The Mescan Brewery Wheel Makes Food-Pairing Easy!

Mescan Food-Pairing Wheel – the matchmaker for beer and food

Each beer has its own wheel. Check them out here

The innovative Mescan Food-Pairing Wheel is designed to take the angst out of matching beer and food. It’s an easy way to pair each Mescan craft beer with the foods that complement it. It’s available on the website and is easily printable from a pdf format. It’s a useful resource for all the home chefs who are exploring new options in their kitchens during the lockdown.

The Mescan Food-Pairing Wheel was developed by Inge Roels, a Belgian expert in food-pairing who has worked with the brewery since its early days. She has produced a guide for nine Mescan beers so far – Mescan Blond, Westporter Stout, Mescan White, Mescan Red Tripel, Mescan Extra, Mescan Saison, Mescan Special Reserve, Seven Virtues Lager and Seven Virtues Lambik.

“Mescan craft beers are exceptionally suited to enjoying with food”, said Cillian Ó Móráin of Mescan Brewery, “We were inundated with queries as to the best pairings from consumers and from restaurants and bars. We wanted to create something simple yet effective that would help people enjoy our beers with the optimum foods – hence the Mescan Food-Pairing Wheel was born”.

According to the Food-Pairing Wheel, Mescan Blond is a safe bet for many dishes including steaks and sausages on the BBQ, full-bodied Red Tripel finds a match in rich stews or a weighty cheeseboard, Saison suits a curry while Westporter Stout is the tipple of choice for anything chocolatey.

All Mescan beers are brewed in the Belgian style, using very traditional methods, resulting in a broad range of rich and flavourful beers eminently suited to pairing with food. They are vegan friendly and 100% natural.

Mescan Beers are currently available in off licences in Connacht, Dublin, Cork and increasingly around the country. They are also available directly through the website www.mescanbrewery.com. 

press release

Best of Beers. Another Belgian-Irish Round #2

Best of Beers. Another Belgian-Irish Round

#2

Baltimore, home of West Cork Brewing Company

West Cork Brewing’s “Sherkin Lass” Pale Ale, 4.4% vol., 500ml bottle.

This ale, a popular regular since they started brewing in Baltimore, pours a cloudy amber, with a tint of copper, and a soft white head that doesn't last too long. Citrus in the aromas. Makes quite an immediate impression on the palate, fresh and lively, sharp citrus notes again, pineapple and passionfruit too, more malt than hops, just lightly bitter. Quite a distinctive mouthful. Refreshing and quite a thirst quencher.

Hops used are: Columbus, Centennial, Galaxy, and Liberty. It is unfiltered, unpasteurised and vegan friendly as only whirlfloc (Carrageen moss) is used to aid the clarification. And they use their own spring water in the brewing process.

I was one of the first to enjoy this beer in Baltimore a few years back, sitting out on the old rustic seats and tables of Casey’s Hotel (where the brewers are) with a great view over the waters. Hard to beat! In recent years, my favourite West Cork Brew beer is the Roaring Ruby red ale. What’s yours?

The brewery recommends pairing this Pale Ale with Fish, white meats, mild cheese and salads.

White Gypsy “Old Smoke” stout 5.4%, 500ml bottle

Old Smoke was the nickname of John Morrissey, a boxer from Templemore (Co. Tipperary) - the home of White Gypsy - who gained fame and infamy for his exploits both in and out of the ring in the US during the 19th century. 

Is there much smoke here? Not really, just a hint (morning after the night before maybe!) in the aromas. Colour is a shade or two short of a solid black; nice head (cream in colour) but doesn’t hang around. Lovely beer though with mellow roasted flavours, with malt more to the fore. Not like your usual stout but I could easily go through a session with this one!

They say:  Traditionally, beers made in the midlands would have had a slight smokiness due to the malt being dried from peat fires, this stout brings out that combination of smoke & roast while remaining light on the palate. Beer is a fantastic ingredient to use in cooking (and baking). A family favourite is an Old Smoke Stout Stew. 

Wikipedia: Smoked beer (German: Rauchbier) is a type of beer with a distinctive smoke flavour imparted by using malted barley dried over an open flame. The Rauchbiers of Bamberg in Germany, Schlenkerla in particular, are the best-known of the smoked beers.

Rodenbach Grand Cru Flanders Red Ale 6.0%, 330ml bottle

This red brown ale from Flanders has been matured in oak casks, not unique but quite unusual, and indeed the Rodenbach brewmaster Rudi Ghequire says its owes its “complex fruitiness to its lengthy partial maturation in wooden oak casks”.

The sourness in the aromas is repeated on the palate and, if you’re not prepared for it, you might well throw your hat at it at this stage. Someone here has joked that a citron pressé would be a better drink. But remember, it is “probably the most award-winning beer in the world”. So pay a little heed, a little respect!

Soon, at least for me, that complex fruitiness begins to assert itself, both on the palate and all the way through to the finish and you realise there is much more to this than the obvious sour character. Sour comes up quite often but I’m pretty sure the word doesn’t appear on the label (lots of tiny print though!)

The Rodenbach Grand Cru sour red/brown at 6%, is a blend of 1/3rd young beer and 2/3 of beer aged two years in large oak vats, giving fruity taste, complexity and intensity. It even has its own AOC. It takes over two years to make (even the angel’s share happens here and they know the good things) and the young beer is added to restart fermentation. 

Sip by sip, it is becoming more approachable! Patience is a virtue, especially if you are new to this style. By the way, Caractere is another outstanding beer from this brewery. But take it one step at a time.

Duvel Tripel Hop Citra Belgian IPA 9.5%, 330ml bottle

This pours a cloudy light gold, with an attractive white head. Looks like an IPA and smells like one too, citrus mostly with hops there also. Rich concentrated flavours, mostly tropical, flow across the palate, a subtle bitterness in the mix, and a hint of the high alcohol, yet all the elements combine in a very pleasant harmony indeed and those that didn’t fancy the Rodenbach are more than happy with this beauty, a gem from more familiar territory but still a gem. An unanimous thumbs up for the folks at Duvel!

Duvel is a natural beer with a subtle bitterness, a refined flavour and a distinctive hop character. The unique brewing process, which takes about 90 days, guarantees a pure character, delicate effervescence and a pleasant sweet taste of alcohol.

Ever since 2007 the brewers at Duvel have been busy innovating with a third hop variety to give Duvel a surprising twist and some extra bitterness. Each spring this results in the launch of a unique Tripel Hop, which complements the rest of the Duvel range. 

For this 2016 Duvel Tripel Hop, they used the aromatic hop called Citra. Citra is grown in the Yakima Valley in Washington and enriches the flavour palate with fresh hints of grapefruit and tropical fruit.

It takes a while for this beer to mature. It is only after 90 days, when it has achieved its rich range of flavours, that Duvel may leave the brewery. The other hops used here, the basic ones, are Saaz-Saaz and Styrian Golding.

The Triple Hop series began in 2007 and then skipped to 2010. And was added to each year between 2012 and 2016 when Citra was voted in as the people’s favourite.

The Duvel story though goes back well beyond 2007. It all began when Jan-Léonard Moortgat and his wife founded the Moortgat brewery farm in 1871. Around the turn of the century, Moortgat was one of the over 3,000 breweries operating in Belgium and is still going strong. The beer is still brewed with profound respect for the original recipe and the time it needs to mature. More details here .

*****
The round, by the way, it not like a boxing round. Not really looking for a winner here. If we have four winners, then so much the better, for me!

Also in this series:

An Irish and Belgian Beer Quartet play a pretty tune on a Friday evening.

All the beers above were bought in Bradley's, North Main Street, Cork.

Their Belgian Selection box (12 bottles) costs €45.00.

Their Irish Selection box (14 bottles/cans) costs €65.00. 

More details here.

An Irish and Belgian Beer Quartet play a pretty tune on a Friday evening.

An Irish and Belgian Beer Quartet

play a pretty tune on a Friday evening.
#1

The monks (Trappists, not Thelonius) in hot form, once you serve it at 12-14 degrees.

Elbow Lane “Jawbone” Pale Ale 5%, 500 ml bottle and on draught in the Market Lane group of restaurants.

The glass fills up with a cloudy amber. Jawbone is the name but this Pale Ale from the Cork city-centre micro-brewery has quite a bit of backbone and harmony reigns between the malts and the hops. Very well made ale and terrific with food, especially if you get it on draught in the five Cork restaurants owned by the Market Lane group.

They say: A strong English style Pale Ale brewed with Maris Otter Ale malt which imparts a rich malt flavour and balanced with the hop varieties Pilgrim and Fuggles.

All the Elbow Lane beers are named after lanes in Cork City. Jawbone Alley (now Ballymacthomas Street) was/is located off Glen Ryan Road close to Blarney Street. They also produce an Ale (Wisdom), a Stout (Angel) and a Lager (Elbow).

Hopfully Brewing’s “Graciosa” Tropical IPA 5.3%, 300 and 400ml can

They say: Brewed in Waterford by Metalman for Hopfully. The label warns: drink fresh, do not age! It is unfiltered and unpasteurised. Indiscreetly charming and full of character. 

Dublin based Hopfully match art with the beer and the colourful cartoon on the can is by Albert Terre.

Bet you’d like to know about the beer now…

Colour is close to a Citron Pressé, cloudy. Citrus and more exotic notes too in the aromas. The beer has been dry-hopped with Citra and Chinook. Overall, a very pleasant and a satisfying hoppy mouthful, full of flavour and refreshing. Thumbs up for the lip-smacking beer. Maybe not so much for the hype. Indiscreetly charming? Is that like, kiss and tell?

Orval Trappist Ale 6.2% ABV, 0.33l bottle

Served this at the unusually high recommended temperature of between 12 and 14 degrees.

Dark amber/orange is the colour, hazy in the chalice with quite a foamy and long-lasting head. Aromas are complex, yeast and hops plus orange notes and herb-y hints also. Complex too on the palate but all’s in harmony as the fruity and hoppy elements smoothly amalgamate, a creamy feel in the mouth, sip it slowly and savour the complexity before the long and dry finish reaches a slightly bitter finalé. This amazing beer has been quite a while in the making, so take your time and contemplate its many pleasant qualities. Not too many like this around!

The Brasserie d'Orval, located inside the Abbey, was created in 1931 to finance the huge construction site for the reconstruction of Orval. From the start, it hired labor, including the first master brewer, Pappenheimer, who created the manufacturing recipe.

Pappenheimer, originally from Bavaria, adopted the English method of raw hopping to give it a variety of aromas while maintaining its level of bitterness.

The Guardian Angel, with it is a superb view of the still functioning Abbey, is a quiet and welcoming place where time seems to have stood still. This tranquility is shared by visitors who come with family or friends to taste the two flagship products of Orval: cheese and Trappist beer. The cheese story started long before the beer. 

The website by the way is well worth looking up and includes recipes made with the beer or designed to be eaten with it, like this Fish Soup. Various recipes, using the beer, on the site, including this for the Fish Soup; https://www.orval.be/fr/page/507-recette-de-cuisine-a-l-orval . A fascinating story.

Mescan “Westport Extra” No 67 9.3%, 330ml bottle

Mescan may not have had an abbey but he was St Patrick’s right hand man and personal brewer so may well have brewed up a potion that forced the snakes to hightail it out of Ireland. The new Mescan beers are more likely to keep people here!

This Belgian style beer is extra in many respects, the label tells us: extra malt, hops and time to condition. So extra had to come into the name of this Strong Golden Ale and do give it the extra care it deserves. All Mescan beers are bottle conditioned and note too that the recommended serving temperature is a cold 3 - 6 C.

Gold is the colour, as you might expect, but a bit hazy, like Croagh Patrick on a misty morning with the sun coming through. The extra malt pumps up the alcohol, warming yes but there is no burn here, all’s in balance. 

Carbonation is high too and you notice that immediately on the palate along with concentrated fruit and yeast, a touch of caramel also. Wave after wave of flavour all the way to the finish. Belgian style and Irish finesse earn a Formidable! See photo for food pairing.

The brewery is situated on the slopes of Croagh Patrick and is owned and operated by Bart Adons and Cillian Ó Móráin, two Westport vets (veterinarians, not veterans!), who have been friends and colleagues for nearly 20 years. The pair spent four years perfecting their original recipes inspired by the beers of Belgium, Bart's homeland, before starting to brew commercially in 2013.

All the beers above were bought in Bradley's, North Main Street, Cork.

Their Belgian Selection box (12 bottles) costs €45.00.

Their Irish Selection box (14 bottles/cans) costs €65.00. 

More details here.

Blacks Win Gold For Their Rum At World Awards. Amazing Kinsale Duo Soon To Lay Down Their Whiskey

press release

Blacks Win Gold For Their Rum At World Awards

Amazing Kinsale Duo Soon To Lay Down Their Whiskey

Husband and wife duo, and founders of Blacks Brewery and Distillery, Sam and Maudeline Black, were in high spirits on winning a prestigious Gold award for their Blacks Golden Rum at the World Rum Awards. Founded originally as a craft beer brewery in 2013, this unstoppable couple expanded and opened their distillery in 2015, where they began producing gin in their top-of-the range facility in Kinsale, Co.Cork.  In 2018, they made history with Blacks Spiced Rum, Ireland’s first-ever rum, made entirely from start to finish in Ireland. Continuing to add to their extensive range of award-winning craft beers and spirits, this year their first bottle of Blacks Golden Rum hit the shelves, after maturing in ex Irish whiskey oak barrels for the last five years.

The World Rum Awards are the leading global rum awards, which select the very best in all of the internationally recognised styles, and award and promote these world best rums to consumers and trade across the globe. It was with immense pride that passionate entrepreneurs, Maudeline & Sam, accepted this coveted World Rum Award, a recognition of their master craftsmanship and innovative recipe. Blacks Golden Rum was the only rum to win Gold in its category - World’s Best Column Still Rum 5 Years & Under, and the only Irish spirit to make the winners list. This was the first time Blacks Brewery & Distillery entered these illustrious awards, with their golden rum undergoing a series of three stringent judges tasting sessions. Due to Covid19 restrictions, this year, all aspects of these awards took place behind closed doors, with virtual tasting sessions chaired by head judge Peter Holland. The distinguished judging panel comprised of international, leading journalists, specialist drinks retailers and industry experts.

Speaking in relation to the taste of this Gold award-winning Blacks Golden Rum the judging panel commented, ‘An interesting nose. It starts off with wood varnish and dunder/funkiness. Very ripe tropical fruit and very ripe stone and citrus fruit with a very notable dry orange peel aroma. There is roat vegetal notes too. The palate is quite straightforward and easy. One dimensional with easy tropical fruits and little hints of wood smoke and medicinal characteristics.’

 

Sam Black

‘We couldn’t believe it when award organisers contacted us with the good news. Gold! We are very proud of our golden rum, as we are with all of the beers and spirits which leave our brewery and distillery displaying our name. They really are a testament to the time and talent invested by all of our team in Kinsale, but to receive this recognition on a global scale, especially when up against such long standing and established rum brands it was just phenomenal.’ commented Founder Sam Black. 

Having made their mark on the global rum stage, there is no stopping this pair who already have their eyes firmly on their next endeavour - the whiskey market. Always looking for a unique angle, and bringing creativity to their business, be that in the form of seasonal craft beer recipes, production methods or eye-catching packaging, Maudeline & Sam wanted to make their whiskey journey special too. They have achieved this by opening up their business to other whiskey enthusiasts who wish to share in their passion with the Blacks Whiskey Founders Club.

Already boasting over 100 members, the Blacks Whiskey Founders Club gives whiskey lovers the opportunity to purchase their own cask of whiskey, starting from €6,500. This club allows members to create their very own personalised and branded whiskey, with a cask expected to deliver over 397 bottles of pot still single malt Irish whiskey, or to use this as an investment opportunity and after the five-year maturation period sell back their cask to Blacks. This buy-back scheme will generate a minimum 4% annually compounded (approx. €280 per year per cask) return on a members initial investment.

Phase one of this €1million project has now been completed, the installation of two copper whiskey stills. With the club still open for new members to join, and with lots of different cask options to choose from for example ex bourbon, sherry or port, the next key date in the diary is the first annual Blacks Whiskey Founders Club party, which is set to take place on Friday 18th September. This annual event gives members an opportunity to network and check in on their whiskey, becoming an actively engaged part of the distilling process. During the day members will have a choice of some social activities such as golfing and a Kinsale Harbour sailing trip,  while in the afternoon there will be tours of the distillery and brewery, with lots of spirit and beer tasting.

Speaking in relation to the Blacks Whiskey Founders Club , Sam Black commented, ‘This really is a unique opportunity for whiskey enthusiasts, who otherwise would not be in a position to produce whiskey alone. It was my passion for brewing and my wifes support that gave me the push to open Black Brewery & Distillery and I want to share that experience with others. Some of our members who have already joined plan to bottle and label their whiskey to gift to family, friends, as corporate client gifts and to sell some on the secondary whiskey market, while for others its an investment opportunity, but one in which they to play an active role in also creating a piece of our famous Irish whiskey heritage. The next few weeks mark a huge milestone in this project as the actual whiskey production begins. I look forward to watching our club grow, adding more people to the Blacks family and getting to meet a lot of these face to face at our annual get-together.’

Blacks Brewery and Distillery are among some of the lucky businesses who have been able to adapt their operations processes in order to remain functioning safely through this Covid19 pandemic. Not only are they still supplying beers and spirits to off-licenses and supermarkets across the country, but they are also playing their part in trying to fight this virus and support the community, with the production of much needed hand sanitiser. Despite their online sales increasing over the last month and sales staff required to focus their efforts here, Maudeline and Sam were still adamant that they were going to use their resources to help, and therefore redeployed members of their sales team, who would have primarily focused on on-trade pubs and restaurants.

Sales staff are now helping in the distillery to bottle and label hand sanitizer. This supply of hand sanitiser is being split between charities, such as Cork Simon and local Kinsale volunteers, and consumers. In addition to charity drops and for consumers through retail stores, when placing online spirit orders through the Blacks website consumers receive free sanitiser and one is also donated to a charity group in their name. Now that the new copper whiskey stills are installed they will also play a role in this sanitation process, as before whiskey production begins in the coming weeks the stills must undergo a cleaning run in manual mode with vinegar, followed by a sacrificial alcohol run which will also be transformed into hand sanitiser.

Commenting on the new edition to their production line Sam Black said, ‘We consider ourselves very fortunate to still be in a position to stay open and meet the demand of customers. It is a very hard time for the entire Irish community and we just wanted to play our part, no matter how small in helping during this crisis. When we became aware of the huge shortage of hand sanitiser for those on the frontline we realised we were in a unique position to be able to assist, and so we quickly went about altering our production process to start manufacturing and getting this into the hands of those who need it.’

To find out more about the award-winning Blacks Golden Rum, to become a member of the Blacks Whiskey Founders Club, or to place an order for some of Blacks Brewery & Distillery famous craft beers or gin visit www.blacksbrewery.com. You can also contact Paul, a member of the Blacks team at paul@blacksbrewery.com or stay connected online at Instagram/blacksbrewery Instagram/blacksdistillerykinsale, Twitter @BlacksBrewery or Facebook/BlacksOfKinsale

The 9 White Deer Brewery. Pale Ale and Kölsch. And Sanitiser!

The 9 White Deer Brewery
The Pale Ale and Kölsch. And Sanitiser!

Pale Ale

Is beer essential these Covid19 days? 

As much as it ever was! Cider and wine too. And spirits, of course, even if only as a sanitiser! 

And, these strange days, you may order hand sanitiser along with excellent craft beer from your local brewery. Well, from Ballyvourney's 9 White Deer at least. 

Their beers can be found in outlets all over the island. But with all the Covid19 restrictions and particularly if you are cocooning, you may need a delivery to the house. 

Check out their online shop here to order your beer and their recently released alcohol based hand sanitiser.

The 9 White Deer Brewery was brought into being by two people, Gordon Lucey and Don O’Leary. They each have a passion for quality beer and, between them, they have a lot of experience in all aspects of beer from growing barley to front of house customer experience and everything in between. More details here .

Stag Bán Pale Ale 4.5% abv

Stag Bán was their first beer and has been gluten free since 2018.

Basically, it’s an easy drinking beer, brewed at lower temperatures to create a cleaner profile; the malt profile is an uncomplicated design, neither heavy nor cloying.

For me, the attraction here is the hops, though it’s far from being a “hop bomb”. This is about balance. The lads say they designed this beer with summer in mind and the hops used (First Gold, Admiral and Cascade) emphasise that. It is a harmonious drink with citrus, floral and spice notes all combining well in the golden glass.

9 White Deer’s Stag Saor Kölsch, 4.2% abv

Kölsch is a style of beer originating in Cologne, Germany. In appearance, this Cork produced example is bright and clear with a yellow/amber colour.

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 beer has become one of their biggest selling beers.

Stag Kolsch, which is also gluten free, has a gentle hop and malt character, a classic German style of beer brewed with German Noble Hops, Premium Irish and German Malt and German Yeast. It gets an extended lagering time where it can develop and mature.

* For details of all their other beers (all brewed, bottled and kegged in Ballyvourney, Co. Cork) and brewery tours (when restrictions are lifted), please check here.

Christmas Cheer Reviewed. Including Drinks Gluten Free & Alcohol Free

Summer Beer Downed In December

Including Drinks Gluten Free & Alcohol Free

Very much into seasonal when it comes to my food. Not so much when it’s beer. Especially when there’s a can handy, a can from Eight Degrees called Orange Ball 5. It’s part of their 8th year anniversary celebration series called Rack ‘Em Up and intended to be a summertime sup.

But I come across it late-ish, on a December night on the run-in to Christmas, spot the 3.9 abv and I say to myself that this Fruity Pale Ale fits the bill. Athgarret Malt, Ireland’s newest maltsters, as suppliers of the wheat and oats, get much of the credit. Credit too though to the brewers at the Mitchelstown brewery who came up with this fruity sessional pale ale, silky sunshine on a cloudy day. Just the job to fit this Bill, late on a windy Friday night. A juicy wet sunshine-ey kiss, declares the label. A kiss for all seasons, methinks.

Staying a bit out of sequence here, all the better to draw your attention to the Blue Ball, number 2 in the series. This one’s a coffee infused Vienna Lager (4.50%). You usually come across coffee in stouts but the Eight Degrees boffins went outside the box - they usually do - when they got together with local coffee roaster Badger & Dodo.

I admit to be being a little sceptical when I pulled this one. So it was quite a pleasant surprise when I found the combination worked a treat both on the nose and on the palate. The balance is just spot-on, another winner racked up in North Cork. By the way, who is Dodo? I have met the badger, better known as Brock.

The Christmas dinner was excellent, both food and company, and gave me a chance to pot the black. The  #8 Black Ball Metric Stout that is! Aged in Jameson whiskey barrels, the big bold (11.5%) stout proved quite a match for the Christmas pudding.

For all the excellent beers in the Rack ‘Em Up eight, my favourite remains the Howling Gale Irish Pale Ale. It is the first beer Eight Degrees ever brewed, back in 2011. Perfect then. Perfect now.

Just going back to Christmas Day. We had quite a few visitors. Some were driving so I made sure to have a few non alcoholic beers in the house. The newish Dungarvan Brewery Main Sail was one and that went down well. One guy enjoyed the Erdinger but no one tried the Russian Baltica.

The big alcoholic attraction though was the Chateau Turcaud "Cuvée Majeure" Bordeaux blanc, a beautiful wine in an impressive magnum, a present for our 50th earlier in the year!

As usual there were bubbles - of various types. And here a local Elderflower cordial, made by Maura’s Kitchen and bought at Killavullen Market, came into its own, drawing lots of compliments. Sometimes, it was mixed with sparkling wine and, where the request was for no alcohol, with sparkling water. Really made quite a favourable impression all round.

Bīru, appropriately enough since it is the Japanese word for beer, is the name of a premium light lager with an abv of 4.3%, which also proved a favourite. It is a Japanese inspired rice beer;  ingredients also include water, malted barley, maize and hops and is also gluten free.

It certainly tastes pretty well with a very smooth mouthfeel. Easy-drinking, light and refreshing, with very little bittering, it is an ideal session drink. It is contract brewed by Cork’s Cotton Ball Brewery.

As you probably know, the 9 White Deer Brewery, from Baile Bhúirne, have a full range of Gluten Free beers and their Stag Bán ale was very popular with our guests. 

So there you are. More than one way to a Happy Christmas! Now here’s to a happy 2020.