You may also buy online.

And don’t skip dessert in the Tavern. Peter says they are fabulous, homemade by Fabiola's Patisserie in Doolin. Fabiola has worked in Michelin starred restaurants and you may also sample her pastry delights at the Cafe in the Doolin Crafts Centre.


Food and good beer. What more do you want? Well, you get much more in this bar as there is a fantastic music programme throughout the season. That series is drawing to a close now but not before paying a massive tribute to Micilín Conlon (who played in the pub for all of 57 years) over three nights (26th,27th,28th of October). And, on the Saturday and Sunday (4.00 to 6.00pm), there will be a tasting combining the local beers, breads and cheese. Sounds great.

If you like a laugh, you’ll never be short of one with Peter and his crew in the Roadside. His sense of humour was seen at its sharpest recently when he more or less hi-jacked the Thursday set aside for Arthur and instead designated it Peter’s Day with pints of Burren Beer selling at three euro.

The beers are very popular with tourists. They are good, really good. So why not call in if you are in the area. Worth a detour, as they say in the best guides.

 Also visited: Cliffs of Moher   Wild Honey Inn  St Tola Goat Cheese Lahinch area Ballyvaughan Tea and Garden Rooms The Burren

Old Shop. New online.

Bradley’s Now Online!

When I started buying beer in Bradley’s, I was conscious of resuming a family tradition. But with a difference. My father would have bought bottled Guinness but the black stuff I was buying was from craft breweries in places like Kerry, Waterford, Carlow and nearer home. Bradley’s are a great supporter of craft beers (and ciders) and have a fantastic selection.

A few years back, I was in a local wine store and they were amazed at the quality of the wines in Bradley’s. “He must have some buyer,” they said admiringly. And that sterling selection is still available.

When you visit, be sure and take a look too at the Sherries, the gins, the whiskeys. Fantastic selections. And if Michael Creedon hasn’t got it in stock, he’ll get it for you.

Man doesn’t live on beer alone of course. You gotta have bread. And Bradley’s, founded in 1850, have the best of it, the beautiful loaves produced by Cork's own Arbutus. Great stuff. And if you like jam on the break, then look no further then Gs’ award winning jars, another proud addition to the shelves in this amazing store.

And they has so much more, such as great porridge oats from places like Kilbeggan and Ballybrado, cereal from Staple Diet, local honey, coffee from Fermoy's Badger and Dodo.

But not much good having shelves groaning with the best of products unless you have the service to go with it. And here too Bradley's excel. Expert advice and knowledge is just a question away. A lovely store to visit and a great place to make a purchase. And now you may purchase online. Take a look at their spanking new website!

Home on the Range. Sierra Nevada.

Home on the Range. Sierra Nevada.

Summerfest Crisp Summer Lager 2012, 5%
Pilsner style for warm days, just like this week! This lager is crisp, refreshing, friendly, well balanced with a dry finish.

Kellerweis Hefeweizen, 4.8%
Hazy golden colour, good flavours with clove coming through. Well made, tasty.  And very smooth. Note that it has special pouring instructions.

Pale Ale, 5.6%
This multi medal winner is their flagship beer. It has a deep amber colour and is full bodied. The purity of the ingredients is stressed and it is well balanced, flavoursome and tasty.


Torpedo Extra IPA, 7.2%
This is the big one, big on flavour, big on hops, big on bitterness and on abv. Not for beginners! It has the highest bitterness of the four at 65!

Summary
 My preferences here are for the two lightweights, the Summerfest and the Kellerweis.




Wisdom Winner
S-Ale-vation though is found much closer to home in a bottle of Wisdom Ale (by Elbow Lane). It has an abv of 4.5% and, like the Nevada range,  is available from Bradley's, North Main Street.

Took a sip of the dark amber liquid and found it more rounded than many others, no extremes of flavour, no overload. It has a medium body with toasted malt (even chocolately)  flavours. Brewed to go well with food or as a stand alone pint, I reckon they've succeeded!

My second tasting and my opinion that this is the ale for me is reinforced. The range of Sierra Nevada beers are available at Bradley's, North Main Street as is the Wisdom Ale. Check out their new website here.

You'll have Time for a Quart?

Have You Time for a Quart?


West Kerry Brewery’s Carraig Dubh Traditional Porter, 5.5% abv, €3.99 at Bradley’s, North Main Street, Cork.

This hand crafted porter from the West Kerry Gaeltacht is sold in 50cl bottles. It is bottle conditioned and made from malted barley, hops, yeast and spring water “from our own spring”. Not very much information on the website. The email address is brewery@tigbhric.ie.

Colour, you’ve guessed it, is black (dubh) with a fragile creamy coloured head. Nothing fragile about the rest of it. The introduction to the palate is smooth, seductive, chocolate-ly and there is no letting go as the lingering finish is along the same lines. One to sip and savour, arís is arís.



Franciscan Well’s Rebel Red Irish Craft Ale, 4.3% abv, part of 4 for €10.00 deal at Bradley’s, North Main Street.

An award winner back as far as 2001 but only recently available in bottle (50cl). Ingredients are water, malted barley, English hops and ale yeast. The back label is crowded but has very little info on the ale itself. You can go to the brewery site for more details.

There is a mild hoppy aroma on the nose and an inviting creamy head on an amber/red body. Engaging mouthfeel, full flavoured with a lip licking malty sensation before a good dry finish. Well balanced. Go on. Have a cut, as we say around here.

Carlow’s Curim. A Golden Treat

Carlow’s Curim. A Golden Treat
Curim Gold, Celtic Wheat Beer, 4.3%, Carlow Brewing Company 


Took an instant liking to this because of the look: gold, bright and sparkling.

Can’t always judge a book by its cover but this instant judgement worked out well on this occasion. The lightly hopped beer is a terrific refreshing drink with hints of fruit and a good dry finish.

Definitely my favourite of the three Carlow beers in this tasting, thanks to a win in a recent online Galvin’s Wine.

O’Hara’s Red Ale, 4.3% abv, Carlow Brewing Company

This is really red, quite a dark one! With hoppy aromas; malty and caramel on the palate, really pleasant and then a tasty dry finish. Convinced and converted.

O’Hara’s Irish Pale Ale, 5.2%, Carlow Brewing Company

“A full and lasting bitterness”, they say on the bottle. And I can agree with that as there is a stout like dryness in this deep amber beer.

“...followed by a zesty citrus burst.” Not too sure about that. Not to my liking but do try it for yourself. That is the beauty of craft beers. There are so many, you are sure to find some that you will really like as companies such as Carlow are rapidly banishing the bland.

Three New Classy Craft Beers

High Class Beer Hat-trick

Put June 5^th in your beer diary. On that Tuesday, new Cork craft brewery Elbow Lane will launch its Angel Stout. On the 20^th, it is the turn of Elbow Lager and later in the month you’ll see Wisdom Ale make its debut. Elbow, Angel and Wisdom, are the names of three Cork lanes and now the names of a classy hat trick of beers.

Elbow Lane, who are associated with the Market Lane and Castle Café restaurants, used their experience in that line when formulating the beers. “With this in mind, we set about creating three beers that we could serve with pride alongside our food...” They have succeeded spectacularly.

All three beers are made according to the German Purity Laws and only natural ingredients are used, nothing artificial, no enzymes, flavourings, preservatives or colours.

Wisdom Ale. 4.7%ABV. Ingredients: Water, Barley Malt, Hops.

My first sample was the Wisdom Ale and I was very happy with it from its amber colour and the initial caramel aromas. Flavour is a mild toasty malt with a dry finish. “This ale is excellent with many foods and uniquely satisfying as a stand-alone pint.” I can wholeheartedly agree with that statement.

Elbow Lager. 4.5%ABV. Ingredients: Water, Barley Malt, Hops.

Colour is a lighter amber and it is mild and refreshing and “owes its flavour to barley malt and a generous hop bitterness”. This one is a gem and a delightful treat for beer lovers. I had been waiting for a really class local lager and here it is!

Angel Stout. 5.1%ABV. Ingredients: Water, Barley Malt, Hops.

This has the traditional black colour and a malty aroma. Excellent flavour, smooth with nice spicy kicks before finishing dry. Recommended for steaks, stews and curries. Eating in Market Lane and the Castle will never be the same again!

Elbow’s Conrad Howard tells me that they intend to have the products available in other restaurants and off licences shortly after launch. The best way to keep in touch with developments is via their website at www.elbowlane.ie where you can sign up to follow them on Twitter and Facebook. Stay in touch with these good things!

Lunchtime at L’Atitude

Lunchtime at L’Atitude

Enjoyed a light lunch with a difference at L’Atitude 51, the newish Wine Cafe opposite the City Hall (1, Union Quay). The choice, see photo of board, is not huge but the quality is excellent.

There is an even bigger board, much bigger, where you can see the huge wine list; must be over fifty choices. In many cases, you can buy by the small taster glass (75ml), a full glass (150ml) and also by the pichet (250ml).

While waiting, I decided to try one of the taster glasses and picked the 2008 Cat Amongst the Pigeons, Cabernet Sauvignon, from Australia’s McLaren Vale. Later, with the meal, I enjoyed the 2008 Massaya Classic (Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah) from the Lebanon. Both come under the Fruity with Attitude heading on the list and each was excellent.

They also have a range of beers here, including some local craft brews. Indeed, you may try 8 Degrees Brewing HowlingGale here straight from the tap and it was great to meet up with Scott from the new Mitchelstown company who was making a call.

Coffee too comes from a local Cork company, Badger and Dodo. They know their stuff and so do the servers so you’ll enjoy the best here; I did, but before I got to that stage there was some eating to be done!

Emma Lagrande, who runs the wine cafe along with Beverly Matthews, recommended I try the Haddock Chowder. Very good and excellent value at €4.50. I had seen some of the sandwiches being served and they looked tempting but I opted for the Spiced Vegetable Pie, a tasty dish at a bargain price of €6.50 and served with a well dressed salad.

Service was friendly, low key and top notch, just the way I like it. My only regret was that I was I couldn't make it back for dinner that evening. Would have liked to have tried the Frogs’ Legs on the menu! Vive la différence.

MARC RETURNS TO CORNSTORE

What: Beer Loves Food Series

Where: Cornstore, Cornmarket Street, Cork

When: Wednesday 18^th January at 19.30

Price: €24.95 for a three course meal with beer

Contact: Cornstore for booking on 021 4274777

The ‘2012 Beer Loves Food Series’ kicks off at the Cornstore, one of Cork’s most popular restaurants to celebrate the naturalness of beer and food matching.  Beer and Food enthusiasts will be taken on a journey of beer tasting, beer history and food matching by Master Beer Sommelier, Marc Stroobandt, from Belgium. The ‘Beer Loves Food Series’ was created by Heineken Ireland to deliver on the growing global trend of beer and food matching.

Marc Stroobandt

Marc has been awarded some of the highest accolades in the global brewing industry.  He has been given an honorary knighthood by the Chevalerie du Fourquet des Brasseurs of the Confederation of Belgian Brewers and the title of Commander in the Order of De Roze Olifant. Marc hosted a similar event here in November and I found it to be a very enjoyable evening indeed as you may read here.

BEER LOVES FOOD

Beer is a natural accompaniment to food both savoury and sweet, with its ingredients of hops, barley, water and yeast. At the Cornstore, matchings like braised lamb shank with Affligem, an Abbey Ale with spicy and citrus flavours; slow roast pork belly withTiger, an Asian pilsner-style lager with hoppy flavours; and white chocolate mousse with Paulaner, a Bavarian Weissbier with fruity flavours and a crisp dry finish will reveal how beer and food complement each other to create unique and surprising taste sensations.

The ‘Beer Loves Food Series’ was created by Heineken Ireland, Ireland’s number one lager company, to deliver on the increasing demand for deeper understanding of beer and food matching.

Log on to www.thisisbeer.ie for more information.

CORNSTORE BEER LOVES FOOD MENU

SELECTION PLATE OF STARTERS

Duck liver parfait with brioche,

Wild mushroom and brown bread dumpling,

Goat’s cheese crostini with sundried tomato pesto,

Mini white bean and bacon soup                                                                                               

With Zywiec - The malty sweetness of Zywiec compares well with the creamy parfait, while the hoppy bitter dryness can cut through the richness of the goats cheese and the soup.

MAINS

OVEN ROAST HAKE with lemon and basil mash, sautéed samphire, with Cornstore red pepper relish (g)

With Heineken - The crisp, lemony slightly spicy hoppiness of Heineken blends well with the fish and uplifts all the other flavours.

CHICKEN BREAST stuffed with chorizo on crushed baby potatoes, red onion and tomato salad and tarragon infused natural yoghurt

With Zywiec - The sweetness of the chicken matches the beer and brings together the other flavours without overpowering them.

SLOW ROAST PORK BELLY with roast potatoes, sauerkraut, candied walnuts and a cider reduction (g)

With Tiger Beer  -  The richness of the dish requires the complexity of the beer and the well balanced bitter-sweetness of Tiger can handle the variety of ingredients while the spicy notes add another dimension to the dish.

BRAISED LAMB SHANK with roast orange sweet potato, celeriac and green beans (g)

With Affligem - The honey bitter sweetness of Affligem acts like a seasoning for the lamb while the light tartness of the beer cuts through  the other ingredients.

CANNELLONI OF BUTTERNUT SQUASH goats cheese, spinach and figs with sun dried tomato pesto, rocket salad (v)

With Birra Moretti - The sweetness of both the beer and the dish marry well together whilst bringing out the spicy peppery flavours of the pesto and rocket.

DESSERT

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE west cork strawberries and short bread biscuit

With Paulaner - The silky creamy texture of Paulaner and its honey-like sweetness with a lemony touch create a great combination bringing out the gorgeous flavours of both the mousse and the strawberries.

ALE AND HEARTY AT THE WELL

HAPPENINGS AT THE FRANCISAN WELL

Craft Brewing has taken off in a big way this last 12 months but the pioneering Franciscan Well  on Cork’s North Mall still has a trick or two up its sleeve.

And indeed, the brewers there have produced two of the best beers of the year in my opinion: The Shandon Century Extra Stout and the formidable Bellringer, both limited editions.

The Shandon made its debut at the end of October. This was a fabulous stout and I was lucky enough to get a bottle or two from the 1,000 made, also enjoyed a couple of tastings, each with cheese.

And perhaps the best match-up came during the Jazz Weekend when Willie Healy of URRU matched it with a mature Hegarty’s Cheddar at the pub itself. Memorable stout – like to see it back again sometime soon!

The Bellringer, also a 1000 bottle run, came about a month later and only last Monday came the news from the brewery: “Bellringer is sold out. Next batch will be a bottle conditioned I.P.A. “ You might be lucky as, of yesterday, Bradley’s in North Main Street still had a few bottles left. I finished mine off last night and was delighted with it, perhaps the best Irish ale I’ve tasted. Like to see that come back as well but in the meantime I’m looking forward to the IPA.

And another Franciscan event to look forward to has just been announced: “Our annual Cask Ale Festival will take place on the 10th, 11th and 12th Feb. It’s going to be one of the best ones yet!” They usually keep to their word so mark this in your diary.

All goes to show there is life in the Old North Mall dog yet and those newbies, promising and all as they are, will have their work cut out to top the Cork star. We can only benefit from the brewing battles ahead!

PARADISE IN NORTH MAIN STREET

PARADISE IN NORTH MAIN STREET

Hennessy’s in Cognac have a room that they call Paradise as it contains much of their very old brandies. I reckon the title could easily be applied to Bradley’s Off License in North Main Street. Here, they stock virtually every drink you can call for and, besides, are great supporters of the local craft brewing movement.

Take cider for instance. They are one of the few, if not the only store, to stock the relatively new Stonewell Cider which has taken off very well indeed. The Stonewell is made by Daniel Emerson in Novohal and now has a rival from Mallow, from William O’Callaghan of Longueville House.

I’ll let apple expert Con Traas, owner of the Cahir Apple Farm, talk on the subject he knows so well. “Both make excellent ciders. William’s is full of traditional cider apples, which makes it a real West Country type cider, as it would be known in the UK. Daniel’s is less tannic, but also excellent. If you get the chance to try either, I would highly recommend them.”

And if it is beer that you’re after, then Bradley’s is the place. There is a wall of beer here, over one hundred craft beers from these islands and further afield, including local notables such as Eight Degrees Brewing and Dungarvan Brewing and sometimes including the limited run specials (such as that fantastic Shandon Century Extra Stout) from the Franciscan Well just across the river.

All kinds of wines on sale here also and you are sure to find something you like. Maybe the NV Innocent Bystander Pink Moscato, the low alcohol wine that is taking Australia by storm. If you fancy a sherry, I can recommend the Lustau range, everything from Amontillado to Oloroso to PX.

And then there are the spirits. No, the place is not haunted, though it was established in 1850. I was in there recently, looking for a gin. I was shown quite a few but, in the end, settled for Bombay Sapphire, my old reliable.

And here’s a neat one. After purchasing the gin, I was presented with a tonic, made especially for gin and containing some of the same botanicals as the spirit. The jury is out as far as I am concerned but if you want to try it, it is called Fentiman’s, available in Bradley’s. Of course!
There is something of a study on the best tonic for gin here.

BELGIAN BEER ACE AT THE CORNSTORE

AT THE CORNSTORE: HEINEKEN FOOD BEER MENU

CORNSTORE Menu

SELECTION PLATE OF STARTERS

Duck liver parfait with brioche, wild mushroom and brown bread dumpling, Goast’s cheese crostini with sundried tomato pesto, mini white bean and bacon soup

With Paulaner or Zywiec

MAINS

OVEN ROAST HAKE with lemon and basil mash, sautéed samphire, with cornstore red pepper relish (g)

With Heineken or Tiger

CHICKEN BREAST stuffed with chorizo on crushed baby potatoes, red onion and tomato salad and tarragon infused natural yoghurt

With Zywiec or Coors Light          

SLOW ROAST PORK BELLY with roast potatoes, sauerkraut, candied walnuts and a cider reduction (g)

With Tiger, Affligem or Zywiec

BRAISED LAMB SHANK with roast orange sweet potato, celeriac and green beans (g)

With Affligem or Zywiec

CANNELLONI OF BUTTER NUT SQUASH goats cheese, spinach and figs with sun dried tomato pesto,

rocket salad (v)

With Birra Moretti

DESSERT

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE west cork strawberries and short bread biscuit

With Paulaner or Affligem

Belgian Master Beer Sommelier Marc Stroobandt (right) breezed into the Cornstore earlier this week for the Heineken Beer Food Matching Menu. Informative, entertaining, Marc was the star of the evening, a very enjoyable one indeed.

Not only has Marc has been described as bringing 'rock and roll' to beer, but he has also been awarded some of the highest accolades in the global brewing industry!  He has been given an honorary knighthood by the Chevalerie du Fourquet des Brasseurs of the Confederation of Belgian Brewers and the title of Commander in the Order of De Roze Olifant (The Pink Elephant). You may read all about him here .

Met Marc and the Cornstore’s Mike Kelly at the counter where we sampled a couple of the beers on the list. Both were lagers, both reasonably well known: Tiger from Singapore and Birra Moretti from Italy.

Brewed since 1932, Tiger Beer is now available in more than 60 countries, winning over drinkers in major cities around the world. It is the winner of over 40 awards. Birra Moretti is the result of a production process that has remained almost unchanged since 1859. A special blend of high quality hops gives it a unique taste and fragrance, enhancing its perfectly balanced bitter taste. Must say, I had a slight preference for the Italian here.

As you can see from the menu (above), the beers served with the starter were the popular Polish lager Zywiec and the German Paulaner. From my point of view, the Polish beer was a bit unlucky in this match as the Paulaner won hands down. If you were out for a session and had just these two to choose from, then maybe the Zywiec might be better for the long run.

The starter selection was excellent and my main course, the Chicken, so well set off by the potatoes and a very very tasty salad, was top class. As it happened, Marc served us with the Birra Moretti for this course and it was a perfect choice. Indeed, the Moretti seems quite an all rounder with food, especially the lighter dishes.

What could match the dessert, the tempting White chocolate and strawberries? A small glass of Paulaner did the trick.

Speaking of tricks, Marc had a few, like tasting the “head” with a plastic spoon to get to know your beer, covering the top of your glass before sticking your nose in to get the aromas (saw Liberty Wine’s David Gleave MW doing the same a day later with Olive Oil). And one for photographers! If the head in your glass has more or less vanished, lift the bottle high and gently pour in a few spoonfuls and you’ll have a perfect head in an instant!

Thanks to Heineken and Marc and to all at the Cornstore, we had a lovely evening of food and beer, leaving quite a  few of us very impressed with the idea, including one French chef who had never considered the possibility of matching anything other than wine to food.

At the end Marc, also an advocate of beer with cheese, tried to win me over to Affligem, Belgium’s abbey beer. Brewed in the Flemish village, Opwijk, this top-fermenting beer is still brewed according to the original recipe. Not bad but, sorry Marc, my top two were the Moretti and the Paulaner. Different strokes for different folks!

Oh and do watch out for another beer/food evening at the Cornstore as Mike Kelly intends to put on an evening with all Irish beers. Should be a good one!